The official newsletter of the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Inside Special Warfare Center and School

Oct. 17, 2011 SWCS Issue 38, Volume 2 Part 2 of a 2-part series One wall at a time, SWCS builds Special Forces engineer sergeants

Left: Two U.S. Special Forces students twist concertina wire around a fence post to build a double-apron fence on Fort Bragg, N.C., Aug. 25. This was part of the Special Forces engineer sergeant military occupational skills phase of the Special Forces Qualification Course at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School. Top right: U.S. Special Forces Engineer Sergeant student use hoes to mix concrete for a wall. Bottom right: Aspiring Green Berets build a double-apron fence during the Special Forces Qualification Course. Of the two types of fences the Soldiers built that day, the double-apron is the hardest for an enemy to bypass. Story and photos by Spc. Cody A. Thompson learn how to get rid of the UXO by creating a protective their training teaches them to read blueprints and de- 40th Public Affairs Detachment barrier around the UXO and using a block of C-4 to det- sign and construct buildings and field fortifications in onate it. If we do this correctly, the wall will stay intact.” theaters of operation. Like all Special Forces Soldiers, he sounds of hoes plunging into dry earth, Another important section of the training is base- they are taught to recruit, organize, train, advise or com- creaks from wooden beams being slammed camp construction, which includes teaching the Sol- mand indigenous combat forces as large as a company. into the ground by mallets, and cement mix- diers how to construct everything they need to survive ing in a wheelbarrow, could be heard through- Keeping the teams safe begins with constructing in a deployed or third-world environment. out an engineering range as potential U.S. Special Forces fences that border the base camps. “Teams come back after missions and need a place engineer sergeants worked tirelessly to build walls. “There are two types of fences that we are building, the T that is safe from the enemy,” Staff Sgt. Corey Jacobson, concertina fence and the double apron fence,” Jacobson Special Forces candidates from the U.S. Army John another engineer sergeant candidate, said. F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School learned said. “The concertina fence is a triple strain (temporary) The Soldiers need a place where they can be pro- roll of concertina wire and is quick to put up. The double to build walls and fences as part of the military occupa- tected, eat, sleep, plan and conduct maintenance for the tional skills phase of their qualification course on Fort apron is made from short or long pickets, constantan wire next mission, Jacobson explained. and barbwire. Although the double apron is more labor- Bragg, N.C., Aug. 25. The 18C military occupational specialty, Special intensive, it’s also a lot harder for an enemy to get past.” The Soldiers began the sweltering day by building a Forces engineer, is one of several specialties within the “Eventually, the plan is to get [the base camp] to a cement foundation and wall which could be protected Special Forces career field. Officers, warrant officers, permanent state,” he added. from explosives by the next group of candidates. weapons sergeants, medics, and communication and One veteran explained how this type of training “We layered some bricks to build a wall [that hy- intelligence specialists must each complete individual translates to the real world. pothetically] would be used to protect Soldiers and specialty training to qualify in their field. Once assigned civilians from actual mortar rounds,” Sgt. Caleb Vet, a to one of the Army’s Special Forces groups, Soldiers “The world works off of masonry,” retired Command prospective Special Forces engineer sergeant, said. “Af- from each specialty come together in order to form one Sgt. Maj. Henry Ramirez, the instructors’ supervisor, ter we find out what the locals need, we can help them 12-man Special Forces operational detachment-alpha. said. “Some of these guys will be able to build villages in build their own structures.” These teams employ two qualified Special Forces other countries to train (host-nation) forces.” Not only do the aspiring engineer sergeants raise engineers: one apprentice-level Soldier graduated from Soldiers who complete the SFQC as engineer ser- walls, but protecting structures through the use of ex- the Special Forces Qualification Course, and one sea- geants are not only taught engineer-specific tasks; core plosives is another skill they learn. soned Soldier with operational experience as a Special elements of the SFQC, such as regional and language “We’re using masonry blocks for the demolition Forces engineer. education, and small-unit tactics, are universal to all portion of the [U.S. Special Forces Engineer Sergeants These Soldiers are experts in the planning, design Special Forces training, no matter a Soldier’s specialty. Course] in case there’s unexploded ordinance (UXO) and construction of buildings, demolition, mine warfare, Whether it’s building villages, training host-nations, downrange,” Spc. Eugenio Grullon, a U.S. Special Forces special-purpose munitions and explosives, counterboo- providing a secure base camp, wiring electricity, plumbing, engineer student and former XVIII Airborne Corps sur- bytrap and UXO clearance operations and improvised or detonating UXOs, these budding engineers work sun- veyor, said. “If there’s UXO by a building downrange, we munitions and explosives. The construction module of rise to sunset to build a better future—one wall at a time. SWCS SSI symbolizes core SOF attributes, irregular techniques

