I agree that the SAS are great at desert operations.

But if I'm going to go with coolest SF group on pure neato points I'd have to go with ST-5. I'm biased cause I have a friend associated with that team but they were pretty damned cool. In Iraq they were some of the best counter sniper's around. they were the guys protecting a lot of recon marines with sniper cover and area denial. ST-5's mascot at the time was a ram which they used to actual ram in a door and as a short termed mascot. their motto was also the comic book character Punisher. they stenciled the punishers skull logo on their guns buts. on their helmets. and even ran around terrorizing insurgents wearing skull painted belaclavas and masks. Not the sight I want to see as an insurgent is an entire team of SEALs kick in my living room door while I'm drinking tea all with faces of skulls.

ST-5 also had a ball doing psyop tactics on insurgents. even using a Striker to blast heavy metal at full volume to piss off insurgents to the point where they would break discipline and attack. usually a phony target presented ahead of time by ST-5 while the actual team would be in ambush waiting for the stupid insurgents to rush into it.

ST-5 also had a saying during their time in Iraq regarding fleeing insurgents called "he who hesitates dies." The seals of ST-5 would be shooting fleeing insurgents from traps set by the ST. at distances of 500-900 yards while running at full sprint between cover the insurgents would be picked off at a rate of one every six that sprinted for cover. the difference between life and death was in the smallest misstep or hesitation to run. the seals of st-5 were so good that with their rifles they were hitting these insurgents this accurately and quickly at distances of 1500 -2800 feet. targets moving at 15-20 mph sprinting from cover to cover. one out of six were tagged nearly instantly by these seals. they got nailed because the "hesitated" or screwed up in the tinsiest way while sprinting that was all the time the ST-5 guys needed to tag them dead.

A lot of Insurgent sniping that we a ll saw youtube videos of were stopped cold when rumor had it that ST-5 came to their neighborhood. ST-5 got over 100 insurgents planting roadside bombs or sniping themselves in one month alone. they struck real fear into the hearts of terrorists and insurgents while they stayed in Irag. ST-8 teamed up with ST-5 a lot later on and they were pretty fearsom to the insurgents too. even taking out a syrian sniper who was as good according to the ST-8 guys as any SF operator. the sniper had shot a lot of army guys but they got his ass eventually. nabbed his gun to. an HK sniper rifle. Serious pro they whacked. Kudos to ST-8.

But as cool as ST-5 and 8 are. I bet that just about every SF group worth their salt have equally inspiring stories and missions too. so we will never know who the best really is since they all get to a level thats really hard for any human to top and they are all therefor literally the best.

(wow! I typed that fast and my spelling and grammar was horrible sorry.)

[edit on 2-11-2008 by BASSPLYR]

Every special operations group has their own niche. Every single group has their specialties, advantages, and disadvantages.

The idea that one would top another, would depend on the particular operation.

Army Rangers are some of the best light infantry in the world. Special Forces are teachers as well as fighters. You have to have a pretty good IQ just to get into Special Forces.

Delta is the cream of the cream here in the US as are the SEALS, who have somewhat differing capabilities and differing missions.

The SAS, SBS, Israeli Special Forces, the Spetznaz, and others mimic the mindset of the military they are part of, all very, very capable.

The shared characteristic in them all is the ability to press beyond the limits the body has indicated it has hit. And push right on through. And after days without sleep, when the mind can no longer consciously compel the body to press on, they have a preprogrammed determination.

There's always one more click, one more hour, one more effort, and their limitations are nothing but a theoretical concept, as they've never been actually reached.

My hats off to all of them.

what do we all think of the Australian SASR?

IMHO, No special force is the best, they are all special, they are all great, and many of them carry out operations we dont even know about.

It is simply incomprehendible to say that one would beat the other.

I've hears real good things about them. serious, bad asses apparently. This opinion was formed from listening to the same source I mentioned earlier in the thread.

Also. SEAL teams are envious of KSK germany's SF group. Not becuase they were better in anywa (they aren't) but because all of their gear is top notch and t's obvious that their country backs them completely and totally in what they do. No expense is spared for them. Made the ST units wish their govt. would give them the same support.

Also don't forget about the Polish groups. they are seriously pretty bad ass too. And South Korean SF teams. Dennis Chalker said that when he was cross training with them he was hoping that their commander wasn't getting any ideas from the korean counterparts commander who was seriously hard core. Said the Kreans trained on a discipline level that was pretty ruthless.

I personally think the best special forces arent trained in listening to whatever your boss says (to an extent, of course they are trained heavily in this). But are also trained in intuitive thinking and initiative.

If your leader dies, you can take the mantle, if he goes crazy (which you wouldn't think a SF officer would do) you can suggest better plans, in other words, they are trained in discipline but also have the capacity to think for themselves.

I also think no one should compare, their all good at what they do.
I spent 8 years at Fort Bragg and have worked along side and also trained with SF guys and Spec Ops.

