HALO Jump by 1st SFGA from CH-47 on Dec 6, 2018. Photo by SGT Joseph Parrish, U.S. Army.

Special Operations News Update 20181214

December 14, 2018 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20181214 – CT in Maghreb, India’s SOF, Middle East purgatory, China and Russia in Africa, LAAs for AFSOC (?), USSOCOM and ethics, Somalia piracy, CT in the Maghreb, CRS report on Syria, regional ME arms race, Mali […]

Soldiers at Sunset

Special Operations News Update 20181212

December 12, 2018 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20121212 – the cost of the Yemen war, future of SOF, Assad – gaining friends, IS in Iraq, Myanmar and the ARSA, UW in Syria, 1st SFGA and Menton Week, ‘good ALP’, NAVSCIATTS and LCBI, NSHQ changeover […]

Small Boat Team 22 performs a simulated hot extraction utilizing Special Operations Craft Riverine. Photo by Angela Fry, NSCITTS, Sep 7, 2018.

Special Operations News Update 20181210

December 10, 2018 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20181210 – Afghan SOF are busy, SEAL / Raider hearing in GB death postponed, learning from our enemies, 919th SOMSG CoC, Hollywood and military movies, UDT-SEAL museum, SOF ethics review, SOCEUR’s ‘Jackal Stone’ exercise, AFSOC’s bobsledders, G5 […]

Winter Parachute Jump March 2018. Photo by SOCEUR.

Military and National Security News – 20181208

December 8, 2018 SOF News 0

Middle East ISIS in Iraq. Attacks by the Islamic State have increased significantly in Kirkuk and Salah ad-Dine provinces. Apparently there are some ‘security gaps’ between Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and Peshmerga units in some areas of these two provinces. […]

Parachutist. USASOC photo.

Special Operations News Update 20181207

December 7, 2018 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20181207 – SASC hearing for SOCOM nominee, job hunting for SF NCOs, ISIS in Iraq, ISIS in Syria, Yemen update, dirty bombs in SE Asia, radicalization in Central Asia, ‘remote warfare’, discontent grows in Chap, perils of […]

10th SFGA Winter Warfare Shooting, Cold Weather training at Taylor Park, Colorado. Photo by SGT Timothy Clegg, March 4, 2016.

Special Operations News Update 20181205

December 5, 2018 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20181205 – Maritime aspects of the Yemen conflict, IS in Iraq, contractor fraud at BAF, podcast on TJ18, US cyber strategy, a CIA historian, true origins of ISIS, botched IDF mission in Gaza, Iraq’s Islam, report on […]

SOF Operators conduct CQB. Photo by Sgt. Matthew Britton, USSOCOM, September 22, 2018.

Special Operations News Update 20181203

December 3, 2018 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20181203 – Airpower stats for AFCENT, SECDEF gaggle, Australian cyber warfare, video on history of the Pentagon, A-29s for Nigeria, review of Jack Ryan, giving back to the Ranger community, Iran rockets Taliban, lone wolf terrorism, Chinooks for […]

1st SFGA Helicast

Special Operations News Update 20181130

November 30, 2018 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20181130 – 5 non-kinetic CT efforts, update on death of Ranger in Afghanistan, podcast – hunting OBL, analysis of national strategy for CT, Peace Stability Journal, books on COIN, Russia-Ukraine conflict, investigation of SOF team in Afghanistan, […]

AC-130s on airstrip Hurlburt Field

Special Operations News Update 20181127

November 27, 2018 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20181127 – Report on Salafi-Jihadist groups, trouble in Chechnya, Boko Haram, countering hybrid threats, Russia and the Baltic States, SWCS campus to grow, China’s spies, events, a pivot in Syria, terrorist activity map, lessons of Yemen conflict, paper […]

Rangers fly on Little Bird helicopter. USASOC photo (2018).

Special Operations News Update 20181121

November 21, 2018 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20181121 – Cost of the GWOT, peace deal in Afghanistan, U.S. Navy declines in Pacific, podcast – “Making of a Night Stalker”, Trump’s criticism of McRaven, OSS and the origins of SF, SA – pros and cons, Russian […]

Soldiers firing weapons. Photo by U.S. Army, 2018.

Special Operations News Update 20181119

November 19, 2018 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20181119 – Female soldier passes SFAS, troubles for Gaza continue, Emma Sky interviewed on ME, an Arab NATO, conflict between Taliban and Hazara, Navy SEAL museum on LI, losing Afghanistan, governance in Syria, next gen body armor, […]

USAF pararescue jumpers train Ukrainian counterparts in western Ukraine as part of Clear Sky 2018. Photo by MSgt Joseph Prouse, USAF, Nov 2018.

Special Operations News Update 20181116

November 16, 2018 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20181116 – Exercise Clear Sky 2018 in Ukraine, making good coffee in bad places, Netflix’s Medal of Honor series, ELN in Venezuela, Kilcullen on war in the city (podcast), Zimmerman on Salafi-Jihadism, defense of Sweden, reduction of SOF […]

A combat medic assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C., readies his equipment before embarking on his final evaluation lane while competing for the Expert Field Medical Badge Nov. 6, 2018, at Fort Bragg, N.C. The first week of testing introduces the candidates to all the tasks that they’ll be expected to complete to earn the coveted badge. The EFMB was established to showcase and recognize medical Soldiers for their exceptional skill level and competence in the medical field. The testing consists of a written exam, land navigation, three separate combat testing lanes and concludes with a 12-mile ruck march. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Dustin Biven / 22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

Special Operations News Update 20181114

November 14, 2018 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20181114 – Israel under attack, Norwegian warship sinks, Afghan presidential election, video of Special Operations Policy Forum 2018, elections in eastern Ukraine, movie “Chrome and Hot Leather”, video of OIR briefing by British general, Israeli SOF intel gathering, […]

Marine helicopter in Trident Juncture 2018 - November, 2018 Defense Media

Special Operations News Update 20181113

November 13, 2018 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20181113 – Afghan Commandos take casualties, Afghan peace talks, 7th SFGA and Warfighter 19-02, drone warfare, “Yukon Journey”, Australia’s Victoria Cross and the SAS, forgetting COIN . . . again, SDF resumes operations against IS, and more. […]

Task Force Wagram conducts a fire mission from Firebase Saham, Iraq in support of Operation Roundup. Photo by Specialist Gyasi Thomasson, CJTF-OIR, October 21, 2018.

Special Operations News Update 20181109

November 9, 2018 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20181109 – book reviews, CIA’s Vietnam-era quiet helicopter, Saudi policy to Iraq, SUAS suppression, stationing more US tanks in Europe, Afghan update, reprimands for Niger mission gone bad, IS in Jordan, the future of ISIS, the warrior […]