soldiers earn ‘lancero’ title - the red 7 · opentuesday through saturday 10am-6pm shotguns...

F r i d a y , D e c e m b e r 1 3 , 2 0 1 3 T H E R E D 7 . n E T

Toys for Tots helps out 7th Group and families

Page 2

aLSO INSIDe

Philpott............................6

Soldiers receive awards for service

in AfghanistanPage 4

Soldiers earn ‘Lancero’ titlePAGE 2

| THE reD 7 | Friday, December 13, 2013

Year No. 3 edition No. 48

The Red 7 is published by the Northwest Florida Daily News, a pri-vate firm in no way connected with the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) or the U.S. Army.

This publication’s content is not necessarily the official view of, or endorsed by, the U.S. govern-ment, the Department of Defense, the Depart-ment of the Army or 7th Special Forc-es Group (Airborne). The official news source for 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) is http://www.soc.mil/.

The appearance of advertising in this publication does not constitute endorsement by the U.S. govern-ment, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Army, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) or the Northwest Florida Daily News for products or services advertised. Ev-erything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national ori-gin, age, marital status, physical handi-cap, political affiliation or any other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. Editorial content is edited, prepared and provided by the North-west Florida Daily News.

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Toys for Tots

Spc..Steven.K..Young..| U.S. Army

Volunteers hand out toys to Soldiers and their families from 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) during the Toys for Tots event held on Eglin Air Force Base, Dec. 5. The Toys for Tots program collects gifts from donations and distributes the gifts to children of the community during the holiday season.

Friday, December 13, 2013 | THE reD 7 |

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By.ArmY.Sgt..1St.clASS.Alex.liceA

Special Operations Command South Public Affairs

tolemAidA,. colombia.- Special Forces, SEAL, Ranger, Paratrooper are all titles and terms that tend to garner respect and admira-tion from U.S. military per-sonnel and civilians alike because of the physical and mental strength it takes to earn them.

In the country of Colom-bia and throughout much of Central and South Ameri-ca, the title of “Lancero” is viewed with the same ad-miration because it takes a certain amount of dedica-tion to become one.

On a hot and humid af-ternoon at the Escuela de Lanceros or Lancero School, a gold and red badge with the title “Lancero” was presented to four U.S. Sol-diers during a ceremony at the Colombian military’s National Training Center in Tolemaida, Colombia, Dec. 3.

Capt. Richard Franko, Sgt. 1st Class Aledaine Lu-go Garcia, Staff Sgt. Jose Centeno and Staff Sgt. Mi-chael Hayden stood proud during the symbolic gradu-ation ceremony as they were officially made part of a unique and multi- cultural brotherhood, the band of Lanceros.

Despite the pageantries, flare and colorfulness of the

ceremony, the event was the culmination of 73 days of intense physically ardu-ous and mentally grueling training described as in-tense and downright brutal by the U.S. Army’s newest Lanceros.

“I would say this was one of the toughest courses if not the toughest course I will ever be a part of,” said Centeno, who is assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th Spe-cial Forces Group, based at Eglin Air Force Base. “We were put through sleepless days and nights, lack of food and intense physical train-ing every day.”

Rightly so, the Lancero course has earned the repu-tation of being one of the hardest military courses around the world.

The Lancero program was established in 1955, and its core system was founded after members of the Colombian National Army went through U.S. Army Ranger school at Fort Benning, Ga., and used

what they learned to form their own special operations school in Colombia.

The Escuela de Lancer-os is designed to develop its students into experts in small-unit tactics and ir-regular warfare. The school helps prepare the Colombi-an military’s best warriors to combat hostile organi-zations such as the insur-gency of the Revolutionary

Armed Forces of Colombia, known as the FARC, who the Colombian government has been in armed conflict since 1964, although the Co-lombian government has engaged in peace talks with the FARC over the past year in order to seek an end to the conflict.

The two and a half month course is broken up into sev-eral phases and students learn several skills such as irregular and urban war-fare in both mountain and jungle terrain; water surviv-al; air assault procedures; Escape, Survival, Resist, Evade training, commonly referred to as SERE; and basic medical and human rights training.

The course is as much physical as it is culture-based, and the four U.S. troops gained a better un-derstanding of the Colombi-an culture and forged a bond with their Colombian and international counterparts.

Like Centeno, Franko and Hayden are assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th Special

Forces Group at Eglin. For them, earning the title of Lancero gives them instant respect with their regional partners. As members of 7th Group, these “Green Be-rets” specialize in working and building military capac-ity and lasting partnerships throughout U.S. Southern Command area-of-respon-sibility, which geographical landscape spans from the Caribbean and across Cen-tral and South America.

“The language barrier was a bit challenging in the beginning but as the course went on, I really applied all of my training to get me through the course,” said Hayden, a native of Phoenix, Ariz. “Despite the physical demands of the course, the best part was the friends made. There is a special bond that is formed with guys from different nations because we are all going through the same hardships of the course.”

Along with the four U.S.

