U.S. soldiers with 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment train at Imperial County Air Field, California, Jan. 16, 2019. You could tell that we are waking up Pakistan, because this is not normal. The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), abbreviated as 160th SOAR (A), is a special operations force of the United States Army that provides helicopter aviation support for general purpose forces and special operations forces. In Iraq, there were also several high-profile missions the public knew little about. With the noise in the valley, he had an early warning network, and he was out of there. Pakistan? And Im like, Yep, Englen said. 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. 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. Your SORB recruiter will submit your packet to the 160threcruiting office within 5 business days. Sometimes he would ask, Where are you landing? Sometimes hed ask, How are you planning on doing that? Or about the air crew. Englen and a crew of six was flying that one Chinook. Our expectations are high, but attainable. They basically said, If you werent there, it wouldve been different. So it made me feel good, Englen shared. The regiment is exceptionally resourced for extensive and realistic training conducted regularly in a variety of environments. It may not display this or other websites correctly. No wedding rings. Promotion opportunities are regularly available, but are competitive and based on performance. If an aircraft went down, and you didnt hear anything. Sterile meant no identification, name tags, unit patches, family photos. "The fact that I didn't have a washing machine, and I'd have to re-carpet the downstairs, was not important," Tina said. I mean, we were at the maximum weight that the aircraft could hold," Englen explained. Those missions involved British special operations and multiple Tier 1 organizations from the U.S. From Samarra to the Yusufiyah triangle, the list of operations the public never knew about was long. The flight lead was left seat, I was his copilot in the right seat, he recalled. Career stability and longevity as a Night Stalker means opportunity for advancement within the Regiment. The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiments mission is to organize, equip, train, resource and employ Army special operations aviation forces worldwide in support of contingency missions and combatant commanders. "We're the ones that are penetrating into a sovereign nation. All we do is minimize our time and get there as quick as possible," Englen said. Regiment reorganization modifying the 160th fleet composition was approved in October 2007 and will be implemented over the next several years. Bin Laden was there. 75th Ranger Regiment 13F and Air Force SOF TACPs. The 160th is the only rotary wing precision special operations aviation force in the entire Defense Department. Tina closed her eyes and ears to the possibility and prayed a lot. There truly are few people of this 9/11 generation that have been as heroic and as courageous as Doug Englen, McRaven added, without revealing any specifics. Fort Bragg, N.C (August 16, 2013) -- First Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) (Airborne), recently conducted unit mobility training in northern Michigan. A quick phone call just to hear my voice, and tell them everyones OK, I knew that was all that was needed, Englen said. Mom, mom, mom! Tinas son called immediately from college. As soon as the last ground force was on the aircraft, the crew chiefs came in right behind them and ramped up. 1981 to present . TOP. That meant they were sitting on the ground vulnerable inside a sovereign nation, after invading its airspace and assaulting a compound. Many operators wrote letters to be delivered to their loved ones back home, should the worst happen. The risk was different, depending on who you asked. Hearing Black Hawk down over the radio changed everything. 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment US Army Aviation 160 SOAR: Night Stalkers . Englen had gone after bin Laden three times prior to Operation Neptune's Spear. Reporter Alex Quade covers U.S. special operations forces on combat missions. As a crew chief, he was in one of the first helicopters in Bosnia in 1995. We worried that we were going to be on al-Qaidas top 10 list because of this, just as if we would look for them, he said. Turbine engines are running at a constant speed about 6,000 rpm (revolutions per minute). All I could say was: I know, baby. But when theyre having to deal with grabbing things and carrying things (like bin Ladens body bag, and everything seized from the compound), it changes everything.. Englens single Chinook raced across Abbottabad to pick up the ground force and air crew, arriving within 10 minutes of the call. As a child, he went to an Air Force Academy football game and crawled all over the helicopter static displays, and was hooked. Cookie Notice We rely on those NCOs placed in charge of these types of missions to use their leadership skills, training, knowledge, and intellect to complete their teams assignment. Haditha Dam was one that I knew we were going to get hit, were going to get hit. