SOFREP’s 2012 Greatest Hits #6: A Female CST and Special Forces Enabler Speaks Out

Thanks for all the support, it's appreciated. I am currently spinning up 4 another "vaca" downrange, and time permitting, I would love to weigh in on similar topics, time permitting. 

I actually know her personally. Its sad that she caught a lot of shit the last time, she is pretty humble about the entire thing.

I know it's slightly off topic, but please let me share with you this short story about joint USMC Det One(task Unit Raider) and GROM(female soldier) action in Iraq, this is excerpt from:

"DET ONE U.S. MARINE CORPS U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND DETACHMENT, 2003-2006"

"As it turned out, the first mission for Task Unit Raider was not a full-scale direct action, but rather a close target reconnaissance.” It proved to be a good test for two Marines, and it handed the intelligence element what it wanted most, a solid piece of actionable intelligence. It began with one of the detachment intelligence officer’s frequent liaison visits

to higher headquarters. From his ever-widening circle of contacts, Major Carter discovered that agents

in the Federal Bureau of Investigation cell in Baghdad had a source that had named a female Iraqi, employed

by a U.S. contractor, as an insurgent sympathizer. It appeared that the woman, code named

“Rachel,” had leaked information concerning several linguists employed by the contractor, resulting in their

murders. She needed to be found, apprehended, and questioned. The murders limited the ability of Coalition

units to work with the Iraqi population on a number of important projects. The target fit all of

Commander Wilson’s criteria, and Carter gladly took ownership of the mission.

The task group staff analyzed the mission and came up with a plan. They knew very little about the

woman and had to get a positive identification. A small team would be sent to find her, starting with

her last known location. Once they got sight of her, they could develop a plan to track her and eventually

take action. The mission carried some risk, but it promised both a good payoff and a foot in the door

of the targeting cycle. A small victory would also satisfy Commander Wilson’s other goal: an early success.

Gunnery Sergeant John A. Dailey, leader of reconnaissance team 4, took charge of the mission. He

headed what could be called a small combined joint task force, which consisted of Dailey, Gunnery Sergeant

William M. Johnston from the counterintelligence section, a SEAL assigned to HUMINT duties,

and an operator from the Polish special forces unit, the GROM, reportedly the best sniper in that organization.

The GROM member was also a woman, an important factor since they were dealing with a female

target. The task group staff coordinated with other government agencies, the Army commands involved,

and the contracting company’s officials and sent the four in civilian clothes and civilian vehicles

to where “Rachel” was supposed to be working. When the four arrived at the target’s reported place

of employment, they were told that she no longer worked there, but that she was employed at a base

outside the city. Gunnery Sergeant Dailey wanted to go on to the second site and find her, so he conferred

with Commander Wilson and Major Kozeniesky, who approved his request to continue the search and the

capture if conditions permitted. At the second location, members of the combined joint task force received

the same answer. Their contacts pointed them to a third site, to which they proceeded immediately.

The four took a low-key approach to the mission, and this helped them in their quest. Civilian clothes

concealed their pistols and soft body armor, and they kept their M4 carbines and other combat gear stowed

in their vehicles. The smooth-talking HUMINT specialists were adept at asking questions without raising

eyebrows. According to Dailey, “This was one of those times that being able to wear civvies and having

your hair at the outer limit of regulation really helped.”

*

Arriving at the third site, they located the target’s former office, but they were told that she had quit.

Rather than let the trail go cold, they discussed the matter with the U.S. Army officer for whom she had

worked, without going into too much detail about why they wanted her. Together, they devised a simple

trap: “Rachel’s” former employer located her phone number and called her to come get her last

paycheck. Much to the group’s surprise, she agreed. At this point, with nothing to do but wait—the

woman had promised to be there in 20 minutes, but Dailey knew that in Iraq, 20 minutes could mean “20

minutes, or four hours, or whatever”—he went to see the base commander to let him know what was going

on. After Dailey explained to a skeptical colonel what was afoot—Dailey, in civilian clothes and sporting a

slightly non-Marine haircut, was sure that the Army officer did not believe that he was who he said he

was—the base commander gave his full support. To this point, the mission was coming together.

The small combined joint task force would be able to identify “Rachel” and probably take her into custody.

But if she was indeed working for the insurgents, there was always the possibility that she would resist

capture. If she had a male escort, as she surely would, would he (or they) also put up a fight? The

last thing anyone wanted was a gunfight on a crowded base frequented by civilians. That would

mean an early disaster, not an early success. Speed, surprise, and deft execution would be vital to a successful

conclusion, and the group worked out a plan. Dailey posted Gunnery Sergeant Johnston and the

GROM member behind the door of the office where “Rachel” would go to pick up her pay. He positioned

the SEAL and himself outside to handle whomever she might have with her. Their patience was rewarded. As “Rachel” and a

male escort came into the facility, Dailey gave the signal to stand by. When she walked into the room,

Johnston shut the door, and the female GROM member quickly got her under control. Dailey and the

SEAL overpowered and flex-cuffed the male. The encounter

was over in an instant and not a shot was fired. The task group bundled the pair into civilian

vehicles and sped back to Camp Myler so that Captain Batts’s interrogators could go to work."

I hope ESIII and Bobbi1 show up for this one to continue the commentary thread generated 6 months ago from that original article. i'm reading it right now, probably be stuck reading this til morning, great read. BZ.