Special Operations News Update – 20170619

Croatian and U.S. special operations forces train together at a training site in Europe. (Photo SOCEUR May 2017).

SOF News Update 20170619 – Organization, mission, and training of the 75th Ranger Regiment; new approaches needed for an over-extended SOF force; a profile of the 5th Special Forces Group; USSOCOM shopping list; info on Bill McRaven at University of Texas, suicides in Navy SEAL community; and more.

Ranger Regiment Organization. Scott Gourley, a former U.S. Army officer and current writer, provides a detailed description of the training, mission, and organization of the U.S. Army’s Ranger Regiment in 75th Ranger Regiment Organization, Defense Media Network, June 14, 2017.

New Approach Needed for SOF. Phillip Lohaus, a former Department of Defense analyst and currently a research fellow with the American Enterprise Institute, provides his perspective on the overuse of America’s special operations forces. He believes that the Obama administration used SOF for missions that could very well have been done by conventional forces. He states that the over-extended SOF forces need to focus on priority missions that cannot be done by conventional forces. Read more in “The Uncertain Future of Special Ops”U.S. News & World Report, June 15, 2017.

‘Decompression’ Time Needed for SEALs. A retired Navy SEAL officer is speaking out about recent suicides in the Navy SEAL community and the need to provide some decompression time to those who are transitioning from military to civilian life. Read “More ‘decompression’ needed: Recent suicides in Navy SEAL community”The San Diego Union-Tribune, June 16, 2017.

A Pictorial Essay On Green Berets. Paul Szoldra, editor of Business Insider’s Military and Defense section, has wrote a piece (with some great photos) about the U.S. Army Special Forces in “Why Green Berets are the smartest, most lethal fighters in the world”Business Insider, June 14, 2017.

Baltic SOF Conduct Training. SOF units from Estonia (K-komando), Latvia (Omega), and Lithuania (Aras) participated in a joint exercise in northern and central Estonia. (Baltic Times, June 18, 2017).

U.S. & South Korean SOF in a Korean Conflict. Col (Ret) David Maxwell, a former Green Beret, has penned an article about the possible role of U.S. and South Korean special operations forces should a conflict on the Korean peninsular occur. Read “How U.S., South Korean Special Ops Would Join Forces in a New Korean War”The Cipher Brief, June 18, 2017.

Book Review – Special Forces Berlin. James Stejskal, a veteran of ‘Det A’ writes up a history of the Berlin contingent charged with a ‘cold war mission’ behind the “Iron Curtain”. Read a book review of his work in “Book Review: Soldiers’ secrecy part of mission”Decatur Daily, June 18, 2017.

SOF in the Philippines. A small number of U.S. special operations forces are currently in the Philippines in an “advise and assist” role to help the Philippines retake Marawi – and inland city of more than 200,000 people. “Islamic State threat in Southeast Asia raises alarm in Washington”Military Times, June 18, 2017.

McRaven’s Job at University of Texas System. Former Navy SEAL Admiral (Ret) Bill McRaven is completing his first three years at the University of Texas System. Will his time there be extended? Good Question. (Business Insider, June 18, 2017).

SOF Christmas Shopping List. Stu Bradin, President and CEO of Global SOF Foundation (and former SF guy), has penned an article about the budget requests sent to Congress by the services (and USSOCOM). With the 2019 US National Defense Budget taking shape he says it is important that SOF asks for everything it needs from Congress. Read more in The Special Operations Forces Christmas List, LinkedIn, June 15, 2017.

Profile of the 5th Special Forces Group. Read about the lineage, activation, history, past combat action, and current engagement of the 5th Special Forces Group of Fort Campbell, Kentucky in Profile: 5th Special Forces Group, Military.com.

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