Season 1
Inside the Green Berets is an American documentary film which uncovers the challenges, sacrifices and deadly risks faced by a group of elite soldiers in Afghanistan as they attempt to protect local civilians from the wrath of the Taliban.
The documentary originally aired in the USA on the National Geographic Channel on 3 June, 2007. It is an hour long.
Inside the Green Berets aired in South Africa on DStv's National Geographic Channel on Saturday 5 April 2008, at 21h00.
Repeat
Sunday 6 April: 03h00
Synopsis
In a remote outpost in south-central Afghanistan known as Firebase Cobra, a group of Americans stand in the breach between the rule of law and the rule of terror.
They are Green Berets, part of an elite division of the U.S. Army Special Forces, charged with protecting local civilians from the wrath of the Taliban.
These elite soldiers navigate an unforgiving landscape, never certain from one minute to the next if they will make it back to the base alive.
For this film, the Pentagon waived their 48-hour limitation on embedded media and allowed the National Geographic Channel to chronicle the lives of these war-hardened Americans for ten days.
But their window will be tragically cut short by the costliest IED (improvised explosive device) explosion so far in the war in Afghanistan — killing two soldiers, wounding five others and injuring the NGC crew.
The program provides a rare, up-close look at the sacrifices, challenges and deadly risks that American soldiers face on the front lines every day.
The film is narrated by producer and director Steven Hoggard, who offers an intimate firsthand account of life on the base and under attack, including his own injuries from the deadly blast.
The film also documents daily life for these soldiers, including the mundane passing of time inside the base; the danger-filled missions to surrounding villages; and even a historic gathering of tribal leaders seeking assistance against the Taliban who invaded their homes.