Paul Randal Howe (born 1959)[1] is an American former special operations soldier. He was a Delta Force team leader who was involved in special operations as a U.S. Army soldier. He participated in the special operations rescue at the Battle of Mogadishu (1993) which led to the book Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War and the Black Hawk Down film. He is a firearms instructor and counterterrorism expert who trains people in high-risk operations. His company is called CSAT-Combat Shooting and Tactics.[2] He is the author of three books about leadership.
Paul Randal Howe | |
|---|---|
 Howe in 2009 | |
| Born | 1959 (age 64–65) |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service | |
| Years of service | 1980–2000 |
| Rank | Master sergeant |
| Unit | 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment–Delta (Delta Force) |
| Battles / wars | |
| Spouse(s) | Constance Beckwith |
| Children | 3 |
| Other work | Founder, CEO, and lead instructor of CSAT Company (2000–present) |
| Website | CSAT |
Military career
edit
Howe served 20 years in the U.S. Army. He held the rank of Master Sergeant and was a member of Delta Force.[3] For ten of those years he was involved in special operations. He fought in the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu.[4]
His experiences in Mogadishu were portrayed in the film Black Hawk Down.[5] Howe provided much of the information about Delta Force operations for the writing of the 1999 book: Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War.[6] He was the leader of the assault team that went in to rescue Army Rangers and Delta Force members in Mogadishu.[7] Mark Bowden met with Howe in 1997 about writing the book after clearing it with Howe's commanding officer. Howe was first to arrive on the scene of the downed Black Hawk helicopter.[8] Other Delta Force members were also consulted for the book, but they did not allow the use of their real names. Howe has faced some criticism for allowing Bowden to use his real name.[8]
Career
editIn 2000 Howe graduated with an MIS (Masters of Interdisciplinary Studies) from Stephen F. Austin State University.[9] After his 20-year military career Howe became an instructor specializing in high-risk training for law enforcement.[10] He works as a professional instructor and runs Combat Shooting & Tactics (CSAT) which is a training facility in Nacogdoches, Texas.[11] He started the company in 2000.[9]
When the September 11 attacks occurred in 2001 there was a demand for counterterrorism instruction. Howe served as an instructor for a counterterrorism company: The HALO Corporation International. The company employed former military special forces members as instructors. Howe taught hostage rescue and firearms training.[12] Howe also focuses on hostage rescue when training law enforcement and SWAT teams.[13]
Personal life
editHowe is married to Constance "Connie" (née Beckwith), a former Army Reserve major and the daughter of Delta Force founder, Col. Charles Alvin Beckwith. His daughter, U.S. Air Force Technical Sergeant Mary Howe (Now Daniell), is an aerial gunner with the 4th Special Operations Squadron. He lives and works in Nacogdoches, Texas.[11]
Paul Howe signature firearms
edit- LWRC International M6A1-S 5.56 CSAT EVO 1.0 Paul Howe Limited Edition
- Wilson Combat Paul Howe G19[11]
- Wilson Combat The Paul Howe Tactical Carbine[14]
Books
edit- Howe, Paul R. (2011). Leadership and Training for the Fight [A Few Thoughts on Leadership and Training from a Former Special Operations Soldier]. New York: Skyhorse Publishing. ISBN 978-1-61608-304-5.
- Howe, Paul R. (2005). Leadership and Training for the Fight [Using Special Operations Principals to Succeed in Law Enforcement, Business and War]. New York: Skyhorse Publishing. ISBN 9781420889505.
- Howe, Paul R. (2009). The Tactical Trainer (Training for the Fight) [A Few Thoughts on Training and Training Management from a Former Special Operations Soldier]. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse. ISBN 978-1438996288.
Popular Culture
editActor William Fichtner played as SFC Jeff Anderson in the 2001 film Black Hawk Down. Jeff Anderson was based on Paul R. Howe.[15]
References
edit- ^ "Paul Howe may soon retire from CSAT". Guns Over Texas Radio. June 20, 2014. Archived from the original on January 2, 2022. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
- ^ Howe, Paul R. (2009). The tactical trainer : a few thoughts on training and training management from a former special operations soldier. Bloomington, Ind.: Skyhorse Publishing. ISBN 978-1438996288.
- ^ Banja, John D. (2019). Patient safety ethics : how vigilance, mindfulness, compliance, and humility can make healthcare safer. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 45. ISBN 9781421429083. Archived from the original on February 26, 2022. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
- ^ "Home Defense with Paul Howe – new from Panteao". Recoil. Recoil Magazine. March 12, 2014. Archived from the original on January 2, 2022. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
- ^ "The Battle of the Black Sea: MSG Paul Howe's Untold Story of Black Hawk Down". IMDb. Archived from the original on January 2, 2022. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
- ^ Hunter, Stephen (January 18, 2002). "Shock Troops". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 19, 2021. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
- ^ Bryant, Paul (July 11, 2013). "Woman continues Howes' military tradition". The Daily Sentinel. Archived from the original on January 2, 2022. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
- ^ a b Shepard, Alicia C. (March 2002). "Appointment in Somalia". American Journalism review. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
- ^ a b "About CSAT". Combat Shooting & Tactics. Archived from the original on January 2, 2022. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
- ^ Howe, Paul R. (2011). Leadership and Training for the Fight [Using Special Operations Principals to Succeed in Law Enforcement, Business and War]. New York: Skyhorse Publishing. ISBN 978-1-61608-304-5.
- ^ a b c Towsley, Bryce (February 25, 2019). "Review: Wilson Combat Paul Howe G19". Shooting Illustrated. Archived from the original on January 2, 2022. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
- ^ Guynn, Jessica (November 3, 2002). "Firearms Training Businesses See Demand Grow". Marysville Appeal Democrat. Archived from the original on January 2, 2022. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
- ^ Kirk, Bryan (January 15, 2006). "SWAT Teams Storm Abandoned School as Part of Training". Seguin Gazette Enterprise. Archived from the original on January 2, 2022. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
- ^ Wilson. "Wilson Combat The Paul Howe Tactical Carbine". Wilson Combat. Archived from the original on January 2, 2022. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
- ^ Skerpan, Gabrielle; McCormick, Colin (September 12, 2022). "Black Hawk Down Cast Guide: Every Famous Actor & Cameo". ScreenRant. Retrieved October 12, 2024.