Team 6 Profile
The Naval Special Warfare Development Group, otherwise known as
SEAL Team SIX is based near Little Creek, Virginia, and is responsible
for U.S. counter terrorist operations in the maritime environment.
Their origin can be traced to the aftermath of the failed 1980
attempted to rescue American hostages at the Iranian Embassy (Operation
Eagle Claw). Prior to this, the SEALs had begun CT training, including
all 12 platoons in SEAL Team One on the West Coast. And on the
East Coast, elements of the SEAL Team Two had taken the issue
one step farther. They formed a dedicated two-platoon group known
as "MOB Six" (Mobility Six) in anticipation of a maritime
scenario requiring a CT response and had begun training to that
end. Yet, as was the case with the US Army's initial CT unit -
Blue Light - and Delta Force, only one group was needed and could
be recognized as official. With the formal creation of SEAL Team
Six in October1980, MOB Six was demobilized. A large number of
members, however, including the former MOB Six commander, were
asked to join the fledgling group. With prior experience from
these operators, aggressive leadership, and an accelerated training
program, SEAL Team Six was declared mission-ready in six months.
Training for the Sixth was conducted throughout the United States and abroad, both on military and civilian facilities on an extremely accelerated schedule. Exchange programs and joint training was expanded with the more experienced international teams such as Germany's GSG-9, Great Britain's Special Boat Squadrons (SBS), and France's combat divers. In all cases, emphasis was placed on realism in training, in accordance with the "Train as you Fight, Fight as you Train" philosophy popular amongst most of the world's leading special operations and CT units. Six participated in a number of operations, both overt and covert, throughout the 1980's before being revamped and renamed. The reason for this transformation has been the need for the unit to evolved out of a poor reputation of the group within the Navy. A great deal of controversy was generated due to charges of misappropriation of funds and equipment by team members, as well as the conviction of the unit founder Cdr. Richard Marcinko on charges of conspiracy, conflict of interest, making false claims against the government, and bribery. He was sentenced to nearly two years in a Federal penitentiary in addition to being forced to pay a $10,000 fine.
The US government has described the Naval Special Warfare Development Group as having been established to oversee development of NSW tactics, equipment, and techniques. This, of course, is only partly true. The unit is under the direct command of NAVSPECWARCOM, however it is also a component of Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC - Pope AFB, North Carolina), along with other CT units such as Delta Force and the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR). The missions of these units are, again, a cause for speculation, however it is logical that they are specialized amongst themselves, perhaps along the lines of the SAS' Mountain, Mobility, Boat, and HALO troops (within a single Squadron). It is also possible that these units may have focus on specific target types instead, such as shipping, oil rigs, and structures, (although this scenario seems less likely due to the obvious need for all members of the Group to be current and proficient should a large scale operation arise). There is also an administrative and testing section. These individuals are responsible for the actual testing and development of new NAVSPECWAR equipment, including weapons. It has been reported that DEVGRU is one of only a handful of US units authorized to conduct preemptive actions against terrorists and terrorist facilities. DEVGRU operators reportedly fire an average of 2,500 to 3,000 rounds per week in training.
Seal Team 6 Operations
1985 - Six deployed to the site of the Achille Lauro hijacking
in anticipation of a possible assault on the vessel.
1985 - SEAL Team Six members were also responsible for the rescue and evacuation of Governor Sir Paul Scoon from Grenada during Operation Urgent Fury. Four SEALs were lost to drowning during helicopter insertion offshore. Other aspect of the operation included the securing of a radio transmitter that resulted in heavy contact with Grenadian forces.
1989 - The unit took part in Operation Just Cause as part of Task Force White, which included SEAL Team Two. Their primary task, along with Delta Force, was the location and securing of Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriega.
1990 - They again operated in Panama as part of a secret operation code-named "Pokeweed" which had as its goal the apprehension of Colombiandrug lord Pablo Escobar. Although Six was deployed from the US aircraft carrier USS Forrestal offshore, the mission was unsuccessful due to poor pre-assault intelligence.
1991 - SEAL Team Six reportedly recovered Haitian President Jean Bertrand Aristide under cover of darkness following the coup which deposed him.
1991 - Six was also part of contingency planning for the shooting down Saddam Hussein's personal helicopter with Stinger missiles, although this operation never got beyond the planning stage.
1996 - The unit reportedly deployed to Atlanta, Georgia as part of a large US counterterrorist contingency plan for the 1996 Summer Olympics.
1998 - Deployed to find Bosnian war crimes suspects.