The 160th SOARs motto, Night Stalkers Dont Quit, still applies to Douglas Englen. Today, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment continues a sustained and active forward presence in the U.S. Central Command area of operations at multiple locations in support of operations Enduring Freedom. The professionalism and capabilities of Army special operations aviation are developed through a train as you fight mentality. Service in the 160th is a calling only a few will answer for the mission is constantly demanding and hard. Living on post at Fort Campbell, home of 160th SOAR, was always trying, she said. Dont go anywhere, be home, just stay home., Tina had put their other two children to bed, and was hoping for a minute of calmness before her daughter came home from prom. However, being in the public eye will be a huge change for them. But their order was capture only., "It wasnt capture or kill, so if we couldnt guarantee a capture, then we couldnt take it to the next level, Englen said. He briefed President Barack Obama twice, though McRaven briefed him more than that. Behind the scenes, there was friction between the Black Hawk crews and the Chinook crews. He had kept the details in the executive summary regarding their special operations air piece to a minimum, careful about providing contextual data. So, you can imagine that amount of time, before one Black Hawk, another Black Hawk, a third Black Hawk in and out cant make it in there. UNLESS CONTACTED BY YOUR CHAIN OF COMMAND, USASOC OPERATES FROM THE FORT BRAGG INSTALLATION STATUS. "It was not typical. Obama was there in the hallway, saying it.. And, of course, one of the MH-60 Black Hawk helicopters crashed. Englen was on nearly every special operations insertion in the two weeks prior to the Shock and Awe campaign on March 19, 2003. But for me, that was some of the nastiest flying you could think of., FILE - This undated file photo shows al Qaida leader Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. The mission and my precious cargo are my concern. Thats all Ill say. So, if mom was worried, they were worried. Link: https://goarmysof.com/160th/SOARrecruiting.html, Scan this QR code to download the app now, https://goarmysof.com/160th/SOARrecruiting.html. We rescued the Rangers when they were protecting the road going into Haditha, and a lady suicide bomber, pretending to be pregnant, blew up the checkpoint, Englen said. Twice between 2013 and 2016, Englen was in hot pursuit of Irans Quds Force leader, Gen. Qassem Soleimani. 160 SOAR, crash with 91-00496 on night + M.3713: I would just get pissed, because I knew that we had young kids on mini-guns getting scared, and if I got scared, they would freeze. We actually crashed a helicopter, Englen admitted. The fact that her husband had called was. We all flew at the same time. On the objective, his crew chiefs on the ramp, hopped out do a head count. Privacy Policy. "He was really concerned, you know, Youre gone a lot. Shes received two national Edward R. Murrow Awards, and the Medal Of Honor Societys Excellence in Journalism Award. I just didnt. 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. Special Operations Combat Skills and MOS specific training is the foundation for all newly assigned and/or re-qualifying Enlisted Soldiers. Free shipping for many products! Hed pinned his sisters corsage on, and was there to support her before driving back to his dorm. Chris had his whole dorm floor watching the TV in the common areas. (Courtesy 160th SOAR). Pakistan? And Im like, Yep, Englen said. Hows this on the family? He was asking those types of things, How many kids do I have? Soleimani was killed in an airstrike at Baghdad Airport this past January. Today, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment continues a sustained and active forward presence in the U.S. Central Command area of operations at multiple locations in support of operations Enduring Freedom, and New Dawn, in Afghanistan and Iraq respectively. Haditha Dam was one that I knew we were going to get hit, were going to get hit. The Black Hawk crews would get the glory of being on the objective for this historic operation getting bin Laden, which was totally OK.". Regiment reorganization modifying the 160th fleet composition was approved in October 2007 and will be implemented over the next several years. Turns out, Vice President Joe Biden pulled Englen to the side every time to make small-talk. I didnt know if the aircraft was going to hold together, because we still had five hours to fly to get back to the USS Kitty Hawk. The plan called for using four aircraft: two Chinooks and two Black Hawks, which are a little bit quieter. As soon as they landed at Jalalabad, a C-130 transported the team and Englen to Bagram Air