Green Beret Killed in Afghanistan - RIP SFC Mike Goble

Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Goble, 33, a senior intelligence sergeant assigned to Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group died 23 December 2019 from injuries sustained during combat operations the day prior, Army Special Operations Command said in a statement. This was his third deployment to Afghanistan, in addition to deployments to Argentina, Guatemala, Colombia and South Korea.

“Sgt. 1st Class Goble was more than just a member of the 7th Special Forces Group, he was a brother to us, and a beloved family member to the Northwest Florida community,” said Col. John W. Sannes, 7th Group commander, in a prepared statement. “We will honor our brother’s sacrifice and provide the best possible care to his family. We ask that you keep his family and teammates in your thoughts and prayers," Sannes added.

SFC Goble was on an operation seizing a Taliban weapons cache when he was killed. He was with his unit when its members discovered an undisclosed amount of Taliban weapons in Kunduz province, said Eric Pahon, a spokesman for the U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Pahon said Goble and others were clearing out the cache when an explosion happened. Pahon said the Taliban wrongly claimed that the service members were in a convoy and targeted by a roadside bomb during a raid.

There have been 17 American service members killed in combat in Afghanistan this year, of which 14 belonged to the Army, according to Defense Department figures. The number of wounded in action exceeds 180. U.S. and Taliban representatives are engaged in ongoing peace negotiations, which President Donald Trump previously ended in September following another Taliban attack that killed an Army paratrooper near Bagram Air Base. The talks were restarted earlier in December.

Goble was born on Jan. 13, 1986, and raised in Westwood, New Jersey, according to the Army. He enlisted directly into the service as a Special Forces candidate in July 2004. After completing basic training and Airborne School, Goble attended and later graduated from Special Forces Qualification Course at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in February 2007. Goble also deployed to Afghanistan in 2007 and 2008. During those deployments, he served as a weapons sergeant. Goble then served as a sniper instructor from 2012 through 2016, before returning to 7th Group as an intelligence sergeant.

Over the course of his career, Goble attended a variety of Army schools, including Special Forces Sniper Course, basic and advanced Military Freefall Course, Military Freefall Advanced Tactical Insertion Course, Joint Armorer Course, Special Forces Intelligence Sergeant Course and Special Operations Force Surveillance Operator Course. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with Valor device, the Valorous Unit Award, the Special Forces Tab, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Basic Airborne and Military Free Fall Jumpmaster badges.

Green Berets Surrounded in Southern Afghanistan

The following article is from SOFREP, published under the title "Washington Policy Leaves Special Forces Soldiers Flapping in the Breeze in Marjah, Afghanistan".

It took so long to launch the Quick Reaction Force (QRF) to help out Green Berets pinned down and under fire in Marjah, Afghanistan that it would have been faster to deploy a team from another continent rather than wait for the theater commanders in Afghanistan to let a nearby Special Forces team go to help their team mates.

With a team from 19th Special Forces Group attached to 3rd Special Forces Group surrounded and under fire in Marjah, Afghanistan their QRF should have been launched far sooner. It wasn’t the fault of the actual soldiers, who were standing by and ready to go, but command would not let them leave their base, insisting that they wait for the next period of darkness before a team from 19th Special Forces Group was able to drive in and conduct a off-set infil to support their fellow Green Berets.

The 19th Group Team was there as part of a broader effort to re-take Marjah from the Taliban, and was coordinated with local Afghan units which were clearing adjacent valleys. Once pinned down, one team member was killed, another seriously injured. A Special Forces medic (18D) worked on the casualty for 12-hours, keeping him alive while receiving enemy fire. The casualty, “was alert and oriented” by the time he was finally evacuated according to one SOFREP source.

The Green Beret KIA was SSG Matthew McClintock, 30, of Albuquerque, New Mexico (picture at right with his son). SSG McClintock also leaves behind a wife. "SSG McClintock was one of the best of the best," said MG Bret Daughtery, Commander of the Washington National Guard. McClintock was assigned to the 19th SFG, Washington National Guard. "He was a SF engineer, or 18C. Our condolences and prayers from go out the to the family of this Fallen Hero. May he Rest In peace."

Worse yet, command would not authorize fire support from a circling AC-130 gunship due to fears of collateral damage. Recent events such as the hospital bombing in Kunduz probably resonate at command levels, but perhaps they should have been thinking more about another recent event, Benghazi, since their men on the ground faced the threat of being overrun. Eventually, the command allowed AC-130 to fire a whopping two 40mm rounds into an open field a weak show of force to the Taliban.

3rd Group Green Berets have often complained about the leadership failures experienced while in theater in Afghanistan. Part of the problem is that they end up working for NATO Special Operations Component Command – Afghanistan (NSOCC-A). “We have so many fucking Generals that don’t do shit,” one Special Forces soldier said in disgust. “Every base I go to I trip over 50 majors, 30 LTCs, and see 6 Generals.” Entire advisory teams and separate military commands are invented in Afghanistan simply so that officers can be deployed and hold a “command” which will get them promoted.

One spot of good news is that the Afghan Local Police (ALP), Afghan National Army (ANA) Special Forces, and Afghan Commandos have turned out to be strong allies in fighting the Taliban. “They are really doing their job…but you won’t read that in the news,” a Green Beret told SOFREP.

SF "A" Team Against Hundreds of Taliban

On the morning of April 6, 2008, Master Sergeant Scott Ford, then-Staff Sergeant John Walding and an assault team of Green Berets landed at the base of the fortress-like Shok Valley village in Afghanistan.

They were expecting to face 15 to 20 enemies, but what they encountered was a fierce ambush by hundreds of Taliban fighters. The team called in an astounding 70 danger-close airstrikes during the 6.5 hour battle.

Master Sgt. Ford and Staff Sgt. Walding, though wounded themselves, refused to accept defeat and earned Silver Stars for their sheer will, initiative and heroism.