SOFX The Crossroads of Special Operations
On October 31st, SEAL Team 6 successfully rescued an American hostage, Philipe Nathan Walton, who was taken in Northern Nigeria. The mastery team is always on stand-by for hostage-rescue situations. In 2009, SEAL team 6 rescued Captain Richard Phillips and in 2012, Jessica Buchanan was rescued from Somali pirates. The selection process to be on this team is not easy; it involves becoming a recruit, going through a review board, then a process called the Green Team which puts a heavy emphasis on close combat and free-falling. Standard military parachuting requires very little compared to free-fall parachuting. The dive is divided into two categories: high-altitude high opening (HAHO) and high-altitude low opening (HALO).
U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Rachel McMarr
