Short Break
The small staff at SOF News will be taking a break for a couple of months. A short-term contract requiring travel and other writing projects are upcoming. We will resume posting articles and publishing the newsletter in the spring.
News
SEC DEF Mattis Letter of Resignation
Secretary of Defense James Mattis submitted his letter of resignation to President Trump on Thursday, December 20, 2018. In his letter he stated . . . “Because you have the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are […]
General Milley – Next Chairman of JCS
President Trump announced on Saturday, December 8, 2018 that General Mark Milley will be the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. General Milley will replace General Joe Dunford at some point in the fall of 2019. General Milley […]
Military and National Security News – 20181208
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. […]
Letter from Afghan Pilot to Widow of Slain US Soldier
A U.S. intelligence officer on his fourth combat tour was killed in Afghanistan on Saturday, November 3rd in an insider attack – commonly known as a ‘green-on-blue’ incident. Major Brent Taylor was on his fourth combat tour – having completed […]
Report – Iraq’s Counter Terrorism Service (Post 2014)
A recently published report (October 2018) details the history, organization, and missions of Iraq’s Counter Terrorism Service (CTS). David M. Witty, a retired Special Forces officer and constant observer of Iraq’s fight with the Islamic State (ISIS), provides us with […]
Pentagon Press Conference on August 28, 2018
Defense Secretary Mattis and General Dunford held a joint press conference at the Pentagon on Tuesday, August 28, 2018. Each provided an opening statement and then the Pentagon press corps asked questions. Topics covered almost all the conflicts the U.S. […]
Birthday – Civil Affairs Branch
The U.S. Army Civil Affairs Branch is having a birthday today – Friday, August 17, 2018. It is 63 years old – having been established on August 17, 1955. The branch had its origins in World War II when the […]
Helsinki Summit – Trump and Putin
The Helsinki Summit between President Trump and President Putin took place on Monday, July 16, 2018. The meeting between the leader of the United States and the leader of Russia followed the tumultuous Brussels Summit held just a few days […]
Special Operations News Update 20180514
SOF News Update 20180514 – SOCOM and biotechnology, align CSAR under AFSOC, MoH controversy, al Qaeda – still a threat, Iran’s strategy, hope in Somalia, death of terrorist groups, Marine Raiders ‘getting some’, more troubled news about SEALs, UAE in […]
Newsletter Changes Coming . . .
The staff at SOF News will be doing some experimentation with its WordPress and MailChimp applications over the next few weeks. You will see some small changes in how the newsletter is published. We will likely move from a once a […]
Video – SOF Winter Warfare Training Above Arctic Circle in Sweden
Video – SOF Winter Warfare Training U.S. Army and Air Force Special Operations Forces conducted SOF winter warfare training above the Arctic Circle near Kiruna, Sweden for six weeks in February-March 2018. The training focused on skiing, snow mobile maneuvers, […]
Holiday Break
The Staff at SOF News will be taking a break in posting articles on its website and sending out the weekly newsletter. Holiday activities, vacations, and other work and writing projects will be putting a crunch in the schedule. SOF […]
Happy Thanksgiving!
SOF News wishes all deployed Soldiers, Airmen, Marines, Sailors, DoD Civilians, DoD Contractors, humanitarian aid workers, security professionals, expats, and that occasional OGA dude a Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy a day of rest, watch some (real) football, and eat some turkey! […]
Defense News Update – October 15, 2017
Defense News Update 20171015 – U.S. in Yemen conflict, why Soviets lost in Afghanistan, conflict over Kirkuk, Gen Nicholson interview, American – Canadian family released from captivity, Afghanistan – and the lessons of Vietnam, more advisors for Afghanistan, a Soldier’s rucksack, […]