Sgt..1St.clASS.Alex.liceA.| U.S. Army

Brig. Gen. Sean P. Mulholland, the commander of Special Operations Command South and Lancero graduate, congratulates Staff Sgt. Jose Centeno, Sgt. 1st Class Aledaine Lugo Garcia, Capt. Richard Franko, and Staff Sgt. Michael Hayden for earning the title of Lancero before their graduation ceremony at the Escuela de Lanceros located at the Colombian military’s National Training Center in Tolemaida, Dec. 3. The school is de-signed to develop its students into experts in small-unit tactics and irregular warfare.

Four U.S. Soldiers earn Colombian title of ‘Lancero’

See LaNcerO Page 5


2103630

Lt. Col. Martin J. Schmidt of 7th Special Forces

Group (Airborne) shakes the hand of an awardee

during an awards cer-emony held on Eglin

Air Force Base, Dec. 5. Soldiers of 7th Group

received awards for their service during a

recent deployment to Afghanistan.



Green Berets from 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) stand in formation to receive awards from Lt. Col. Martin J. Schmidt during an awards ceremony Dec. 5.


Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffery D. Healey of 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) stands in front of formation dur-ing an awards ceremony held on Eglin Air Force Base , Dec. 5.


Lt. Col. Martin J. Schmidt of 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) salutes an awardee during an awards cer-emony held on Eglin Air Force Base, Dec. 5.

Soldiers receive awards for service


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Soldiers, international mili-tary members from Ecua-dor, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and for the first time Paraguay attended the course. No matter what flag is on their uniform, ev-eryone in the course has something interesting and unique to share with their fellow Lanceros.

For most of the new Lanceros, they described the mountain and jungle warfare portion of the course as the most chal-lenging. From long hikes, various road marches rang-ing from 10-30 kilometers and various other physical and mental draining events, the training took its toll.

“I can tell you that the jungle phase of this course was very hard,” said Lugo Garcia, a New York City na-tive. “Rucking in the jungle was definitely the most dif-ficult part of the course be-cause the terrain is rough, the weather is hot and hu-mid as we carried 70 pounds of gear walking up and down mountains and through the jungle.”

Franko, a native of North Judson, Ind., added that this school was just as tough and at times harder than the U.S. Army Ranger School.

With training like this, it’s no surprise each Sol-dier lost an average of 30-40 pounds during their time in the Lancero course. For Lu-go Garcia, a graduate of the U.S. Army Ranger School, assigned as an operations non-commissioned officer at the National Training

Center based in Fort Irvin, Calif., the course was un-like anything he had done in the past.

He also said that he is proud and grateful for the opportunity to attend this course, which is rare for anyone outside of the Spe-cial Operations community.

“This experience was certainly something I will never forget, and I am very proud I was given this op-portunity since I am not assigned in Special Opera-tions,” he said. “I hope more Soldiers in the “regular” Ar-my get a chance to attend this course.”

Colombian Maj. Gen. Juan Pablo Rodriguez Bar-ragan, the commander of the Colombian National Army, presided over the graduation ceremony and

spoke to the graduates about the significance of being a Lancero.

“Lanceros hold a very special place in our nation,” he said. “Being a Lancero is something that is rec-ognized around the world and nations send its best Soldiers and leaders to this course. I salute you for earning this accomplish-ment and you are forever a part of our family.”

U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Sean P. Mulholland, the commander of Special Op-erations Command South, based at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla., was the senior U.S. official at the ceremony.

As a Theater Special Op-erations component under

the guidance of the U.S. Special Operations Com-mand and U.S. Southern Command, SOCSOUTH is responsible for all U.S. special operations training and personnel in the Carib-bean, Central and South America.

During the official pre-sentation of the Lancero badges, Mulholland and other senior Colombian mil-itary officials were invited by Rodriguez Barragan to “pin” and congratulate each Lancero.

Mulholland, a Lancero himself and former instruc-tor at the school, present-ed each of the American Lanceros with the badge and congratulated them for the well-earned achievement.

In true Lancero fashion, the ceremony ended with all the graduating students do-ing push-ups before march-ing off the parade field.

Centeno, a Cuban-Ameri-can from Kissimmee, placed 2nd overall in his graduating class, and said the physical hardships over the past 73 days and lack of sleep and food was worth it because he truly has a new found respect for his fellow Ameri-can Soldiers and his inter-national brothers-in-arms.

“As members of 7th Group and always working in this region, it gives us creditability with our Co-lombian partners,” he said. “Being a Lancero is a way of life and I can’t be prouder of this achievement.”

LaNcerO FrOM Page 3

Spc..FernAndo.lozAno..| U.S. Army

Capt. Richard Franko from 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), displays his Lancero pin in his mouth after a graduation tradition of having a beverage and at the bottom of the cup is the reward of a Lancero pin.


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Air Force enlisted members advance to pay grades E-5 through E-7 faster than they did before recent wars, but still slower than peers in every other branch of service. That dampens total earnings over a 20-year career.

The greatest career income difference tied to promotion pace is seen between Air Force and Navy enlisted because sailors show the fastest ad-vancement rate among the four Defense of Department service branches.

