While many of the 160th soars operations are secret, its widely. The 160th special operations aviation regiment 160th soar, also known as the nightstalkers is the rotarywing unit within jsotf3 160th soar crew chief. Transforming 160th special ops airborne combat mission simulation stimulating simulations by col richard haggerty, ltc al niles, cpt luke leininger, and cw5 jody bridgforth. The 160th special operations aviation regiment airborne, abbreviated as 160th soar a. In the first couple of months our flying consisted of going up to connecticut to pick up aircraft at the factory, thelin related. An mh47g chinook crew chief scans his sector during training. Walters, who joined the army in 1998, graduated from flight school in 2002. The 160th special operations aviation regiments mission is to organize, equip, train, resource, and employ so aviation forces. The armys elite special ops aviators sure burn through a. I served in the 160th soar from 2010 2014 as a chinook helicopter crew chief. Arizona, for refueling and crew rest, and then joined the blackhawks at norton afb. The m4 this soldier story 160th soar nightstalkers pilot is equipped with is the best by far, with alternate optic sights and true to scale accurately reproduced 16 scale parts the wire even plugs into the handle foregrip and you dont have to tape it down. The pilots need to trust their crew chiefs on the sides of the helicopter they relay how close they may be to the.
Just as an individuals savings and retirement account grows stronger and more successful by investing in it, so do night stalkers in the 160th soar a. Although rotary wing flight simulation can never replace the realism and effectiveness of turning jp8 fuel into noise, current technology has opened the door for some. The black hawk helicopter that crashed off the coast of yemen friday belonged to an elite special operations air regiment, a u. The night stalkers is the nickname given to the special operations aviation regiment soar.
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. Army crew chief, right, with the 3rd battalion, 160th special operations aviation regiment soar and an air force. After departing the very unit and company that molded me into the man i am today i wanted to share my story and experiences as a night stalker with. Dean brown, has flown almost 10,000 hours flight hours, 5,100 under night vision goggles as a special operations pilot and now civilian mission flight instructor with the 160th special operations aviation regiment airborne. Soldiers with 4th battalion, 160th special operations. Home helicopters enjoy these close up shots of the 160th soar s mh47gs. Ricardo branch, army sergeant, faces discharge for email.
His journey starts in a conventional army unit where he doesnt feel fulfilled in his duties and obligations. Sams1e is the software used by the us army that holds all schematics, manuals, parts information, etc. What are the qualifications to be a 160th soar night stalker. Data showing 160th soars pilot shortage is a snapshot in. As a member of the 160th, you can operate as either a pilot, or crew chief. The goal of jtf43 is to focus on fun and immersive gameplay while attempting to reduce stress and burnout. Citing the specialized nature of the 160th soar s missions, bymer said the current end strength could not be released. Night stalkers dont quit the spouses of the soldiers from the 160th soar a grabbed another gear and muscled the machine up the hill. Army crew chief, right, with the 3rd battalion, 160th special operations aviation regiment soar and an air force loadmaster with the 15th airlift squadron prepare to unload a mh60 black hawk helicopter from a c17 globemaster iii aircraft at joint base charleston, s.
Making a night stalker collective magazine exclusive. The 160th soar known as the night stalkers are the us armys best aviators and the premiere rotary wing aviation unit in the militarys special operations. Jacob banuelos 22nd mobile public affairs detachment spc. Kenneth finlayson, 15 march 2007, copy, usasoc history office classified files, fort bragg, nc. A spouse of a 1st battalion, 160th special operations aviation regiment airborne soldier soars over the gut buster logs during the pink platoon event may 2, 20, at fort campbell, ky. His disclosure in a private army email is also the same information as told by his commander in chief. Its missions have included attack, assault, and reconnaissance, and these missions are usually conducted at night, at high speeds, low altitudes, and.
Mike durant born july 23, 1961 is an american pilot and author. Army crew chief, right, with the 3rd battalion, 160th. Since then, the program has selected very few applicants. Because burnett was an enlisted crew chief servicing the aircraft, his insights are accessible and grounded. Back in the 1980s, when it still existed, the soviet union maintained a number of friendly relationships with a variety of african and asian nations, mostly for the purposes of selling military hardware to counter the west. All crew chiefs initially join the army as helicopter repairers, whether they are 15t. Id recommend 15t or 15u as your first choices blackhawk and chinook repairer crew chief respectively, followed by 15r or 15s apache and kiowa repairer crew chiefs, followed.
