When Dan Schilling found out the Army would pay him to jump out of airplanes, he was in. Along the way he discovered the military was a meritocracy – it was what you put into it and how well you performed. “I am an adrenaline-fueled person and I like things that are physically challenging with an element of risk and calculation required,” shared Schilling.

Schilling started out as a PFC Army paratrooper grunt and then transferred to the Air Force for the Combat Controller pipeline. Upon completion of the indoctrination course, he spent the next 18 months going to jump school, survival school, water survival school, air traffic control school, combat control school, combat diver school. 

His assignments as an enlisted combat controller included the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, in support of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), whose other primary operational units were Delta Force and SEAL Team 6. He did classified operations in Central America, scud hunting missions in the First Gulf War and many highly classified black operation missions around the world.

One of Schilling’s publicly acknowledged counter-terrorism missions was in Mogadishu, Somalia. Initially assigned to Delta Force’s, B Squadron, he was one of the mission’s original planners. They trained and rehearsed but the mission continued to be delayed. Eventually, the mission was transferred to C Squadron. When the mission was finally a go, Schilling was recalled to participate. Of the operation’s nine raids, it was the last that came to be known around the world as Black Hawk Down. “It was 18 hours of crazy gun fighting,” he said. Under heavy fire, he rescued and saved the lives of a member of SEAL Team 6 and the NCOIC of the Army Ranger convoys. 

Dan left the military and came home to Utah where he established himself as an extreme sports enthusiast. He joined the Utah Army National Guard 19th Special Forces Group where he ran their parachute shop and HALO jump program. He was given an officer’s commission through direct appointment. 

After doing security for the 2002 Winter Games, Schilling joined the Oregon Air National Guard and created a special tactic squadron, which conducted rescues during Hurricane Katrina. He later returned to the JSOC where he commanded a classified Special Mission Unit. His last few years were with an interagency organization doing weapons of mass destruction coordination with the CIA, NSA, NSSA, NGIA, FBI and state department. 

Dan retired to return home to Utah, spend time with his wife and write books.