Washington, D.C. — The Department of Defense (DoD) has released a statement of the names of three soldiers that were killed in Niger assigned to the U.S. Army 3rd Special Forces Group based in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Green Berets Staff Sergeant (SSG) Bryan Black and SSG Dustin Wright along with SSG Jeremiah Johnson were confirmed by the DoD as being killed in action on Wednesday after a large terrorist force from the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISIS-GS) ambushed the Green Beret team and its Nigerien counterparts in southwestern Niger.
Green Berets Micheal Perezoni and Brent Bartels were wounded in the fire fight and were medically evacuated to Landstuhl Regional U.S. Army Medical Center in Germany.
Department of Defense press release:
“The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of three soldiers who were part of a joint U.S. and Nigerien train, advise and assist mission. They died Oct. 4 in southwest Niger, as a result of hostile fire while on a reconnaissance patrol. All soldiers were assigned to 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The incident is under investigation.
Killed were:
Staff Sgt. Bryan C. Black, 35, of Puyallup, Washington
Staff Sgt. Jeremiah W. Johnson, 39, of Springboro, Ohio
Staff Sgt. Dustin M. Wright, 29, of Lyons, Georgia”
On a Green Beret Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA), the team consists of 12 men, two job positions each. Meaning there would be two medics, two weapons specialists and the like. SSG Black was one of the Green Beret medics, or what is known as the 18-Delta on the team along with SSG Wright who was one of the demolitions/engineer expert, or 18-Charlie. SSG Johnson was not a Green Beret however, he was a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Specialist, or what is known as a 74-Delta as his military occupational nomenclature.
SSG Johnson was what was known as a support soldier, meaning that he was assigned to a Green Beret mission and team in a supporting role. During my time in the Green Berets these young men would often volunteer or be assigned to drive the assault vehicles or man the heavy weapons of those vehicles for the Green Beret ODA heading out to a direct action or combat mission.
SOFREP, through its sources have learned that SSG Johnson was assigned to this specific operation as just that, a driver of an assault vehicle. SOFREP has also learned through its sources that the Green Beret team was actually coming back from a joint night-time raid when they were ambushed and not the official story the Pentagon has pushed out that this was a routine training patrol operation and the Green Berets and their Nigerien counterparts were caught in a coincidental ambush.
It is now being reported the ambush and subsequent fire fight lasted upwards to 30 minutes with an enemy force of about 50 who ambushed the Green Beret team and their Nigerien troops with vehicle mounted heavy machine guns and overwhelming AK-47 fire. The Nigeriens supposedly lost about 8 men in the initial volley and, according to SOFREP sources, fled the ambush shortly afterward leaving the Green Beret team to fight it out themselves.
Now the Pentagon is beginning to distance themselves from this incident to more than likely insulate from possible media and public opinion fallout. The Pentagon is pointing the finger of blame on the Green Berets themselves citing that the team on the ground may have not done a proper risk assessment prior to executing their mission. The bodies of American soldiers have not even been honored by their brothers on arms or loved ones yet and the Pentagon is already seeking a way out of taking ultimate responsibility in their role in sending American soldiers to hostile environments where anything can happen.
And no risk assessment can predict the sheer unpredictability of war and conflict.
Feature image courtesy of AP
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Dear Chair Rangers of the Puzzle Palace: Regarding Risk Assessment of ops, any ops, in West Africa, High Danger. From potty breaks to patrols, burn pits to bungle in the jungle - it's ALL bad guys, big time. For the past many years I've been listening to the African officers for whom I've been a civilian sponsor while they spend their year at Ft. Leavenworth's CGSC. There is no variance to the stories. Between (name that terrorist group) and the in-country uprisings related to growing pains of young wannabe democracies, the results are the same for "advisors" and UN blue hat forces alike: Danger! Danger, Will Robinson! To put any other spin on this always volatile environment is an insult to everyone's intelligence as well as their professional efforts and attitudes. I've had guys spend 18 mos at DLI/CGSC, go home for two weeks with their families, then join multinational forces all over Mali or South Sudan. I follow the military news all over the continent as closely as possible because our CGSC grads are everywhere, and guys from our military partners all over the world are serving all over Africa with us. In the midst of ambushes, bombings, village burnings and open assaults, they send me pictures of themselves interacting with civilian children, families, entertainers (!) to show that the mission is more than armament. I am so sorry that these members of an ODA met such an end. More than any other service, the focus, philosophy and training of this Special Forces appeals to my heart, mind and soul. They bring to bear intellectual, military, social, medical, engineering - hell, you name it, they'll find a way to Bring It - to bear in their intersect. I know this is amphibean hq, but my years downhill from the Piedmont at Seymour made me partial to my neighbors in Pineland. I'm a homer, not ashamed to admit it. Rest In Peace, Green Berets. You will be missed.
The deaths of these men will create heartache well beyond their loss to families, friends, and teammates. It already sounds like the propaganda wheels are churning out blame and denial. My prayers go out to all of those that are truly impacted by the loss of these brave men. May their deaths not be in vain.
Stand by your Servicemen and Women in war and in peace , In uniform or civies. Rest In Peace and Lest We Forget
It is so hard to hear that the four warriors lost from the Green Beret team, after having given selfless service, and made the ultimate sacrifice, are not being properly honored by the Pentagon. This would be too hard to bear if it wasn't for the fact that we know these brave, devoted men suffer no more, and rest peacefully in the arms of their heavenly Father. But their brothers- in- arms, their families, and the whole country is left to mourn them, and to hear they are being thrown under the bus by their own govt is so unjust and unconscionable. The Pentagon needs to offer up the truth, and give these men the honor they have earned and so deserve. Praying for justice!
My thoughts and prayers to the family, friends and fellow brothers in arms for Staff Sgt. Black, Staff Sgt. Johnson, and Staff Sgt. Wright. May you all rest in peace. Your battle is now over. You have fought your last fight. You gave your all to your country. I thank God there are men like you willing to bring the fire to the fight. Like everyone else, it ticks me off when our government sends people out to do our business and then distances themselves when things go bad. Asshats...