Army Compartmented Elements (CAGE) (also known as Combat Applications Group (CAG) or 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1st SFOD-D))
Home Nation	United States
Motto	Delta operates under the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), whose motto is “De Oppresso Liber” (to free the oppressed)
Date Founded	1977
Key Statistics	Size: 800-2000 members with 225-400 operators, divided across 7 operational squadrons.  Funding: Funded secretly via JSOC accounts known as “black funds”. Delta Force’s budget is undisclosed, but it falls under that of Special Operations Command (SOCOM), which is $9.37 billion in the 2022 fiscal year. Diversity: Delta enacted a series of recruitment initiatives directed at women in 1990, but only non-combat roles were open to female candidates. All US military combat units were opened to women in 2016. Reportedly, a Delta Force intelligence unit, known as the funny platoon, is the only US Special Operations Force to employ women.
Regimental Remit	Specialism: Counter-terrorism, Direct Action, Hostage Rescue, and Reconnaissance. Where are they based – Fort Bragg, North Carolina, USA.  Operating location(s): domestic and international. SOCOM does not report the operating locations of Delta Force. However, SOCOM did reveal that US Special Operations Forces (SOF) were deployed in over 133 countries over the fiscal year ending on September 30, 2014. From 2011 to 2014, SOF were active in over 150 countries.
Noteworthy Operations	Operation Eagle Claw, Iran, 24-25 April 1980 – aborted Iran Hostage Crisis. Operation Urgent Fury, Grenada, 25-29 October 1983 – US Invasion of Grenada. Operation Gothic Serpent, Somalia, 22 August 1993-13 October 1993 – Battle of Mogadishu. Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq, involved October 4 2001-March 15 2002). Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan, involved March 19 2003-December 13 2003 – Took part in the Battle of Tora Bora, a botched attempt to capture or kill Osama Bin Laden.  Operation Kayla Mueller, Syria, October 26-27, 2019 – Raid on the compound of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
Any Scandals	1981-1983 – Delta Force operatives found to have embezzled almost $500 000 from ‘Black funds’ for personal use. The operatives exploited loose controls over expenditures and secrecy rules, accepting cash advances and inflating spending. During the course of the subsequent Army investigation, nearly 100 Delta Force operatives were investigated.  A Special Operations Colonel, Lieut. Col. Dale F. Duncan, and 3 colleagues stole $60 000. In 1986, the officer was indicted by a Federal court on one count of theft and two counts of making false claims. He was then sentenced to 10 years in prison by a court-martial. However, a US Court of Appeals panel quashed the false claims convictions and, in 1987, the Justice Department dropped all charges. 2020 – ABC News publishes a report on a rape case involving a Delta Force operative that took allegedly took place in September 2016. Cristobal Lopez Vallejo was charged with sexual offences by Fayetteville police, but the military intervened before his trial in civilian court. He was instead court-martialed in a secret military court, which acquitted him of the rape charge. All transcripts and recordings were subsequently destroyed.
Noteworthy Distinctions/ extra information	Inspired by the British Special Air Service (SAS). To avoid recognition as military personnel, Delta Force operatives are allowed to keep civilian hairstyles and facial hair.