HOW FAR WE HAVE COME

How far we have come. This morning, many years ago, I was the junior officer (Gopher) in an ad hoc org titled JTF Eagle Claw. MG Vaught was the CG and Jerry King was the Chief of Staff. We had a total of 32 people including the CG. This now morphed into today's US SOCOM and JSOC. How far we have come.

As the Gopher, I was in charge of the butcher paper flip chart to memorialized our internal discussions. We were sitting (less me) at the table in 2C840 with the Jerry and the rest of us trying to box the issues so we could begin meaningful planning.

The force was only now being organized, the members still joining and others not yet knowing they would be joining. The President had issued clear guidance and the JCS was building a capability where none existed. Remember this as an "In the begining" moment.

My job, write what we saw as to the issues with a black felt tip. When we were through, we used it in the late afternoon to brief the Service Chiefs and the SecDef, NSC Director Brezinski and WH Assistant Ham Jordan.

They sat in stunned silence as they recognized the magnitude of the task we had. A true moment in history that led us to where we are today.

THE PROBLEM

Fly 15,000 miles around the world; the last 850 miles in hostile airspace and arrive undetected.

Enter a sprawling metropolitan city of 2,000,000 people in the throes of revolutionary fervor.

Close with and breach the walls of a heavily-guarded, 27-acre compound without alerting the neighborhood.

Clear three major compounds within 30 min

Free, without injury, 60+ American citizens from their guards without injuring any civilians.

Do not permit any adversarial forces to be aware of or react to your presence.

CONDITIONS AT PRESENT

Location of hostages within the compound is unknown.

Force mix does not now exist, it must be created and trained.

Precise transportation in and out of country is unidentified.

In country locations for force insertion is not identified

Mission could go in 10 days and must always be ready to execute in 10 days or less.

No other country can provide aid or assistance.

The entire program must be kept secret – not only from the Iranians and the Soviets and other nations, but also from the American public and most of the United States government including the majority of the Department of Defense.

There will be no funding line, nor money directly provided for the program nor normal administrative orders cut.

Most Service staffs, organizations, agencies or commands cannot be approached except through specific approved by the CJCS points-of-contact.

Execution of the entire operation must take place in darkness under good weather conditions.

BOTTOM LINE FOR PLANNING

Who will do what, where, with whom, how, is unknown.

Be prepared to execute within ten days