Special Forces honored at Fort Bragg

A piece of granite with more than two decades of military operations etched in it was dedicated to the Third Special Forces Group, which has been on every major military operation since the 1990s.

The stone was placed at the U.S. Army Special Operations Command Memorial Plaza to memorialize what the military called "the unit's proud legacy of valor and selfless service to the nation."

"This stone, in particular, puts us with other Special Operations organizations throughout the Army's history,” group Capt. Benjamin Follansbee said. "It gives us recognition of our sacrifices outside of just our organization."

The Third Group started at Fort Bragg in 1963 but deactivated in 1969. In 1990, it came back to stay. It has served on missions, including those to Kuwait, Zimbabwe, Haiti, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Follansbee said he always knew he wanted to join the elite brotherhood of the Special Forces, whose members are trained in unconventional warfare and are often called the "quiet professionals."

"It's a distinct point of pride for me," he said. "Third group has definitely been carrying more than its share of the weight for ongoing operations, and I'm just glad that I've been a part of that."