There are a few things we should be thankful for this Thanksgiving day…

• We should be thankful that a few individuals in the 1950s, came up with and pushed the concept of Special Forces.
• We should be thankful that JFK had the fore-thought that SF had a future in the U.S. Army.
• And let’s be thankful for those SF soldiers who through their courage and innovation, started from scratch and led the way through a new type of warfare in Vietnam and Laos from 1957 to 1973. This was accomplished not only while battling the known enemy, but elements within our own army, which looked down on these un-conventional types.
• Let’s also be thankful that the army didn’t listen to the many anti-SF Generals and Civilians that sought to downsize or de-activate SF.
• We must be thankful too all those Officers and NCOs who over the last 28 years have set standards, and assured that these strict standards were upheld. Without these standards and leadership, the war in Afghanistan would have been a quagmire. Also during this period they have performed thousands of missions around the world without fanfare.
• And last but sure as hell not least are those SF troop that are conducting the war Afghanistan tonight. While the Navy is enjoying their turkey and pumpkin pie floating out on the Persian Gulf, the Air Force is enjoying theirs at a secure airbase and the Army will have theirs after they pull maintenance on their M-60A1 tanks, which are non-deployable to Afghanistan. Some SF troops will be up on a cold ass Afgani mountain spotting targets and grinding a field ration, while others will be on the windswept plains, trying to persuade some indig to do something that he doesn’t want to do while eating a piece of goat and some flatbread, . Hell, they’ve doing it for years. These fine soldiers didn’t join the army for bennies, or an education, they joined for action.

From us "Old Farts" we are proud as hell of the job you’re doing and congratulate you on introducing this new form of warfare, that so many self proclaimed experts in the past couldn’t foresee. Have a Happy Thanksgiving wherever your at, you ain’t gonna forget this one.

Aloha

          Woody Woodworth SFA D-876L