The Special Op's Community and the world has lost a great man.
I was privledged to have called this man friend, mentor and brother. We served together for over two years. I, as well as many others will greatly miss him. Al was what every soldier should be, he served his country with pride and dignity.
ALFRED C. "AL" HABELMAN, Brigade Command Sergeant Major, Green Beret, Special Operations Group, died in Iraq on Friday, April 1, 2005, at the age of 53. Command Sergeant Major Habelman or "Al" as he was known to his friends was born July 19, 1951, to Al and Bonnie Habelman. Al lived in Houston Texas most of his life. He graduated from Springs Woods High School in 1969, where he was an All-District football and baseball player. Al graduated from Sam Houston State University where he was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity. Al played professional baseball in the Montreal Expos organization. He was a multi-engine air transport pilot, single and multi-engine commercial pilot, and flight instructor. Command Sergeant Major Habelman exemplified the best of an American soldier with a decorated and honorable 31 years of service in the United States Army. A Green Beret, Airborne Ranger, and Special Forces Leader, Command Sergeant Major Habelman served with the 5th Special Forces Group, the most decorated unit in the Republic of Vietnam. He served with the 1st Special Action Force Asia in classified operations throughout Indochina. Al was Brigade Command Sergeant Major during "Operation Enduring Freedom" in Afghanistan. Served as Command Sergeant Major of the 7th Cavalry Regiment. Under Al's guidance the 7th was the first Apache Unit certified combat ready in the history of the reserves. He was a medical specialist, underwater expert, and 1st Degree Black Belt from Cha Wi Tae Kwan Do Academy, Uiganga Korea. Al's many decorations include several Meritorious Service Medals, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, Three Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbons, National Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Four NCO Ribbons, Rifle M-16 Expert Badge, Master Parachute Badge, Expert Infantry Badge, Class "One" Army Sniper, Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab, Pathfinder Badge, Scuba Badge, HALO Badge, China Rough Terrain Parachute Badge, Korean Master Parachute Badge and the Malaysian Master Parachute Badge. His gifts and talents were numerous yet he was a most modest and kind man. Al had a profound influence on a great many lives. Al's surviving family, friends, and brothers in arms, all thank God for the time we had being woven into his life.
Go with God my Brother, I miss you.
De Oppresso Liber
Bobb
I was privledged to have called this man friend, mentor and brother. We served together for over two years. I, as well as many others will greatly miss him. Al was what every soldier should be, he served his country with pride and dignity.
ALFRED C. "AL" HABELMAN, Brigade Command Sergeant Major, Green Beret, Special Operations Group, died in Iraq on Friday, April 1, 2005, at the age of 53. Command Sergeant Major Habelman or "Al" as he was known to his friends was born July 19, 1951, to Al and Bonnie Habelman. Al lived in Houston Texas most of his life. He graduated from Springs Woods High School in 1969, where he was an All-District football and baseball player. Al graduated from Sam Houston State University where he was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity. Al played professional baseball in the Montreal Expos organization. He was a multi-engine air transport pilot, single and multi-engine commercial pilot, and flight instructor. Command Sergeant Major Habelman exemplified the best of an American soldier with a decorated and honorable 31 years of service in the United States Army. A Green Beret, Airborne Ranger, and Special Forces Leader, Command Sergeant Major Habelman served with the 5th Special Forces Group, the most decorated unit in the Republic of Vietnam. He served with the 1st Special Action Force Asia in classified operations throughout Indochina. Al was Brigade Command Sergeant Major during "Operation Enduring Freedom" in Afghanistan. Served as Command Sergeant Major of the 7th Cavalry Regiment. Under Al's guidance the 7th was the first Apache Unit certified combat ready in the history of the reserves. He was a medical specialist, underwater expert, and 1st Degree Black Belt from Cha Wi Tae Kwan Do Academy, Uiganga Korea. Al's many decorations include several Meritorious Service Medals, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, Three Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbons, National Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Four NCO Ribbons, Rifle M-16 Expert Badge, Master Parachute Badge, Expert Infantry Badge, Class "One" Army Sniper, Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab, Pathfinder Badge, Scuba Badge, HALO Badge, China Rough Terrain Parachute Badge, Korean Master Parachute Badge and the Malaysian Master Parachute Badge. His gifts and talents were numerous yet he was a most modest and kind man. Al had a profound influence on a great many lives. Al's surviving family, friends, and brothers in arms, all thank God for the time we had being woven into his life.
Go with God my Brother, I miss you.
De Oppresso Liber
Bobb
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