DELTA FORCE - 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment Delta - 1st SFOD-D

Delta Force also known as 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta(1st SFOD-D), Combat Applications Group (CAG), Task Force Green (TF Green) or simply The Unit, is the US Army's elite counter-terrorism unit.
According to Eric Haney, the unit's Operator Training Course is approximately six months long. While the course is constantly changing, the skills taught broadly include the following:

- Marksmanship
The trainees shoot without aiming at stationary targets at close range until they gain almost complete accuracy, then progress to moving targets.
Once these shooting skills are perfected, trainees move to a shooting house and clear rooms of "enemy" targets – first one only, then two at a time, three, and finally four. When all can demonstrate sufficient skill, "hostages" are added to the mix.
- Demolitions and Breaching
Trainees learn how to pick many different locks, including those on cars and safes.

- Advanced demolition, and bomb making using common materials.

- Combined skills.
The FBI, FAA, and other agencies were used to advise the training of this portion of OTC.
The new Delta operators use demolition and marksmanship at the shoot house and other training facilities to train for hostage and counter-terrorist operations with assault and sniper troops working together. They practice terrorist or hostage situations in buildings, aircraft, and other settings.
All trainees learn how to set sniper positions around a building containing hostages. They learn the proper ways to set up a TOC and communicate in an organized manner. Although Delta has specialized sniper troops, all members go through this training.
The students then go back to the shoot house and the "hostages" are replaced with other students and Delta Force members. Live ammunition is known to have been used in these exercises, to test the students, and build trust between one another.

- Tradecraft.

During the first OTCs and creation of Delta, CIA personnel were used to teach this portion.
Students learn different espionage-related skills, such as dead drops, brief encounters, pickups, load and unload signals, danger and safe signals, surveillance and counter-surveillance.
- Executive Protection.
During the first OTCs and creation of Delta, the U.S. State Department's Diplomatic Security Service and the United States Secret Service advised Delta.
Students take an advanced driving course learning how to use a vehicle or many vehicles as defensive and offensive weapons.
They then learn techniques for VIP and diplomatic protection developed by the Secret Service and DSS.
- Culmination Exercise
A final test requires the students to apply and dynamically adapt all of the skills that they have learned.

The Department of Defense tightly controls information about Delta Force and refuses to comment publicly on the highly secretive unit and its activities; usually unless the unit is part of a major operation or a unit member has been killed. Delta operators are granted an enormous amount of flexibility and autonomy during military operations overseas. To conceal their identities, soldiers rarely wear a uniform and usually wear civilian clothing both on and off duty. When military uniforms are worn, they lack markings, surnames, or branch names. Civilian hair styles and facial hair are allowed to enable the members to blend in and avoid recognition as military personnel.

Though Delta Force is primarily a tier-one counter-terrorist unit, specifically directed to kill or capture high value units (HVU) or dismantle terrorist cells, Delta Force remains extremely flexible and can engage in direct action missions, hostage rescues, and covert missions working directly with the Central Intelligence Agency, as well as high ranking protective services of our senior leaders during visits in war torn countries.

Delta is under operational control of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) though administratively supported by the Army Special Operations Command (USASOC).

The Central Intelligence Agency's highly secretive Special Activities Division (SAD) and more specifically its elite Special Operations Group (SOG), often works with – and recruits – operators from Delta Force.
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