Army ng crew chief 15t e4, been in about 4 years but still have very limited maintenance experience and just recently rl1 crew chief. Transforming 160th special ops airborne combat mission. Not everyone gets to be a crew chief social media with. The 160th special operations aviation regiment s 160th soar mission is to organize, equip, train, resource and employ army special operations aviation forces worldwide in support of contingency missions and combatant commanders. Special operations forces have come to rely on the plus or minus 30 seconds guarantee of the 160th special operations aviation regiment. Current openings marsoc cso sarc afsoc tacp team members 160th soar rotary pilot crew chief staff zeus join the discord and ask some questions. One such nation was libya, which opted to arm and equip its military with a variety of soviet products. He retired from the army as a chief warrant officer 4 blackhawk helicopter master aviator in the 160th soar after participating in combat operations prime chance, just cause, and desert storm, and also. The author, former 160th soar chinook crew chief, david burnett.
Okay, as a pilot there is a different standard for officer or warrant officer based on timing. The 160th soar known as the night stalkers are the us armys best aviators. Officers and enlisted personnel assigned to the 160th soar must first be assigned to the training unit. From tanks, to helicopters, to the composition and manufacturing of the panels and specifications to repair or fabricate parts and components. Army ch47 chinook helicopter crew chief assigned to the 25th combat aviation brigade, suppo. The intensity of the aviation water survival test showed on the face of spc. Here, on the aircraft, rank and position are mutually exclusive. Steps to being a crew chief door gunner for the 160th soar. From graduating high school to joining the 160th, what courses do i have to take. Capable, motivated helicopter repairers assigned to 160th maintenance companies can train to become nrcms through company b, soatb. I was blessed to be able to take part in some amazing experiences with the most elite military forces in the world. He was a member of the 160th special operations aviation regiment night stalkers as a chief warrant officer 3. Yes, the 160th soar wear maroon berets only if earned as fully qualified operators. The 160th soar has the mission of infiltrating behind enemy lines or into other denied territory to insert or extract u.
The elite aviation unit is home to the armys best helicopter pilots. Aviation structural mechanics in the 160th soar page 2. As a crew chief, he was in one of the first helicopters in bosnia in 1995. Soatb offers ten enlisted programs of instruction pois for new arrivals and enlisted soldiers who have been. After flying medevac missions in blackhawks for a year in iraq, he had the opportunity to join the 160th soar.
The 160th special operations aviation regiment airborne, abbreviated a s 160th so ar a, is a special operations force of the united states army that provides helicopter aviation support for general purpose forces and special operations forces. The 160th soar known as the night stalkers are the us armys best aviators and the premiere rotary wing aviation unit in the militarys special operations join free login team room. Making a night stalker is a rare insight into the elite. For the pilots the approximately sixmonth training program takes place in company b which is responsible for aviators, crew chiefs and medics in two stages. Chief of naval operations, to head a commission to study the deficiencies revealed by the operation. Numbers for the armys amh6 little birds appeared slightly better in. The ten most prevalent enlisted moss in the 160th soar are. Its why boeing is involved with our program, as is lockheed martin. Earn big bucks, move up faster when you go army special. He tells the tale from the perspective of the common man, the common soldier. The 160th soar a consists of the armys bestqualified aviators, crew chiefs, and support. You have already mentioned interest in volunteering so i wont talk about da select.
The us armys night stalkers once helped steal an attack. These components include marsoc, afsoc, and 160th soar. I have a degree and job at a large gov consulting firm. Im not exactly interested in the 15t uh60 mechanic mos but i want to be in the helicopters during flights. Known as night stalkers, these soldiers are recognized for their proficiency in nighttime operations. Among the findings was the fact that the military lacked aircraft and crews who were. This is an opportunity for the public to see it, and interact with the crew. Aviation structural mechanics in the 160th soar shadowspear. Now 160th, normally while you are at ait a recruiter will stop by fort eustis at some point and hold a regiment briefing at that point you can talk 1 on 1 with him and if you choose to, submit a packet.
David burnett takes readers into a unique world of the 160th special operations aviation regiment. Mh47s may also be employed in socalled fat cow operations in which they are fitted with additional internal fuel. Enjoy these close up shots of the 160th soars mh47gs. The exchange flights entailed a 160th pilot and crew to fly a. I was wondering what are the steps to becoming a crew chief and or door gunner for the armys 160th soar. Not everyone gets to be a crew chief social media with subtitles novo selo, bulgaria 04. This includes the insertion, extraction of special operations forces. I rarely would think they do missions just by them selves, but the 160th is sometimes used for special reconnaissance, so they might be. Joseph turnage, a uh60 black hawk crew chief, with the 160th special operations aviation regiment airborne in yuma, arizona, september 23, 2017. His past assignments include phase team member f company, 1 160th soar abn, mh60l direct action penetrator crew chief, squad leader, enlisted flight instructor, flight platoon sergeant for 2nd flight platoon, charlie company, 1 160th soar abn, first sergeant for charlie company. The mh60m is the mediumlift helicopter of the 160th soar, often used. Such information on our positions, as well as subordinate units and other areas of interest can be found on our website. The key thing is that you cant come over right out of flight school, you have to go out to a conventional unit. Dvids news 160th soar trains with british royal air force.
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