Day 1 - Combat Outpost Cyclops

United States Army Special Forces
SF Group 5, Bravo Team 1st Battalion, Fort Campbell - Kentucky

Lt. Steven Lutz – SF Team Leader
Staff Sgt. Mike Patrick – SF Communication Specialist
Staff Sgt. Kevin Hathaway – SF Weapons Specialist
Sgt. Brian McDonald – SF Intelligence Specialist
Sgt. Johnny Watanabe – SF Logistics Specialist
Sgt. Ben Tomlinson – SF Medic

United States Marine Corps Force Recon
1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton - California

Lt. James Holiday – Force Recon Leader
Gunnery Sgt. Philip Haas – Recon Communication Specialist
Staff Sgt. Sam Connor – Recon Scout Sniper
Staff Sgt. Eric Russell – Recon Intelligence Specialist
Sgt. Adrian Miller – Recon Operation Specialist
Petty Officer 1st Class Ryan Chambers – Navy SEAL Medical Corpsman

In October 2009, the United States Special Operations Command ordered a team of US Army Special Forces and a team of Marine Force Recon Unit to assist a platoon of Army Rangers in a remote combat outpost in the Helmand region of southern Afghanistan. As President Obama ordered more than 30,000 additional troops, the Special Operation soldiers and marines must play a key role in combating the Taliban insurgency. For months, the isolated combat outpost has been under constant attack by hostile Taliban insurgency. The young Rangers are doing their best to maintain, but morale is very low. SOCOM hopes the present of Special Forces and Marine Force Recon will energize the young Rangers and take back control of the region from the Taliban.

Their mission in Afghanistan is to stop the Taliban insurgency and destroy all enemy supply lines coming out of Pakistan. At the same time, they must try to win the hearts and minds of local Afghans, so they can stand up on their own against the Taliban’s radical ideology.

Day 1 – Combat Outpost Cyclops – POV Staff Sgt. Kevin Hathaway

We just arrived at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, an hour ahead of schedule. It’s about 3AM and the air is icy cold from the surrounding mountain range. This is the first time we’ve been in the Afghan theatre, but we’re no strangers to anti-insurgency combat operations.

Special Forces Group 5, Bravo Team had served 2 tours in Iraq. The unit was heavily involved in anti-insurgency operations against Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi and his Al-Qaeda militias in the summer of 2005. For months, the unit gathered credible intelligence from their Iraqi sources and stalked Al-Zarqawi all over Iraq. Pressure was mounting on the unit to find and kill the insurgent leader after a series of massive suicide bombings in Baghdad's protected green zone; killing innocent civilians and military personnel. They finally caught up with him outside a safe house in Ramadi, Iraq. The unit surrounded the house and set a secure perimeter to prevent all escape routes. They called in a tactical air strike from a Predator Drone that killed Al-Zarqawi and his cronies, crippling the heart of the insurgency in Iraq.

Our SF team leader, Lt. Lutz was looking for the SOCOM office to get further orders. “You guys stay here,” he ordered. Lt. Lutz was the type of guy that would give you the shirt off of his back. He graduated from West Point and comes from a military family. He’s 32, single and is the kindest human being I’ve ever met. I always joke with him that he’s married to the Army. He would laugh and shrug it off. He cares for his team members like brothers and we all trusted his leadership. I knew Lt. Lutz would always have our best interest in mind and I respected him for it.

We sat down near our rucksacks by a dusty hanger. Mike and I began to clean our M-4 carbines, while Brian, Johnny and Ben were trying to catch up on some needed sleep. Mike and I had joined the Army together straight out of high school. We grew up in southern California and we always wanted to join the Army and become, Green Berets, after watching the movie starring John Wayne. We made sure our recruiter had assigned us both to the same Ranger battalion after completing basic training. We did everything in the Army together including airborne school, sniper school, Ranger school and finally Special Forces. Graduating from Special Forces school and awarded the Green Beret was the greatest moment in my military career.

