04/05/2012
Delta Force
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the Special Operations Force. For other uses, see Delta Force (disambiguation).
1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (Airborne)
US Army Special Operations Command patch worn by Delta Force
Active 21 November 1977 – present
Country United States of America
Branch United States Army
Type Special Operations
Role Tier One Special Operations Force
Size Classified[1]
Part of U.S. Special Operations Command
Joint Special Operations Command
U.S. Army Special Operations Command
Garrison/HQ Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Nickname The Unit
Engagements Operation Eagle Claw
Operation Urgent Fury
Operation Just Cause
Operation Acid Gambit
Operation Desert Storm
Operation Restore Hope
Operation Gothic Serpent
Battle of Mogadishu (1993)
Operation Enduring Freedom
Battle of Tora Bora
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Operation Red Dawn
Objective Medford
Rescue of Roy Hallums
1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1st SFOD-D) is one of the United States' secretive tier one counter-terrorism and Special Mission Units. Commonly known as Delta Force or The Unit, it was formed under the designation 1st SFOD-D, and is officially referred to by the Department of Defense as Combat Applications Group.[2] This unit is an elite Special Operations Force, and an Army Compartmented Element of the Joint Special Operations Command. Delta Force, along with its Navy counterpart DEVGRU also known as SEAL Team Six, are the United States' primary counter-terrorism units.
Delta Force's primary tasks are counter-terrorism, direct action, and national intervention operations, although it is an extremely versatile group capable of assuming many covert missions, including, but not limited to, rescuing hostages and raids.[3]
The Central Intelligence Agency's highly secretive Special Activities Division (SAD) and more specifically its elite Special Operations Group (SOG) often recruits operators from Delta Force.[4]
