Air Force countersnipers go offensive

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Eric M. Grill
  • 455th Expeditionary Operations Group Public Affairs
Two Air Force security forces airmen deployed to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, got what they called, “the chance of a lifetime,” June 1 when they embarked on a combat patrol in eastern Afghanistan with the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division.

Senior Airmen Luke Allen and Rusty Youngblood, both 820th Security Forces Squadron countersnipers at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., are deployed to the 455th Expeditionary Operations Group to defend Air Force Village in the event of an attack on Bagram. They said they believe this is the first time Air Force countersnipers and the Army have paired up in a combat mission.

The two countersnipers got their chance for the offensive mission when an 82nd Airborne’s patrol needed a couple of extra marksmen. The airmen had already worked with the Army on scout missions around the outskirts of the base, but not in an actual combat mission.

Their mission was to provide long-range reconnaissance, target acquisition and neutralization of any al-Qaida or anti-coalition forces target of opportunity.

“We were a little apprehensive at first,” said Youngblood, who attended the Air Force Countersniper School at Camp Joseph T. Robinson in Arkansas in December. “Training is training, but when you’re going into combat, you’re always a little apprehensive. But, at the same time, I was excited and wanted to go kick some (butt).”

Both airmen said that there was some of the usual banter between the two rival services, like everyone referring to the duo as “those Air Force snipers.” But, when it came time to perform the mission, it was all business.

The first contact with enemy forces came June 2, when six 107 mm rockets were fired toward the patrol in the area of Takurghal, the same area where Operation Anaconda took place. In that March 2002 battle, two airmen, Tech. Sgt. John Chapman and Senior Airman Jason Cunningham, and six other Americans were killed.

“At first we saw a flash off in the distance, and we were trying to figure out what the flash was,” Youngblood said. “Then we heard the incoming artillery and took cover.”

One of those rockets hit the ground about 300 meters from the patrol’s location.

The patrol was on a mountain peak about 11,000 feet above sea level. Allen said after the rocket attack, he ran to the end of the peak and positioned himself where he had full view of the entire area. Using night-vision goggles, he found the enemy forces about 3,000 meters away -- too far for his M-24, single-shot rifle. Close-air support was called in and provided by Danish F-16s, Air Force AC-130 gunships and Army Apache helicopters.

The patrol spotted three different groups of enemy forces, totaling about 15 people, Allen said, and chased them for a little while.

They got as close as 1,000 meters, Youngblood said, but no contact was actually made.

There was another rocket attack on the pair’s patrol the next morning, where a second rocket landed within a few hundred meters of the pair’s position.

“I was just hoping that those rockets wouldn’t land on us,” Allen said.

Describing the experience as more surreal than a life-and-death experience, Allen said the combat mission “felt more like a game or a training exercise,” but also said he took what he was doing very seriously.

“You can never be trained enough for these missions, but the soldiers we were working with were exceptionally trained,” he said.

There were no coalition injuries reported in either of the rocket attacks, Youngblood said.

“I would definitely do it again, no questions asked,” Allen said. “It was a great opportunity, and I’m happy that the Army let us go along with them.”

For Youngblood, this was his opportunity to use the training that Air Force and Army instructors provided.

“Between countersniper school and follow-on training, we were prepared for this mission,” Youngblood said. “In security forces training, we use Army field manuals and teach Army maneuvers. To actually come over here and use the training in an offensive mission is what I was hoping for.

“I would love to do it again,” he said.

The countersnipers might get that chance as they continue to do scout missions in defense of the base.