“You see that Kev?” Mike pointed toward the black mountains. “See what?” I answered. “The darkness, the heart of darkness…” he said. I understood actually what he was talking about. We were about to go into the heart of the Taliban insurgency to a remote combat outpost, 75 miles from the nearest military base in southern Afghanistan. We do not control southern Afghanistan, the Taliban do and all supplies and personnel had to be flow in by helicopter and that took about 30 minutes. If we get into any trouble out there, the rescue cavalry will not come for some time.

As we sat there talking, a figured appeared out of the dim lights. “Are you guys SF Group 5, Bravo Team?” he asked. “Who’s asking?” asked Mike. “Lt. Holiday, Marine Force Recon,” he said. “Yes sir, we’re the 5th Green Berets,” Mike said. “Where is Lt. Lutz,” he asked?

“Right here,” Lutz answered, “Looks like we’re waiting for a chopper to take us to Combat Outpost Cyclops.” As Lutz extended his hand to greet Lt. Holiday and the other Marines, a Blackhawk helicopter landed about 20 meters from our position. “I think that’s our ride,” said Lutz. The Marines grabbed their things and headed for the Blackhawk. As we walked toward the Blackhawk, I wondered “what’s the story with these Jarheads?”

Just like SF Group 5, the Marine Force Recon also served in the Iraq War. They were the unit called in by SOCOM to search and captured all insurgents involved in the killing and brutal mutilation of 4 American military contractors in Fallujah, Iraq. As the 1st Marine Corps Division encircle the city of Fallujah to begin there assault, Force Recon was already deep within the city’s limits. They managed to kill and capture most of the men responsible for the murder of the contractors, but the unit paid a heavy price. Force Recon lost a beloved team member, Sgt. Lance Cooper, who was killed by an IED blast as his vehicle was making its way out of Fallujah. As a memorial to his memory, the entire team began a ritual before they go out on all future combat missions. They would lock and load their weapons and point upward to the sky and say, “to Lance, Semper Fi!”

“The ETA to Combat Outpost Cyclops will be about 30 minutes,” said the Blackhawk pilot, “enjoy the ride and keep your eyes out for Taliban RPG teams.” It’s almost 5AM and the Blackhawk is taking off in complete darkness along with two Apache attack helicopter escorts as we leave the security of Bagram Air Base. It was quite and everybody look calm. Nobody said a word until 10 minutes into the flight. “That’s a nice desert eagle,” said Brian. “Thanks,” Sam answered. Brian was a very likable person. He was the type of guy that could talk to anyone and he usually does because he was such a mellow guy. He was a former baseball star from Georgia, but never went to college because he torn is knee during his senior year of high school. “So you’re a scout sniper?” Brian asked Sam. “Yep, I’m the angel of death. I decide who lives and who dies,” Sam jokingly said. “Well can you kill Dane Cook, he’s not fucking funny!” I said. Everyone broke out laughing.

Suddenly, the frantic door gunner yelled, “RPG!!!” The Blackhawk pilot made a sharp left upward to avoid the RPG streaking by. The Apache gun ships fired at the enemy position on the ground. “That was a close one,” said the Pilot, “you guys almost died before we even touch the ground.” I wasn’t laughing anymore, it was all business. I know all to well about helicopters being shot down. A buddy of mine in another SF unit was killed when a Taliban RPG shot down the Chinook helicopter he was aboard in eastern Afghanistan during Operation Anaconda. I did not want to die like that, at least let me go out fighting like a soldier. The Blackhawk made its way over a mountain ridge and swooped into the Helmand river valley. As the sun made its way up over the dusty mountains, Combat Outpost Cyclops appeared in the distance. It was nothing more than a tiny fort surrounded by six concrete walls with 5 feet of sand bag barriers in between. Each wall was mounted with a machine gun nest and a mortar firing tube. We are about to enter the heart of darkness.