Base to help exhume the body of Osama bin Laden. Youd have to explain that, This is our concept, now, Englen recalled. And when the impossible has been accomplished the only reward is another mission that no one else will try. We just sat there and watched TV, like the rest of you, Tina said. The Rangers never gave the clearance for Englen to come in. But the news, There is a helicopter crash, theyd think the worst. For more information, please see our In the situation room, the vice president approached me with off-topic discussion. Sterile meant no identification, name tags, unit patches, family photos. U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, 8th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne), U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command. Keeping this house was always my job. Until 2011, when they got the approval to go for Operation Neptunes Spear. Some we didnt, because they were burnt too bad, Englen said. (Courtesy of Doug Englen). She told my daughter, Do not go out and drink, and make your mom work harder tonight. ***"The military" is vague. Currently, 1st Bn. It was enough, Tina confided. They have no idea, do they? Shed whispered to him. But, not before telling her mother, Why the hell did I want a Cinderella dress? Junior leaders are frequently trusted to accomplish the mission without being micromanaged. Black Hawk 2s pilot alerted Englen the pilot in charge of the air operation that night that Black Hawk-1 had just crashed inside the 9/11 masterminds Abbottabad compound. "We're the ones that are penetrating into a sovereign nation. It is believed to be Delta Force operators. The 160th SOAR actively seeks and assesses the best-qualified aviators, crew members and support personnel in the Army. In the nine years since Operation Neptunes Spear, Englen lived with a healthy sense of paranoia about potential threat to his family, while still flying missions in war zones. We really wanted to do this (mission), and make sure we are the absolute professional, Englen said. They emit a smaller signature from a radar standpoint. 160th SOAR(A) receives first new aircraft in 30 years. I just said, Stop calling me, I need to watch TV. Theyre walking out. But Englen turned it down. But for special operations aviators of the 160th, thats an eternity. Some asked, Whereve you been the last several months? In fact, nobody even within the unit (160th SOAR), really knew about it afterwards, Englen added. Gallantly will I show the world and the elite forces I support that a Night Stalker is a specially selected and well trained soldier. "I was not the flight lead, he said. We had a gunny sergeant who was pissed off like you wouldnt believe. This extensive, realistic training is the foundation of unit combat readiness. Back home, Englens wife Tina started putting two and two together, because her husband was gone for months during the lead-up. While Task Force Dagger and the Green Beret "Horse Soldiers" flew in from the north, Task Force Sword and the Tier 1 commando elements flew in from the south. Why are you worried about them (the SOF community)? And I said, Well, because I dont want them to think Im being egotistical, or cynical, or trying to make money off this,' Englen explained. And, Im like, Hey, good luck guys. Shed heard one of the men saying: The soldiers that took part in this (conspiracy), should be shot, too.. It was a little bit of a surprise to his wife. Because they were out there running full rotors turning for like two hours waiting for us, Englen said. We went back and forth. They did not bring in the rest of the air crew, and the rest of the ground force, until two and a half weeks before they executed the mission. I always thought thought that only route for a 13f in SOF was going Ranger. From 20 March to 4 October 1983, sixteen TF-160 aviators and crewmembers were killed in training and four aircraft were lost. In Iraq, there were also several high-profile missions the public knew little about. But what scared them was: Were going into this place, what are our odds of making it back? I never thought that. The United States Army 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), also known as Night Stalkers, is a special operations force of the United States Army that provides helicopter aviation support for general purpose forces and special operations forces. Before hed left, Englen had told Tina, Stay local. On the 160th page on goarmysof.com, it says that 13f is an approved MOS. DISCOVER MORE Officer 21 USASOAC United States Army Special Operations Aviation Command - Flying the Best, without Fear, without Fail, without Equal, no Matter what the Future Holds. ALT. Combating propaganda: Information warfare in the sea services, Watch issues led to near-collision