Among officers, however, Air Force promotes faster than Army and Marine Corps peers through 20 years’ service, and even surpasses the Navy’s pace over a typical 24-year officer career, service promotion data show.

The promotion-pace dispar-ity by service for officers is smaller than for enlisted almost

certainly be-cause of tighter controls imposed by Congress.

The chart here shows av-erage years of service at time of promotion by branch and rank for 2012, the most recent

data available. When compared to data from 2000, results show promotion disparities across services have narrowed over the last dozen years of war.

In 2000, for example, Air Force enlisted made E-6 (tech-nical sergeant) after 14.7 years, on average. That was 3.6 years slower than sailors made E-6 (petty officer first class) and more than six years slower than peers in ground forces (staff sergeant). Soldiers in 2000 ad-vanced to E-6, on average, 8.6

years into careers and Marines at 8.3 years.

By 2012, airmen were putting on E-6 stripes after 11.1 years, more than three years faster than in 2000. Navy advance-ments to E-6 also jumped, by almost two and a half years. Soldiers’ average time to make E-6 was trimmed by a few months since 2000, to an aver-age of 8.2 years, while Marines saw their pace slowed a little, to 8.8 years, to be even with Navy.

Air Force enlisted members by 2012 were making E-7 in 16 years versus a 14-year average across all four services. They reached E-8 in 19.9 years ver-sus an all-service average of 18.4. And Air Force members reached E-9 at 23.6 years, a full year later than the all-service pace to E-9.

Promotion pace for of-ficers is slower in the ground forces. In 2012, Army and

Marine Corps officers reached the rank of O-5 (lieutenant colo-nel) at 16.5 years, on average, compared to 14.6 years for Air Force and 14.9 years to make Navy commander. The Defense Department overall average of 15.4 years to O-5 was very close to the average of 15.6 reported in 2000.

We asked Air Force for com-ment on its pace of promotions but didn’t receive a reply by deadline. In the past, officials have explained the slower pace of enlisted promotions as tied to the popularity of the Air Force and quality of life it offers. Also, the service needs high-tech specialists and encourages ro-bust retention rates. A tradeoff is slower promotions.

But how does pace of promotion impact career compensation?

We developed a rough mea-sure using Defense Department

amounts for Regular Military Compensation (RMC) in 2013, and service data on years-of-service-at-promotion to calcu-late values for average RMC, by service, across a 20-year career for enlisted and a 24-year ca-reer for officers.

RMC equals military basic pay, plus housing and food al-lowance, and an estimated tax-advantage value tied to tax-exempt allowances. For our career value calculations we use average RMC by rank and years of service; actual RMC would vary by individual based on where they live and family status, which along with rank determines the level of housing allowance.

In estimating the effect of promotion pace on career compensation here, we don’t consider in our calculations any

Promotion rate disparities impact total career pay

Tom Philpott

See PaY Page 7


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special pays, bonuses or other targeted incentives important for shaping an all-volunteer force. Our career RMC amounts don’t include, for example, flight pay, sea pay, combat pay, re-enlistment bo-nuses or officer retention pays, which can be hefty for pilots, physicians and nuclear-trained officers.

So what follows is a simple snapshot, by ser-vice, of career RMC val-ues if average RMC today were frozen in time, and if the most recent data on years-of-service-at-pro-motion stayed constant over members’ careers:

enlisted.— Sailors at current pay levels, and based on current pace of promotion, would earn a total $1,317,415 over a 20-year career. Soldiers would earn $1,307,802, or $9,613 less, over 20 years. Marines would earn a to-tal of $1,303,965, or $13,450 less than sailors.

At the bottom, due to slower promotions, are Air Force enlisted who would earn $1,249,370 for two decades of service, $68,045 less than sailors.

officers — By 20 years, Navy officers would earn more than peers in any other service, a total of

$2,113,428. Air Force of-ficers are close behind at $2,110,534, followed by Ar-my officers at $2,102,974. Earning $29,169 less than Navy peers at the 20-year mark are Marines at $2,084,259.

Officer careers usu-ally are longer, so we

extend our RMC calcula-tions based on promotion pace out to 24 years. By then, Air Force officers lead on total earnings at $2,748,071. Navy officers are slightly behind at $2,741,006, and Army of-ficers $30,000 off the lead at $2,719,000. Marine of-

ficers over a 24-year career earn $2,695,335, or $53,000 less in total RMC than their Air Force peers.

Earning totals at 24 years confirm the value for officers of sticking around past 20. Those in O-5 rank draw aver-

age RMC worth nearly $143,000 in their 21st and 22nd year of service. O-6s draw average RMC of almost $163,000 in their 23rd and 24th year. Actual totals would be higher if officers are married and living in high-cost areas, or lower than shown if

single and living in rural areas where housing allowances are more modest.

to.comment,[email protected],.write.to.mili-tary.update,.p.o..Box.231111,.centreville,.vA,.20120-1111.or.visit:.www.militaryupdate.com..

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soldiers earn ‘lancero’ title - the red 7 · opentuesday through saturday 10am-6pm shotguns...

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