FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. — Green Berets skipped fear and loathing in Las Vegas to earn a first place military class trophy in one of the oldest and most prestigious off-road races in America.
A special breed of Green Berets from the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), entered this year’s Las Vegas Mint 400 race in March with two variant editions of the Ground Mobility Vehicle 1.1.
The annual race offers a unique opportunity for Green Berets to test their test long-range mobility across the treacherous foothills outside of Sin City.
“It really provides the best venue in a short amount of time to really stress the vehicle,” said the Special Forces Major who raced the lead vehicle.
“Outside of a real deployment, you’re not going to be able to simulate the level of intensity, time crunch, and the whole team working together with support personnel in anything but the Mint 400.”
Most fans attend the Mint 400 to see trophy trucks, but just about everyone stopped to see the Green Berets with their GMV 1.1 on display at the Mint 400 festival on Fremont Street.
“I think it’s shocking to a lot of the fans when you tell them, ‘this came straight from training and it’s going back to training,’” said the Special Forces Major.
Even more shocking for bystanders was when the Green Berets hit the first jump of the race like the Dukes of Hazzard.
“From my perspective it almost felt like we fell off a cliff,” said the Special Forces Major.
The active duty military vehicles also blew past racers in Volkswagen Bugs in their first lap while reaching over 50 mph through rugged terrain.
“We ran like we were racing and to be competitive,” said the Special Forces Major.
The military vehicles finished together after nine hours through about 200 miles of brutal desert.
“Crossing that line and seeing it light up around you, and then looking to my left seeing the other truck as we crossed together. It was a big win,” said the Special Forces Major.
| Date Taken: | 03.12.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 03.24.2022 15:09 |
| Story ID: | 417112 |
| Location: | FORT CAMPBELL, KY, US |
| Web Views: | 7 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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Mint 400: two Special Forces trucks cross the line with two laps
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