Serving Those Who Served
The Lexington Veterans Association brings veterans and community members together in fellowship
to be informed and inspired at our monthly speaker series.
to be informed and inspired at our monthly speaker series.
Join Us on November 13, 2023
Special Forces
A Vital Enhancement to Conventional Forces
Presented by Gregory Kelly, Sergeant Major, US Army 19th Special Forces Group, Retired
Live at Cary Library and via Zoom webinar, free and open to the public.
Coffee and conversation at 12:45, program begins at 1:15 p.m.
If you are watching via Zoom, register here to receive a Zoom link.
Special Forces
A Vital Enhancement to Conventional Forces
Presented by Gregory Kelly, Sergeant Major, US Army 19th Special Forces Group, Retired
Live at Cary Library and via Zoom webinar, free and open to the public.
Coffee and conversation at 12:45, program begins at 1:15 p.m.
If you are watching via Zoom, register here to receive a Zoom link.
SGM Gregory Kelly
Special Forces or “Rangers” have been enhancing the capability of conventional military forces since the French and Indian War of the mid-1700’s. Militia commander Robert Rogers called his fighters “Rogers Rangers” because they adopted Indian tactics, ranged into the wilderness, and conducted small unit raids the main army couldn’t do.
Retired Special Forces Sergeant Major Gregory Kelly will discuss the history of the Special Operations Forces, the creation of the Special Operations Command, its evolution during the War on Terrorism, and its role as a critical tool for American national security.
World War II marked the formal beginning of Special Forces. The Office of Strategic Services created a unit called the Jedburgh Team, the first unit to consist of small units dropped behind enemy lines for special missions. During the Normandy invasion, a Special Forces unit scaled the steep cliffs at Pointe du Hoc and broke through the gun emplacement that was endangering both landing craft and invading troops.
The Navy SEALs grew out of a reluctance of the Army and Marines to sustain elite units, feeling that these forces siphoned off the best men. During the Normandy invasion, the Navy had to remove scout vehicles that were obstructing the landing force. When the Army and Marines had no elite units to spare, the Navy created their own elite force.
During Vietnam, Special Forces troops were now wearing Green Berets and mobilizing thousands of tribes in the Central Highlands, creating fighting units to leverage against Communist forces. They worked closely with the CIA, conducting commando cross-border operations into Laos and Cambodia. The SEALS worked in the Mekong Delta, disrupting enemy activities with raids and ambushes in enemy safe havens in water and jungle terrain.
In the Iran Hostage Crisis of 1979, after American hostages were held in captivity for 444 days, President Jimmy Carter tired of negotiations and ordered a rescue attempt. This turned into a debacle and the mission was aborted. This disaster resulted in the passage of the Goldwater-Nichols Act that created a joint Special Operations Command with a dedicated, ready force, completely self-contained with its own aircraft, ready to go anywhere on the globe at a moment’s notice.
When the 9/11 disaster struck, Special Forces were in position, trained and ready. Within weeks, the US was undergoing ground combat in Afghanistan. Once there, the military quickly realized that commando operations weren’t effective. Guerrilla warfare was the way to go. “The Green Beret approach was to engage tribes already fighting the Taliban,” says SGM Kelly. “Can we help you in your fight? Provide equipment, funds? We dressed like them.”
SGM Kelly sees two existential threats to our homeland. First is the Great Power competition among the US, China, Russia, Korea, and Iran. These threats are not through conventional means. One example is the 75,000 deaths from Fentanyl in the US each year. Says SGM Kelly, “This is a higher death rate than we suffered in Vietnam. This drug comes from China. It may look like a regular drug problem, but it is actually a form of subversion.”
Organized crime cartels that focus on cyber warfare are the other threat. “What often looks like an individual or criminal activity is actually underwritten by a nation state,” declares SGM Kelly. If the cybercrime economy were considered a national economy, he points out, it would rank the 3rd largest in the world. The role of Special Operations as a counterforce to cybercrime is emerging. “SGM Kelly concludes: “The war on Terrorism isn’t over; humans have never lived in a more dangerous environment. Special Ops forces will continue to play a significant role in the coming and future challenges.”
SGM Kelly earned his Green Beret in 2006 and served in the 19th Special Forces Group. He retired from the military in 2022 with 27 years of service.
Retired Special Forces Sergeant Major Gregory Kelly will discuss the history of the Special Operations Forces, the creation of the Special Operations Command, its evolution during the War on Terrorism, and its role as a critical tool for American national security.
World War II marked the formal beginning of Special Forces. The Office of Strategic Services created a unit called the Jedburgh Team, the first unit to consist of small units dropped behind enemy lines for special missions. During the Normandy invasion, a Special Forces unit scaled the steep cliffs at Pointe du Hoc and broke through the gun emplacement that was endangering both landing craft and invading troops.
The Navy SEALs grew out of a reluctance of the Army and Marines to sustain elite units, feeling that these forces siphoned off the best men. During the Normandy invasion, the Navy had to remove scout vehicles that were obstructing the landing force. When the Army and Marines had no elite units to spare, the Navy created their own elite force.
During Vietnam, Special Forces troops were now wearing Green Berets and mobilizing thousands of tribes in the Central Highlands, creating fighting units to leverage against Communist forces. They worked closely with the CIA, conducting commando cross-border operations into Laos and Cambodia. The SEALS worked in the Mekong Delta, disrupting enemy activities with raids and ambushes in enemy safe havens in water and jungle terrain.
In the Iran Hostage Crisis of 1979, after American hostages were held in captivity for 444 days, President Jimmy Carter tired of negotiations and ordered a rescue attempt. This turned into a debacle and the mission was aborted. This disaster resulted in the passage of the Goldwater-Nichols Act that created a joint Special Operations Command with a dedicated, ready force, completely self-contained with its own aircraft, ready to go anywhere on the globe at a moment’s notice.
When the 9/11 disaster struck, Special Forces were in position, trained and ready. Within weeks, the US was undergoing ground combat in Afghanistan. Once there, the military quickly realized that commando operations weren’t effective. Guerrilla warfare was the way to go. “The Green Beret approach was to engage tribes already fighting the Taliban,” says SGM Kelly. “Can we help you in your fight? Provide equipment, funds? We dressed like them.”
SGM Kelly sees two existential threats to our homeland. First is the Great Power competition among the US, China, Russia, Korea, and Iran. These threats are not through conventional means. One example is the 75,000 deaths from Fentanyl in the US each year. Says SGM Kelly, “This is a higher death rate than we suffered in Vietnam. This drug comes from China. It may look like a regular drug problem, but it is actually a form of subversion.”
Organized crime cartels that focus on cyber warfare are the other threat. “What often looks like an individual or criminal activity is actually underwritten by a nation state,” declares SGM Kelly. If the cybercrime economy were considered a national economy, he points out, it would rank the 3rd largest in the world. The role of Special Operations as a counterforce to cybercrime is emerging. “SGM Kelly concludes: “The war on Terrorism isn’t over; humans have never lived in a more dangerous environment. Special Ops forces will continue to play a significant role in the coming and future challenges.”
SGM Kelly earned his Green Beret in 2006 and served in the 19th Special Forces Group. He retired from the military in 2022 with 27 years of service.
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