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‘Things kind of slow down in chaotic situations’
Staff Sgt. Michael Smith | Southern Afghanistan | April 11, 2005
By Jeff Schogol
Stars and Stripes
Published: June 14, 2010
Air Force Staff Sgt. Michael Smith was awarded the Bronze Star with “V” for valor for calling in numerous airstrikes that killed a total of 71 insurgents. He also served as a rifleman when the troops he was with cleared buildings. He killed six insurgents using his rifle and another two with grenades.
Staff Sgt. Michael Smith called in numerous airstrikes that killed 71 insurgents during a 2005 Afghanistan deployment.
Air Force Staff Sgt. Michael Smith’s job was mastering chaos.
From April to October 2005, he was a joint terminal attack controller attached to special forces in southern Afghanistan. When insurgents appeared, when things got really heavy, it was his job to call in airstrikes to take out the enemy or allow him and his team to escape.
“For me — it’s lucky — things kind of slow down in chaotic situations,” said Smith, now a first lieutenant. “They don’t get out of control and blur together. They slow down and I’m able to not only squeeze the trigger or throw a grenade if need be, I’m able to speak on the radio clearly and concisely.”
Smith was awarded the Bronze Star with “V” for valor for calling in numerous airstrikes that killed a total of 71 insurgents. He also served as a rifleman when the troops he was with cleared buildings. He killed six insurgents using his rifle and another two with grenades.
“I don’t lose sleep over that,” Smith said. “I think it’s ... something I am extremely proud of.”
The hardest times were after the mission was over, when the adrenaline wore off and he realized that he’d lived through it while the man standing next to him didn’t.
“There’s times I’ve gotten back,” he said, “and it’s taken me until the next mission to kind of shake what happened to you.”
July 2005 was hard to shake.
He accompanied a Special Forces team tasked with taking out a high-value target 80 miles east of Kandahar. The target was believed to be hiding in a complex of 25 mud hut buildings reinforced with wood and stone.
“All of his bodyguards were pretty dedicated guys,” Smith said. “They fought it out to the death.”
Smith and his teammates were supposed to kick in the doors and clear the buildings. But it didn’t take long to realize that things weren’t what they seemed.
They’d cleared one of the mud hut structures and gathered back outside when suddenly an insurgent began shooting at them from the building they’d just cleared, or thought they had. “They had tunnel complexes going from house to house,” Smith said, “and they would hide the openings to these tunnels under, say, bedding or blankets or clothing.”
The insurgents wore Arab robes and vests loaded with ammo, he said.
At one point, another insurgent emerged from a building they thought was clear and fired three rounds, which passed about a foot from Smith’s head.
He killed the insurgent with a grenade, and in the end, the team got its target. But an insurgent inside the compound took the life of Army Staff Sgt. Michael W. Schafer of the 173rd Airborne Brigade. Schafer was killed as he led troops through a door. He was awarded the Silver Star posthumously.
This is where Smith struggles, not with killing an enemy but coming to grips with a good man lost.
To Smith, Schafer embodies all of his friends — his heroes — who didn’t escape the chaos.
“He was probably the heart and soul of that operation that day,” Smith said. “Any time we had to clear a building, he was the first guy through the door. ... I think of that guy often and his sacrifice and his memory.”
Here is the link: http://www.stripes.com/news/special-reports/things-kind-of-slow-down-in-chaotic-situations-1.104558
The events in the article took place 5 years ago. My brother has been involved in many battles since then. Don't know what I would do if he lost his life. It is incredible what sacrifces so many brave Americans make.
Staff Sgt. Michael Smith | Southern Afghanistan | April 11, 2005
By Jeff Schogol
Stars and Stripes
Published: June 14, 2010
Air Force Staff Sgt. Michael Smith was awarded the Bronze Star with “V” for valor for calling in numerous airstrikes that killed a total of 71 insurgents. He also served as a rifleman when the troops he was with cleared buildings. He killed six insurgents using his rifle and another two with grenades.
Staff Sgt. Michael Smith called in numerous airstrikes that killed 71 insurgents during a 2005 Afghanistan deployment.
Air Force Staff Sgt. Michael Smith’s job was mastering chaos.
From April to October 2005, he was a joint terminal attack controller attached to special forces in southern Afghanistan. When insurgents appeared, when things got really heavy, it was his job to call in airstrikes to take out the enemy or allow him and his team to escape.
“For me — it’s lucky — things kind of slow down in chaotic situations,” said Smith, now a first lieutenant. “They don’t get out of control and blur together. They slow down and I’m able to not only squeeze the trigger or throw a grenade if need be, I’m able to speak on the radio clearly and concisely.”
Smith was awarded the Bronze Star with “V” for valor for calling in numerous airstrikes that killed a total of 71 insurgents. He also served as a rifleman when the troops he was with cleared buildings. He killed six insurgents using his rifle and another two with grenades.
“I don’t lose sleep over that,” Smith said. “I think it’s ... something I am extremely proud of.”
The hardest times were after the mission was over, when the adrenaline wore off and he realized that he’d lived through it while the man standing next to him didn’t.
“There’s times I’ve gotten back,” he said, “and it’s taken me until the next mission to kind of shake what happened to you.”
July 2005 was hard to shake.
He accompanied a Special Forces team tasked with taking out a high-value target 80 miles east of Kandahar. The target was believed to be hiding in a complex of 25 mud hut buildings reinforced with wood and stone.
“All of his bodyguards were pretty dedicated guys,” Smith said. “They fought it out to the death.”
Smith and his teammates were supposed to kick in the doors and clear the buildings. But it didn’t take long to realize that things weren’t what they seemed.
They’d cleared one of the mud hut structures and gathered back outside when suddenly an insurgent began shooting at them from the building they’d just cleared, or thought they had. “They had tunnel complexes going from house to house,” Smith said, “and they would hide the openings to these tunnels under, say, bedding or blankets or clothing.”
The insurgents wore Arab robes and vests loaded with ammo, he said.
At one point, another insurgent emerged from a building they thought was clear and fired three rounds, which passed about a foot from Smith’s head.
He killed the insurgent with a grenade, and in the end, the team got its target. But an insurgent inside the compound took the life of Army Staff Sgt. Michael W. Schafer of the 173rd Airborne Brigade. Schafer was killed as he led troops through a door. He was awarded the Silver Star posthumously.
This is where Smith struggles, not with killing an enemy but coming to grips with a good man lost.
To Smith, Schafer embodies all of his friends — his heroes — who didn’t escape the chaos.
“He was probably the heart and soul of that operation that day,” Smith said. “Any time we had to clear a building, he was the first guy through the door. ... I think of that guy often and his sacrifice and his memory.”
Here is the link: http://www.stripes.com/news/special-reports/things-kind-of-slow-down-in-chaotic-situations-1.104558
The events in the article took place 5 years ago. My brother has been involved in many battles since then. Don't know what I would do if he lost his life. It is incredible what sacrifces so many brave Americans make.
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