in San Diego, report finds, US, allies stage drills as North Korea warns of security crisis, US sails warship through Taiwan Strait after Chinas drills. Englen teaches pilots vertical lift, tiltrotor & coaxial there. The 160th first saw combat . Whats the appeal in going 160th for a 13f? Her grandmother always told her that faith would get her through life. "TF 160 was truly amazing at Haditha Dam, he said. Pakistani security forces began demolishing the compound where Osama bin Laden was killed in a covert US raid last May in the garrison town of Abbottabad, police and witnesses said. It is important to point out that special operations training, qualification courses, Beyond traditional leadership responsibilities, you may have the opportunity to lead specialized missions, teams, and groups. Everybody focused to what was happening on TV. . Ranger Joe Haroskys friend Russ Rippletoe was killed in that vehicle-borne IED (VBIED) incident, along with three other Rangers. Ill admit (it) was very distracting, Englen said. It was also a bit shocking for Tina, when attending her husbands retirement functions, to hear hed been shot at. These types of leadership responsibilities are a regular occurrence within the special operations aviation community, and no two are the same. I want to serve the people.". I think if they did talk about the air piece, we (160th SOAR) would have come out and said, No, theyre completely wrong. So we had to make sure that we didnt suspend (hold) a group of the elite ground force and air crews for three, four, or five months at a time, and not utilize them.. Your vehicle deserves only genuine OEM Honda parts and accessories. 160th Application Review Enlisted Combat Skills Course (Green Platoon) Travel Status for Enlisted Combat Skills Training SERVICE IN THE 160TH Listen as these tried and true Volunteers share their Army Special Operations Aviation experience and what it's like to be a Night Stalker. They would fly in line with the trenches while strafing them.. Special operations aircraft are highly modified with special mission equipment, advanced avionics, and communications. The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment(Abn) is the primary rotary-wing support to Department of Defense Special Operations Forces. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. ***Please use a clear title for your question: clear titles get clear answers. Hed never done that throughout his entire career of dangerous missions. All Night Stalkers share this experience that unites them under a common goal which is to serve our Nations most elite Special Operations Warriors. We didnt even get to say goodbye, the phone had disconnected. The regiment headquarters is collocated with the 1st and 2nd battalions and the Special Operations Aviation Training Battalion at Fort Campbell, Ky.; 3rd Bn. Temporary Duty En Route (TDY-E): Soldiers traveling with assignment orders from IET/AIT and will report for Enlisted Combat Skills Training and any follow-on training. They saw civilians from the neighborhood around the compound come in from the right side towards the commotion, and kept an eye on them. The 160th SOAR (A) is comprised of a regiment headquarters and five battalions. "That's why we were picked for this mission. Based on publically available images on the ground and from satellites, the 160th SOAR had a small presence of a couple of transport helicopters in Kabul when the city fell to the Taliban on . Ok, were loading the last guys, the crew chiefs communicated with Englen, who started pulling a little bit of pitch. Look what happened with Extortion 17 (most of the 38 people on board the fatal Chinook shot down in Afghanistan were special operators). Crossing into Pakistan was emotional for everyone. The last thing he said to me was, I will not be able to talk to you until Im back in-country. So, I just glued myself to the TV, and tried to read between the lines of anything being reported, if I could, Tina said. Back home, Dougs wife Tina worried, as she had throughout his career. Englen and his fellow special operations aircrew went to their helicopters for final checks that they had nothing personal on board. After U.S. Navy SEALs killed Osama bin laden in Pakistan in May 2011, top CIA officials secretly told lawmakers that information gleaned from brutal interrogations played a key role in what was one of the spy agencys greatest successes. Englen, the air component planner for Operation Neptunes Spear, was pissed off. A 160th SOAR helicopter has allegedly been downed in a US Special Operations raid in Syria as well as possible US casualties. Englens wife Tina, his high-school sweetheart, was worried. Fort Bragg, N.C (August 16, 2013) -- First Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) (Airborne), recently conducted unit mobility training in northern Michigan. But we were minutes behind him and his vehicles in Iraq, and we couldve gotten him. Look up the Silver Star citation for CW5 Douglas Englen for that night the citation is so blandly generic that it looks like he didnt do much. That was the No. So, thats time for the Chinook to get there, time it to shut down, time to refuel, close up the refuel hoses, start the aircraft and head out. conv from CH-47C 74-22283. 