"De Oppresso Liber", the motto of the
1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1st SFOD-D), the U.S. Army's special-operations unit organized for the conduct
of missions that require a rapid response with surgical application with a variety of skills. Delta plans and conducts
a range of special operations across the operational continuum. Delta is organized for a wide variety of unique skills, while
they maintain the lowest possible profile of U.S. involvement.
Delta's soldiers are carefully selected
and specially trained. Delta conducts worldwide recruitment twice a year prior to its fall and spring assessment-and-selection
courses. 1st SFOD-D involves an extensive prescreening process,successful completion of a 3 to 4 week mentally and physically
demanding Assessment and Selection Course, and 6 month operator Training Course. Upon successful completion of these courses
officers are assigned to an operational position within the unit.
Delta Force was secretly created in
October 1977 by US Army colonel Charles Beckwith, in direct response to numerous, well-publicized terrorist incidents that
occurred in the 1970s. From its beginnings, Delta was heavily influenced by the British Special Air Service. Delta Force was accepted
as an overseas counter-terrorist unit and specializes in it's hostage rescue, barricade operations and reconnaissance. Delta
Force is comprised of volunteers mainly from the 82nd Airborne, Special Force Green Berets and the Rangers. Delta is one of
two principal US government units tasked with counterterrorist operations outside the United States (the other being Naval
Special Warfare Development Group).
Delta is reportedly organized into three
operating squadrons (A, B, and C) which are subdivided into small groups known as troops. It is repoted that, as with the
SAS, each troop specializes in HALO, SCUBA, or other skills. Delta also maintains support units which handle selection and
training, logistics, finance, and the unit’s medical requirements.
Delta units were deployed to Saudi Arabia
in 1990 to serve as bodyguards for senior US officers and, later, as part of a massive effort to locate and destroy mobile
SCUD launchers in Iraq’s northern deserts. In 1993, as part of Task Force Ranger, Delta took part in operations to apprehend
warlord Mohamad Farah Aidid in Mogadishu, Somalia. A small advance team was sent to Lima, Peru immediately following the takeover
of the Japanese Ambassador's residence in January 1997, along with six members of the British SAS.
Last, but not least, the Special Froces
Command is the area where the special forces are distributed into detachments, teams, ect.
-"Delta over"
