Ex-Green Beret - Special operations rely on basics

The special-operative soldiers who are fighting the war on terrorism are equipped with more sophisticated weapons, intelligence and training than when Ian Sutherland served.

But the fact they know what to do without them is as important as ever, Sutherland said Wednesday when he addressed the Lions Club during its meeting at the Holiday Inn.

In combat, "anything that can go wrong, will go wrong," said Sutherland. "That's the first rule of combat. If anything can go wrong, it will at the most inopportune moment."

He added, "We ought to know, just as sure as God made green apples, that the first thing a sophisticated enemy is going to do is knock our satellites down and our communications and our GPS systems won't work. That's why the special-op's work is so important. They can use things that will work without satellites. So they still carry a compass and they still know how to use a gun without a laser."

Vietnam comparisons

Sutherland, an assistant prosecutor for Cape Girardeau County, discussed some of the similarities and differences between special-op soldiers of 2002 and those who served with him during his 25 years of service, which included three stints and 14 months in Vietnam.

Sutherland, a green beret, first went to Vietnam as a member of the 5th Special Forces Group as part of an organization unit. In his second stint, he served with the CIA and in his third return to Vietnam, he was part of a study observation group and was involved with prisoner of war recovery.

Book update

Author of "United States Army Special Forces 1952-1982," Sutherland is in the process of updating that publication on CD-ROM to include the last 20 years.

Also, his novel "Bright Light" is to be published in June to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the creation of the special forces. The novel is about the attempted recovery of a sergeant who was taken prisoner in Vietnam.

Sutherland said it encompasses most of his war experiences.

"Most of it's true," he said. "I've just shuffled the time sequence a bit."

Sutherland talked Wednesday about some of the ups and downs special-ops forces have faced in their near 50-year history.

He said the training involved is much more sophisticated now than in the past.

When Sutherland served in Vietnam, he knew how to speak some Vietnamese. Now, he said, special-ops are trained to not only speak the language, but speak it with local accents.

He also said that today's soldiers are in better shape than when he served.

"They're bigger, they're stronger, they work out more," he said. Then, with a grin, he added, "But they're not as tough."

bmiller@semissourian.com

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