Plane taking off from Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA) in late 2016 (Photo from RS HQs video)

Afghanistan War Update 20170105

January 5, 2017 SOF News 0

Afghan Conflict Update 20170105 – Obama’s ‘Good War’, Afghan women fighting the Taliban, Afghan economy, videos, Badakhshan’s Taliban, Asia Foundation survey, 203rd Corps Cd injured, Russia and the Taliban, unconventional logistics, civilian meteorologists, ‘four-year plan’, and more. Obama’s ‘Good War’. President […]

Special Warfare Magazine July December 2016

Special Warfare Magazine July – December 2016

January 4, 2017 SOF News 0

Special Warfare Magazine July December 2016  Volume 29, Issue 2 has been published and is posted online. Some of the articles are listed below: “A History of Assessment and Selection” “Small Unit Tactics: A Foundational Skill Set” “SERE: Doing More […]

Nangarhar Province Afghanistan

Update: Islamic State in Afghanistan

January 4, 2017 SOF News 0

The growth of the Islamic State in Afghanistan had a surprising beginning and then the size of the group quickly diminished. ISIS had a lot of opponents – including the United States (SOF, air attacks, and drones), the Afghan security […]

Map of Russia (CIA)

Russia – NATO and the Defense of Europe

January 3, 2017 SOF News 0

NATO Defending Eastern Europe. Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, and Ukraine have been receiving lots of love lately from the North Atlantic Treat Organization. Exercises are being conducted, temporary deployment of battalions and battlegroups to Eastern Europe have taken place, and […]

1-10th SFGA Special Forces Soldier fastroping from a Black Hawk helicopter in Europe (photo SOCEUR 2016).

Special Operations News Update 20170103

January 3, 2017 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20170103 – Data breach of SOCOM subcontractor, AFSOC video of 353rd SOG, NYC billionaire receives recognition from GBF, book review of Rogues Heroes, New Zealand SAS selection for civilians, Russian KSO, weapons wanted by US SOF, and […]

Map of Combatant Command. Source DoD 2016

What is a Combatant Command?

January 3, 2017 SOF News 0

The Department of Defense has divided the world up into regional areas of responsibility – each region designated as a combatant command. These regions are provided command and control organizations and led by four-star general (or admirals) officers. The Combatant Commands […]

2016 - The Year in Review

SOF in 2016 – The Year That Was . . .

December 31, 2016 SOF News 0

2016 – “The Year That Was”. A collection of articles that look back at 2016 in terms of national security, defense, Middle East, Afghanistan, India, Africa, books, war, conflict, and . . . of course . . . special operations. […]

Special Tactics - Air Commandos

Special Operations News Update 20161230

December 30, 2016 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20161230 – SF LTC assists SF charity organization, songs of the GWOT-era, maintenance workers keep the CV-22 Osprey flying, how to survive in a winter environment (a Ranger’s advice), Afghan SOF police units have good success against insurgents, […]

Marine patrolling in Lithuania during Exercise Iron Sword 2016 (photo by SGT Kirstin Merrimarahaha, December 1, 2016)

Exercise Iron Sword 2016

December 30, 2016 SOF News 0

U.S. SOF recently participated in Exercise Iron Sword 2016 in Eastern Europe. The event was a two-week multinational field training exercise held in Lithuania. Conventional, airborne, and SOF units from the United States, Canada, Estonia, Germany, UK, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, […]