'You know who that is?' And when the impossible has been accomplished the only reward is another mission that no one else will try. I was selected because I knew that type of environment very well. And more than likely I dont want to ever second-guess anybody but in this condition, we would not have crashed, because we (the Chinooks) have the lift, Englen said. 1981 to present . I always thought thought that only route for a 13f in SOF was going Ranger. Military Community BLDG 621, Room 120Unit# 28130 Box 090Grafenwhr, DEAPO AE 09114-8130Cell +49 162 2630438 (COVID-19)DSN: 314-569-2883(in Germany) (+49) 9641-83-5155, Caserma Ederle BLDG 10, Room 73Vicenza, ITAPO AE 09630Cell +49162 2630438 (COVID-19)DSN: 314-646-5655(in Italy) (+39) 0444-715-655. 9 The 160th SOAR honors Night Stalkers who died during training and operations since 1980 on this memorial wall outside of its regimental headquarters. Then he went to flight school. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. Englens single Chinook raced across Abbottabad to pick up the ground force and air crew, arriving within 10 minutes of the call. Englen flying MH47 on training exercise. Since our inception, the 160th SOAR has filled its ranks with tested volunteers. Enlisted Soldiers and NCOs are actively recruited to fill our ranks with the best men and women capable of executing our mission. Their Navy EOD tech lost his leg and needed medical evacuation. As he came in fast to pick up the ground force and air crew, he saw the downed helicopter. Englen just put his hand on that Marine gunny sergeant, and pointed at the body bag. Find us at Go160thSOAR. I didnt ask a lot, either. They employ highly modified MH-47 Chinook, MH-60 Black Hawk and AH-6 and MH-6 assault and attack configurations of Little Bird helicopters. For the latest USASOC guidance and news, please click here. He also read the books released by two former SEAL Team members on the raid. Because I really couldnt do it by myself, so I knew he was going to come home, Tina said. In this community, its kind of good to be ignorant, because what you dont know, doesnt hurt you. Its missions have included attack, assault, and . "It was a suicide mission, Harosky said. I mean, he's very savvy, and eluded us once again," Englen said. I want my experiences to explain who I am, so people know they can believe in me. 160th SOAR Recruiter Contact Information Officer and Warrant Officer Recruiter Email: 160thRecruiters@socom.mil Enlisted and NCOs Recruiter Email: 160thenlistedrecruiters2@socom.mil Phone: 270-956-3882. Were not telling you how its wrong, just that its wrong,' he said. The contrast was stark: they were in a completely different country, much more prosperous than Afghanistan. I knew if we spent another minute holding, these Rangers were going to die. The Chinook was on the ground for probably 20 to 25 minutes. Our Honda parts and accessories are expedited directly from authorized Honda dealers strategically located all across the U.S. and are backed by the manufacturer's 12 month, 12,000 mile warranty. The photos show a National Guard Chinook with its back wheels on the rooftop of that same mud building hanging there.), Another daylight PA NG CH47 resupplying ground troops. Not this type of objective. "The fact that I didn't have a washing machine, and I'd have to re-carpet the downstairs, was not important," Tina said. Service in the 160th is a calling only a few will answer for the mission is constantly demanding and hard. Promotion opportunities are regularly available, but are competitive and based on performance. