Well, They're Doing It Again

[firehawkordy 34]

Less than 5 years after being reformed the Navy again decides to decommission both SEAL Team helicopter support squadrons....AGAIN.

Let me put that in perspective, at the end FY15, the Navy will once again be dependant on other services that have conflicting agendas, tactics and SOPs instead of an organic force that understands what the Teams need down to the lowest level for transport and support. HAL-5 set the base line and standards for low-level NVG operations in the 80's with HCS -5 continuing and fine tuning doctrine from 1988 til it's stand down in 2006. Both Reserve units HCS-5 and HCS-4 did multple tours to both combat theaters in the post 9/11 period until 2006, WITHOUT loss of life or aircraft to enemy action while the Army and AF assets went down to enemy action sometimes almost daily. As far as I'm concerned this is a slap in the face of everyone from the HAL and HCS communites as well as the guys that took on the mission in 2011 HSC-4 and HSC-5. I met some of those folks at various times due to shipmates from HSC-5 retiring or assuming command in the "new" Firehawks and knowing some of the Sr Enlisted they are not happy, to quote one man, "If they do this ( shutting down the units) don't recommission them later, I don't know if we can take the heartache".

 

The Community that I came from and retired from have a very colorful heritage starting with HA(L)-3 and HC-7 from Vietnam and continuing with HAL-4/HAL-5, HSC-4/HCS-5 and later HSC-4&5. To think that at one point the Navy recognised it's mistake when it shut down the HCS units and reforming them 5 years later only to be enamorred with the cost savings of gutting not one but two Special Warfare support units is an insult and grave injustice to all the hard work, hours and emotions ivested in said units and heritage.  My only wish is that if they do this and then wake up 5 or ten years down the line and ask for volunteers to start up again, everyman and woman that has experience give those asking the middle finger and walk away. Not that I'm or any of my mates are bitter about it.

[+CrazyhorseB34 937]

NSDQ.

[+ST0RM 145]

 Both Reserve units HCS-5 and HCS-4 did multple tours to both combat theaters in the post 9/11 period until 2006, WITHOUT loss of life or aircraft to enemy action while the Army and AF assets went down to enemy action sometimes almost daily.

 

Hmm, a slight bias? How about the possibility that both HCS units most likely operated under night conditions where they were not as exposed as the Army and AF assets who operated in day and night ops? SAR, Spec Ops plus normal infil/exfils. And in larger numbers!

 

No offense to their tours, but the sole focus of supporting a Tier 1 asset may not have them flying the same number of sorties or under the same conditions. Trying to compare the two is simply unfair to those that were there.

[Viggen 644]

Usually it's the conventional Army flight companies who get tasked out with hauling operators around in country regardless of mission.

[firehawkordy 34]

Storm, yeah it might be a slight bias but we were established to support not only the Teams but to provide dedicated CSAR capability, even the AF has sole CSAR helo units, and I have worked with the one out of Portland Ore so I really have no bad things to say about them. It's the fact that Tier 1 assets from all branches AND a few allied nations prefered to use our aircraft and crews when they had a choice. I know it sounds like "we're better, the rest suck" but it's more than just something simple as that. Having seen a break down on what will be lost the two things that stood out from that was this, Loss of assets 40%, 0% support for West Coast/West Pac Teams and other forces. I don't know about you but if someone said you lose almost half of your support for ANY branches SpecWar units that would be a matter of concern. Besides you know me, and you know the pride I take on those units, it would be terrible if I didn't rant on what is being done to destroy something that actually works instead of looking for what really needs to be cut, and believe me, there is fat in all the services that can be done away with and not hurt combat capability. I know that I'm not the only Firehawk or Redwolf that wants to know the real reason we're getting  shut down again, considering that units that we helped either get started or continue have been suspiciously quite during this whole affair.