SOF News Update 20181001 – ISTC’s TCCC course, Navy SEAL Foundation’s new digs, heavy body armor, inside the NZSAS, SOF Truth #2, Hispanics in the Army, “Fight Oar Die” fundraiser, preventing extremism in Africa, French parachute in Africa, IC ITE, SEL to CJCoS suspended, and more.
SOF News
ISTC’s TCCC. The NATO International Special Training Center (ISTC) in Pfullendorf, Germany recently held a Tactical Combat Casualty Care course in July. Members from eight NATO and partner nations participated in the course. The ISTC conducts a number of courses for SOF to include the ISTC SOF Medic Course. (SOCEUR DVIDS, Sep 26, 2018).
SOF Truth #2. The special operations community uses the five SOF Truths as a guide for SOF strategic planning and vision. However, these truths are applicable to civilian life and the business world. Chris Erickson, a former Green Beret, provides his view in “Quality Is Better Than Quantity”, The Epoch Times, September 27, 2018.
Rangers Get Better and Better. Author Luke Ryan writes on how the Ranger Regiment continues to improve in its capabilities and how individual Rangers are getting better training as time goes on. Read “Army Rangers: A philosophy of ‘leading the way'”, The Freq, September 26, 2018.
“Fight Oar Die” Fundraiser. A four-man team of combat vets – on a Green Beret – will soon be rowing on a 3,000 mile journey across the Atlantic Ocean. They are raising money and awareness for veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress. Read more (and watch a video) in “Fight Oar Die”, Fox 10 News, September 27, 2018.
Navy SEAL Foundation’s New Digs. A VSO for SEALs has a new office. Read “Navy SEAL Foundation’s New Coronado Office Grand Opening”, Coronado Times, September 27, 2018.
Inside the NZ SAS. Read about the selection, training, and employment of soldiers for the New Zealand Special Air Service. Read “Inside the NZSAS: Creating the elite soldier”, New Zealand Herald, 2017.
Military and Defense News
Report on Body Armor. Modern body armor has saved countless U.S. lives on the battlefield. But this protection comes at a price. Dismounted combat troops have been carrying loads from 90 to 140 pounds in combat. The heavy loads reduce mission performance, reduce mobility, and increase fatigue. Read “The Soldier’s Heavy Load”, Center for a New American Security, September 26, 2018.
Gen Dunford Touring Europe. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is in Europe meeting with his counterparts. “Chairman’s European Trip Will Concentrate on NATO”, DoD News, September 27, 2018.
SEL to CJCoS Suspended. CSM John Troxwell has been suspended from his duties pending an investigation. (Stars and Stripes, Sep 27, 2018).
Hispanics in the Army. We are in the midst of the National Hispanic Heritage Month and the U.S. Army has an article detailing Hispanic Americans who served in its ranks. Read “Hispanics in the U.S. Army”.
Intelligence
IC ITE. The Intelligence Community CIO John Sherman is interviewed about the progress that the Intelligence Community Information Technology Enterprise has made over the past six years. The goal of the IC ITE is to aid the IC in the ability to seamlessly exchange intelligence among the 17 different intelligence agencies of the U.S. government. Read “Behind the intelligence community’s ‘second epoch'”, Federal Times, September 27, 2018.
Middle East
Russia in Syria. An indepth article exploring the Russian strategy in Syria and the Middle East. (Real Clear Defense, Sep 28, 2018).
Africa
French Parachute Opn in Mali. More than 100 French troops conducted a parachute operation in Mali on Thursday, September 27, 2018. The troops were from the French Foreign Legion (2nd REP) and are deployed to France’s Operation Barkhane in the Sahel. (The Defense Post, Sep 27, 2018).
Importance of Yemen. The U.S. is ‘quietly’ involved in the ongoing conflict in Yemen by providing intelligence, air support (refueling), and the occasional SOF advising (and maybe just a little bit more). The war is primarily about the Iran-backed Houthis fighting the Saudi Arabia and UAE proxy forces. There is also the US CT fight against ISIS and al-Qaeda taking place there as well. But Yemen is important for many more reasons. Jim Hanson, former U.S. Army Special Forces, explains why in The Real Stakes in Yemen, Security Studies Group, September 21, 2018.
https://securitystudies.org/the-real-stakes-in-yemen/
Niger and Collaborative Strategy. An improved partnership between security forces and citizens can help address national and local security challenges. Read “In Niger, Security Requires a Collaborative Strategy”, The Olive Branch, United States Institute for Peace, September 27, 2018.
China in Mali. A report by Jean-Pierre Cabestan examines China’s ongoing participation in UN peacekeeping missions in Mali and elsewhere in Africa. Read China’s Evolving Role as a U.N. Peacekeeper in Mali, September 26, 2018.
www.usip.org/publications/2018/09/chinas-evolving-role-un-peacekeeper-mali
Preventing Extremism. The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) has published a 48-page report entitled Preventing extremism in West and Central Africa: Lessons from Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria, September 2018.
https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/war-23.pdf
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Photo: 10th SFGA soldier conducts JTAC training at Nellis AFB in August 2018. Photo by Specialist Angela Walter, 10th SFGA.
