My Dad, the Elite 12-Man A-Team Medic by Jared Harding Wilson

By Jared Harding Wilson

We often hear the phrase “the quiet professionals” used to describe America’s Special Forces. They are the elite operators who deploy into the world’s most dangerous corners, execute impossible missions, and rarely talk about what they did. My father, a Master Sergeant (MSG), is one of those men.

While I missed the official day of Memorial Day by just a loop of the calendar, I am claiming this as “Memorial Day Week” to honor a man who dedicated a staggering 38 total years of his life to defending freedom, protecting his community, and saving lives.

From a Mission in Germany to the Sky: His Air Force Roots

My dad’s lifelong dedication to service started long before he ever wore a military uniform. He spent two years serving a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Düsseldorf, Germany, teaching the gospel and serving the people there. Remarkably, during that time, he served right alongside the son of one of the Church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

As soon as he returned home, he traded his missionary suit for military fatigues and headed straight into basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, to launch his military career. It didn’t take long for him to stand out. My dad was one of the absolute fastest runners in basic training. High-ranking Colonels and Generals on the hill, observing the new recruits, were openly amazed by his athletic ability and stamina. He was built for the endurance of what lay ahead.

He began his 38-year military journey with a 3-year stint in the United States Air Force as a flight nurse. He was assigned to the massive C-141 Starlifter, the premier long-range jet used for medical evacuations. They picked him up at Pope Air Force Base/McGuire Air Force Base and sent him to Charleston Air Force Base for his intensive training. High above the clouds in the belly of that giant jet, he learned the precision of high-stakes medical care.

35 Years in the Army: Becoming a Green Beret

While he loved the skies, his ultimate calling was on the ground with the elite. Dad transitioned to the United States Army, where he would spend the next 35 years of his career—with an incredible 30 of those years served specifically within the Special Forces.

He earned his Airborne certificate after completing his five mandatory parachute jumps from a C-130 cargo plane, and later jumped from military helicopters as well.

He pushed all the way to the pinnacle of military excellence, earning his coveted Green Beret. But my dad’s service wasn’t just global; for a time, he also served his community right here at home, wearing a badge as both a police officer and a firefighter! It was a brief period when his local city established a “Public Safety” department to combine the two. Whether in a police cruiser, a fire truck, or in combat boots, his life’s mission was to protect.

The Ultimate Cross-Trained Operator

An ODA (Operational Detachment-Alpha), commonly known as an “A-Team”, is the foundational 12-man fighting unit of the U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Berets). Their primary mission is unconventional warfare, counter-insurgency, and training, advising, and assisting indigenous military forces. Within my dad’s tight-knit team, every single man held a critical, life-or-death specialty.

My dad didn’t just have one; he went to grueling military schools back-to-back to master several of the most difficult roles on the detachment. Building on his Air Force medical roots, he became a combat medic, a combat photographer, and he managed operations and intelligence for the team.

He also went through the legendary, physically punishing Special Forces combat scuba training down in Key West, Florida—widely considered one of the toughest schools in the entire military. He was an intellectual and physical powerhouse for his unit for three decades.

Because of the secret nature of his work, our family only got glimpses of his global footprint. His training and missions spanned the globe—from Salta, Argentina, during the chaotic days surrounding September 11, 2001, to the damp fields of England, bases in Germany, and the rugged terrains of Uzbekistan.

Eventually, the global war on terror took him to Afghanistan for a solid year. It was there, in places like Gardez, that his decades of medical training collided with the harsh realities of war.

Healing the Wounds of War: The Children of Afghanistan

Special Forces medics are trained to perform trauma care under the worst conditions imaginable, but they are also ambassadors of humanity.

While deployed at a base in Afghanistan, a local taxi pulled up to the security checkpoint. Inside was a young boy who was rapidly bleeding out, having catastrophically lost a foot to an explosive device. Sadly, a few days later, the boy’s brother came in with the same terribly tragic accident, also with a lost foot! My dad and his medical team sprang into action right there at the gate. With the clock ticking, they stabilized the brothers, stopped the bleeding, and ultimately saved both of their lives.

But his lifesaving work didn’t stop there. In Gardez, a 10-year-old local girl was brought to them with severe burns covering 40% of her body. My dad helped treat her from the very beginning, managing her intense pain and stabilizing her wounds. Long after she was well enough to leave the medical station, her brother would bring her back to the base regularly just so my dad could personally change out her gauze and check her healing.

Once she was fully healed, the Afghan family did something truly extraordinary. To show their profound gratitude, they invited my dad and members of his team into their home for a massive celebration. In a war zone, that kind of trust is rarer than gold.

A Lifetime Member of the Elite

Thirty-eight total years of service, with thirty of them as a Green Beret. My dad climbed all the way to the rank of E8 Master Sergeant (MSG) before he finally retired. He gave his knees to the tarmac, his youth to the skies, and his heart to saving lives. And just two weeks ago, his incredible legacy was further honored when he became a Life Member of the Special Forces Association.

Dad, from the streets of Düsseldorf to the skies in a C-141, and through 30 years as a Green Beret, you never boasted, you never asked for recognition, and you truly lived the creed of the quiet professional. Thank you for your incredible 38 years of service, your sacrifices, and for showing me what true bravery and compassion look like. Happy Memorial Day week.

Did your family celebrate a military hero this month? I would love to hear about your family’s veterans or your own thoughts on the incredible sacrifices our Special Forces make. Let’s chat in the comments below!

Photos from Jared Harding Wilson are from the Wilson Family Archive, all rights reserved.