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The time an operator made an ass of himself — and Delta Force

(U.S Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Andrew Cortez).

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Formal Drill and Ceremony (DNC) was never a thing that Delta operators are very good at — or even ANY good at all at. In fact, I could go so far as to declare in all confidence that Delta operators are indeed ceremoniously challenged. It’s not a bragging right; it’s a simple matter of being horrendously out of practice. It is, as I came to abruptly learn, a rather perishable skill!

In my ten years with Delta never a single time did I stand in a formal formation. Physical training was never conducted as a group unless it was a specific testing event, and even then, no DNC applied. Officers and NCOs didn’t salute; they shook hands, but only if there was respect between them, which was always the case.

During my time in the Unit, I was gifted with an opportunity to attend a much-vaunted senior leader’s course called Operations and Intelligence (O&I). I was in this training course that pipe-hitters learned advanced Intelligence Preparation of Battlespace (IPB) and refined their understanding of the covenants of Special Forces guerrilla operations, that is, Low-Intensity Conflict/Unconventional Warfare (LIC/UW).

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  • Avatar
    George E. Hand IV

    Mik’maq,
    I can only hope.
    Yes if I had only had a little advance notice of the in-ranks inspection I could have pulled it off. None of the guys that came before me thought to warn me… but none of us thought that I would have to take the class leader position.
    cheers,
    geo sends

  • Avatar
    George E. Hand IV

    Frank,
    sounds like so many of us suffered from the scourge that is DNC, or rather the scourge of not being any good at it at the wrong time. Sure, there are things you and I will never forget like attention, at ease, parade rest, about face, left/right face… but I doubt there is an active-duty unit on the planet that can execute a smooth counter-column — aha.
    I also fervently agree with you that the notion that support troops can’t fight is a myth in today’s army.
    Thank you, I really appreciate your remarks, Frank!
    geo sends

  • Avatar
    George E. Hand IV

    Gearman,
    The rest of the story is that Bill Sams had previously wanted to come to Delta and tried hard to make it but just couldn’t. He was one who was not bitter about it like most guys were; he still respected and looked up to the men who did make it. I could tell he was getting emotional about it telling me. I think Delta missed out hard and lost big in the opportunity to have Bill Sams on board.
    I’ve been hoping all these years that he understood how much I admired him — what a role model.
    geo sends

  • Avatar
    AndyT

    It’s uncanny. I had the same response.

  • Avatar
    Mic-Mac

    GREAT story geo! I bet you could do that drill today if need be. You mentioned your great respect for MSG Bill Sams. I am going to venture to say the respect was reciprocated. You may have felt like a “monumental ass”, but I don’t think you made an ass of yourself or Delta because no one called on the cartoonist. Again, loved the story.