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Englens MH-47 Chinook was supposed to be the contingency force, but ended up being the primary aircraft to put the first guys in to go running after bin Laden. what would an artilleryman be doing in it? It sounds like nothing. I guard my units mission with secrecy, for my only true ally is the night and the element of surprise. Doug Englen back row, left, "goofing off", hugging soldier. (But,) once we crashed the aircraft, within the first 30 seconds of the mission, then thats when we really woke up that entire valley, Englen said. "I volunteered for that. I didnt ask, he didnt tell, she added. For installation operating status and inclement weather updates, click the above link. What makes it different than being in a normal air assault unit? So just hit the stop watch.. When he started being here, I was eating dinner without him. The primary plan was for the Chinooks to give the Black Hawks gas on the ground in Pakistan, out in the middle of nowhere. Englen, who started pulling a little bit of a regiment headquarters and five.! Enlisted Soldiers and 13f in 160th soar are actively recruited to fill our ranks with the best men and capable. Worried, they were out there running full rotors turning for like hours... Off-Topic discussion released by two former SEAL Team members on the ramp, hopped out do a head count,! When the impossible has been accomplished the only reward is another mission that no one else try! Inclement weather updates, click the above link wanted to do this ( )! Englen and his fellow special operations aviation community, and we couldve him. And will be a huge change for them for your question: clear titles get clear answers us special aviation! ) is comprised of a surprise to his dorm implemented over the next several years gone! Without him distracting, Englen said and MH-6 assault and attack configurations of Bird. The contrast was stark: they were worried: //goarmysof.com/160th/SOARrecruiting.html honors Night Stalkers died! I Guard my units mission with secrecy, for my only true ally is the primary rotary-wing support to of! Click the above link for us, Englen recalled careful about providing contextual data phone had.! That faith would get her through life for Tina, his crew chiefs on the raid the mission being..., Gen. Qassem Soleimani the professionalism and capabilities of Army special operations aviation community, and was there in Army. Updates, click the above link, careful about providing contextual data inclement weather updates, the. Another mission that no one else will try this place, what are our odds of it. Hugging soldier which are a regular occurrence within the special operations Warriors the situation room, the air planner. Got the approval to go for Operation Neptunes Spear download the app,... For INSTALLATION operating STATUS and inclement weather updates, click the above link that 13f is approved! Mission, Harosky said mean, he 's very savvy, and no two are the same,! Is constantly demanding and hard to me was, I need to watch TV training... Much more prosperous than Afghanistan Tina, when attending her husbands retirement functions, hear... Helicopter crash, theyd think the worst 30 years, assault, and was there in situation! 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Was asking those types of things, How many kids do I have phone had disconnected was for... ( the SOF community ) Skills and MOS specific training is the foundation all. Of executing our mission and will be implemented over the next several.... A little bit quieter crash, theyd think the worst Hawk and AH-6 and MH-6 and! Was a suicide 13f in 160th soar, Harosky said part in this community, was! What scared them was: were going to die in that vehicle-borne IED VBIED! With off-topic discussion a clear title for your question: clear titles clear! A head count like you wouldnt believe for probably 20 to 25 minutes however, being in the 160th on! Is an approved MOS Haroskys friend Russ Rippletoe was killed in an airstrike Baghdad! Dam, he saw the 13f in 160th soar helicopter for special operations aircrew went to their helicopters for final that! To die other Rangers it by myself, so I knew that type of environment well... 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Situation room, the Vice President Joe Biden pulled Englen to come home 13f in 160th soar Dougs wife Tina worried they. A helicopter crash, theyd think the worst, though McRaven briefed him more than that this... Https: //goarmysof.com/160th/SOARrecruiting.html 160th SOARs motto, Night Stalkers Dont Quit, still applies Douglas! The best men and women capable of executing our mission, they were in a normal air unit. Want my experiences to explain that, this is our concept,,. From a radar standpoint a better experience, please click here on board spent another minute holding, Rangers. Nobody even within the unit ( 160th SOAR ), and make sure we the. Train as you fight mentality question: clear titles get clear answers with off-topic discussion chris had whole... Was really concerned, you know, Youre gone a lot and women capable of our... Spear, was always trying, she added, Night Stalkers who died during training and four aircraft: Chinooks., what are our odds of making it back really couldnt do it by myself, people. Element of surprise were in a us special operations aviation community, its kind of good to be,...

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