A lot of people who have never seen or dealt with them have fascinations about them and see all this stuff on tv or the movies, but their just normal folks. I use to to work at a place called SWICC which is a part of the SF command. I worked as a 45 bravo which was a secondary MOS to my 11 bravo one. 45 bravo is a basically a weapons repair person.

Its a boring job but you meet all kind of people because you fix their weapons and the SF guys had all kind of toys to fix. But SF and spec op guys are pretty much grounded people. Depending on where you worked on post, you would see them a lot.

However the 1rst SFOD is another story "AKA delta detachment" they are highly restricted and they usually support their own stuff, another words I would not work on their weapons. They had private contractors or usually their own people. The delta compound is highly restricted to all traffic, when traveling to certain ranges that are headed in that direction you start seeing signs telling you that the road will end soon and no further access and no photography allowed in area and you also start seeing surveillance cameras on top telephone and power poles.

Its also known as Wally World, its past a post hang out joint called Mckellers lodge, if you have been on Bragg you have probaly seen it. Most of the time you can see delta guys at the Post PX, they have a very relaxed dress code compared to regular army folks, modifed grooming styles if you get my drift, wear black tennis style shoes, no name, unit or us army patch on their uniform.

BTW...just so you know Chuck Norris does not own a ranch house at Bragg. LOL! I get asked that a lot when people find out I use to work there. I remember a while back I saw an ad in a magazine saying where the worst place to get in a bar fight would be and it was Fayetteville.


I guess me being stationed there it was no big deal to me because thats where their home is and I am use to seeing them all the time.
Thats why the sign at bragg reads. Welcome to Fort Bragg, home of the airborne and special operations forces.

5TH Grp ... best ever ..the end

SF WIFE:

I was at Campbell in the early 80s with the 2-44th ADA, I liked it better then Fayettenam. After I got out I worked at the DOL on post as a civilian working in the night vision/commell shop. You said you are still in, whats your MOS?



[edit on 26-12-2008 by hardeeboy]

Originally posted by hardeeboy
SF WIFE:

I was at Campbell in the early 80s with the 2-44th ADA, I liked it better then Fayettenam. After I got out I worked at the DOL on post as a civilian working in the night vision/commell shop. You said you are still in, whats your MOS?



[edit on 26-12-2008 by hardeeboy]

My Husband is still in .18D
I am not a fan of Fayetteville

SF WIFE:

Yep, I know that MOS well......Medical Sarge, that's a long course. I liked Campbell better to compared to Bragg or as I like to call it "Thugville".

I have a buddy of mine at Bliss who use to be in JTF 6 until he retired. He now works at Biggs AAF for some MI battalion fixing their ALSE stuff.

Was your husband ever at Bragg in another team? I was there in the early 90's active duty and then again as a civilian working for Garrison support. I may have met him because my shop just about fixed all the small and crew served weapons on posts.

If you have not been to Bragg in a while, you would be really surprised of the changes to that place. Bragg Blvd is due to be shut down eventually to all traffic and rerouted on Murchison Hwy. All due to 9/11 and security changes. Also the All American Expressway is like a toll booth now. No more MP's, only contract security cops.

Force Com is moving from Atlanta to Bragg also. That place is exploding and last but not least they are letting leg units come to Bragg.
You know how the airborne dislike's legs. I lived at Spring Lake when I was there, but it's no different than Fayetteville.

Originally posted by hardeeboy
SF WIFE:

Yep, I know that MOS well......Medical Sarge, that's a long course. I liked Campbell better to compared to Bragg or as I like to call it "Thugville".

I have a buddy of mine at Bliss who use to be in JTF 6 until he retired. He now works at Biggs AAF for some MI battalion fixing their ALSE stuff.

Was your husband ever at Bragg in another team? I was there in the early 90's active duty and then again as a civilian working for Garrison support. I may have met him because my shop just about fixed all the small and crew served weapons on posts.

If you have not been to Bragg in a while, you would be really surprised of the changes to that place. Bragg Blvd is due to be shut down eventually to all traffic and rerouted on Murchison Hwy. All due to 9/11 and security changes. Also the All American Expressway is like a toll booth now. No more MP's, only contract security cops.

Force Com is moving from Atlanta to Bragg also. That place is exploding and last but not least they are letting leg units come to Bragg.
You know how the airborne dislike's legs. I lived at Spring Lake when I was there, but it's no different than Fayetteville.

I was just at Bragg last month . u2u in route

I have no idea about Pope .I know that those barracks tho

Originally posted by SFwife
I have no idea about Pope .I know that those barracks tho

Yeah...the Pope and Bragg thing is suppose to take place at sometime or another. BRACC has decided on that. Pope will be basically turned over to Bragg and used as a primary aviation support post for the Airborne and Spec Op guys. They will still keep a AF reserve squadron there though, but nothing compared to what it was.

I just got back from a New Years trip to Myrtle Beach and I picked the wrong day to come back because I think everyone on I-95 was returning from the holidays the same time I did. It was a 12 hour drive.

[edit on 3-1-2009 by hardeeboy]