Spec Ops task force earns nearly 50 combat awards in 1 deployment
Army Special Forces are quiet professionals. Unlike Navy SEALS. You won't hear what missions these guys conducted. At least not for a long time.
Members of a special operations task force distinguished themselves with "exceptional heroism, valor and dedication" on a recent six-month deployment to Afghanistan, officials said last week.
For their efforts, the soldiers of Special Operations Task Force 102 earned five Silver Star medals, seven Bronze Star medals with Valor devices, 15 Army Commendation medals with Valor devices and 21 Purple Hearts. The medals were presented last week at a ceremony attended by soldiers, family and friends at Fort Carson, Colo.
"We come together as family and unit to honor the heroism and sacrifice of our soldiers and their families," Lt. Col. Justin Hufnagel, 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) commander, said in a statement. "For 170 days of a blistering series of operations, we focused on disrupting the enemy in their strongholds."
The task force was made up of soldiers assigned to 10th Group, 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 9th Psychological Operations Battalion and 71st Ordnance Group (Explosive Ordnance Disposal). U.S. Army Special Operations Command's Lt. Gen. Francis M. Beaudette, who presented the 48 awards, said he was "incredibly humbled" to be in their presence.
"These Green Beret heroes ... embody all the values and attributes we hold dear in the ARSOF community," Beaudette was quoted as saying at the event.