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Lot 9 160th SOAR Challenge Coins Night Stalkers NSDQ Airborne US Army Military at the best online prices at eBay! Junior leaders are frequently trusted to accomplish the mission without being micromanaged. Trusted them completely. I will never surrender. In Iraq and Afghanistan alone, he flew more than 2,500 missions. The deeper they flew into Pakistan, the more it felt like metropolis United States, with power lines, towers, cultural lighting. Operation Neptune's Spear was not Englen's first time in Afghanistan. This photo shows inside the back of MH47. Instead, he always became angry. They thought Obama staged it, like putting that on the news to boost his numbers, Englen laughed. Her daughter came home, worried, from prom in her huge ball gown. And theyre throwing on more last minute ground force. Service in the 160th is a calling only a few will answer for the mission is constantly demanding and hard. Three days after the Jiffy Lube incident, President Obama came to Fort Campbell to congratulate everyone on that operation. "They've got to get the headcount right, to make sure (we've) got the right amount of fuel. Englen was the only one able to call home. The primary plan was for the Chinooks to give the Black Hawks gas on the ground in Pakistan, out in the middle of nowhere. Turns out, Vice President Joe Biden pulled Englen to the side every time to make small-talk. With their blessing, hes shared here the story of the air component side of the bin Laden mission, and his experiences which personify all SOF warriors and their unconventional work. 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. The professionalism and capabilities of Army special operations aviation are developed through a train as you fight mentality. The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment's mission is to organize, equip, train, resource and employ Army special operations aviation forces worldwide in support of contingency missions and. He is, without a doubt, the finest Army aviator of our generation. And, of course, one of the MH-60 Black Hawk helicopters crashed. "It was a suicide mission, Harosky said. She knew I had heard from her dad, so I said, Go. And you just always hoped that you werent the one that they were planning for, Tina said. He saw combat as a door gunner during operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. I want to serve the people.". 160th SOAR CAREER BRIEFING EVENTS 5-6 April Fort Carson, Colorado Daily Briefing Times Officer/Warrant: 0930/1130/1430 Enlisted/NCO: 1030/1330/1530 Location: 4-4 Attack Helicopter Battalion Hangar Classroom Service opportunities include: Our goal is for each Night Stalker to maximize their military education. It wasnt an option to not come home, he added. Most recently, in July 2006, the regiment provisionally stood up a fourth battalion to meet growing special operations forces requirements. Combat Skills will challenge you in many different ways. They employ highly modified Chinook, Black Hawk and assault and attack configurations of Little Bird helicopters. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, and Adm. McRaven told him they were putting him in for the Distinguished Service Cross since he was responsible for the entire air piece. Special Operations Combat Skills and MOS specific training is the foundation for all newly assigned and/or re-qualifying Enlisted Soldiers. It was just 30 seconds into the mission to kill Osama bin Laden in May 2011 when special operations Chinook pilot Chief Warrant Officer 5 Douglas Englen heard the call of Black Hawk down come over his radio. ***Your post must be a question; chat posts are not allowed. That was the No. 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. It is important to point out that special operations training, qualification courses, and opportunities can lead to valuable credentialing, a college degree, and experience that will be helpful in the advancement of your career. 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. Englens wife Tina, his high-school sweetheart, was worried. We didnt want to run into one of them, and have them ask What are you guys doing here? Englen added. There were even reports of some media members being slightly tipsy from the party as they reported the breaking news. Twice between 2013 and 2016, Englen was in hot pursuit of Irans Quds Force leader, Gen. Qassem Soleimani. Then transition to getting work done for my community," Englen said. A lot of people asked why I didnt. They put him back in the bag, and took it out to the Marine MV-22 Ospreys. 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. He also knew the ground forces had to trust him and the ground force commander. Many speculated that the delay was because most of the media were at the White House Correspondents Dinner, and it took time to assemble them back at the anchor desks. But the administration, from 2008 on, would not allow us to cross the border (into Pakistan) to go get him, Englen said. I had to actually fly away, make a tight circle and come back in, and land under the mushroom cloud. This is your prom night, go. Englen, the air component planner for Operation Neptunes Spear, was pissed off. Nevertheless, crossing back into Afghanistan was an unusually good feeling. 160th SPECIAL OPERATIONS AVIATION REGIMENT (Abn) CAREER PATHWAYS Your path to becoming a Night Stalker begins here. "They said it was too hot, and we just went in anyway. Look what happened with Extortion 17 (most of the 38 people on board the fatal Chinook shot down in Afghanistan were special operators). "They continue to be the premier standard for SOF aviation, DiTomasso said. Some we didnt, because they were burnt too bad, Englen said. Vehicle stopped and the woman acted like she was pregnant, feigned that she needed water. "We had to keep it down to such a minimum, because we didnt want to leak it out in our own (special operations) community, Englen said. Ranger Joe Haroskys friend Russ Rippletoe was killed in that vehicle-borne IED (VBIED) incident, along with three other Rangers. Missions like Objective Rhino and Objective Gecko did make it into the news, however. 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