International military servicemembers attending U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School courses pose with Lt. Gen. John F. Mulholland, Jr., commanding general of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, during a reception for international By Dave Chace military students Oct. 12 on Fort Bragg, N.C. International special-operations students come to SWCS to attend U.S. Army courses SWCS Public Affairs Office such as the Special Forces, Civil Affairs and Military Information Support qualification courses, as well as advanced skills courses like the Special Operations Combat Medic Course. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Russell Lee Klika, SWCS Public Affairs Office) The U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School’s shoulder-sleeve in- signia is a common site around Fort Bragg, and throughout the special-operations community. Often coupled with Spe- SOCOM welcomes 7th command sergeant major By Mike Bottoms cial Forces and Ranger sergeant ma- SOCOM Public Affairs Office tabs, and always topped jor, replacing Command Sgt. by the Airborne tab, Adm. Bill H. McRaven, commander of the Maj. Thomas the SWCS patch rep- U.S. Special Operations Command, passed the resents the experienced H. Smith. sword to Command Sgt. Maj. Chris Faris during special-operations a change of responsibility ceremony at the com- Faris is the Soldiers who train and mand’s headquarters on MacDill Air Force Base, personal ad- educate their peers and Fla. The transfer of the sword from McRaven to viser to the followers, as well as those Faris signifies the trust and confidence that SO- commander on all issues regarding the welfare, students striving to join, or COM has in the noncommissioned officer corps. readiness, morale and proper utilization of the SO- progress through, the Army’s Faris becomes SOCOM’s seventh command COM enlisted force. special-operations ranks. Originally approved in 1962, this design has fol- lowed SWCS through five name changes. Its most Upcoming Event Highlight prominent feature is an antique lamp, stylized to resemble the Greek letter “Psi”, chosen to symbol- ize the traits, feelings and attributes of the mind; National Defense University fittingly, SWCS today emphasizes eight core attri- butes to guide the selection and education of Army special-operations Soldiers. The lamp’s flames are meant to simulate the action of arraying for battle. Distinguished Lecture Series Two crossed arrows, of Special Forces branch “Assessing and Ranking the Threats: Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Al-Qaeda and its Allies” insignia fame, also make an appearance, referring to the stealth of early American frontiersmen, as Open to the SWCS, Fort Bragg and Special Operations communities. well as the “wasplike, yet devastating” use of ir- regular tactics and techniques. 1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m., Oct. 21 For those Civil Affairs and Military Informa- tion Support Soldiers wondering “What about Kennedy Hall Auditorium us? SWCS serves three Army branches, not just Special Forces!” you can rest easy - just take a look No RSVP required ♦ Please be seated 10 minutes prior to start of the lecture at the nearest NCO’s beret and you’ll see that SWCS’s distinctive unit insignia feature both the torch from the Civil Affairs branch insignia (and the Statue of Liberty), as well as the trojan horse SWCS Calendar of the Psychological Operations branch insignia. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday “Shred It & Forget It!” MISO QC Graduation All three branches are present in SWCS’ insig- Safely destroy personal 9:30 a.m., JFK Auditorium information at Fort Bragg’s Robin Sage nias and symbols, just as they are present among destruction facility (CMDF). National Defense University Make an appointment at: Distinguished Lecture Series begins SWCS ranks and priorities. 16 17 18 19(910) 907-3670 20 1 p.m.,21 JFK Auditorium 22 Military heraldry ties generations of service SWCS Fall Festival members together and helps Soldiers identify 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. with their command and those who serve along- 23 24 25 26 27 Special28 Forces Association 29 side them. To research other military symbols, you can visit the Institute of Heraldry’s website at SOF Education Fair Robin Sage www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil 30 31 1 Bank2 Hall ends3 4 5