Special Tactics Airmen in pool dive training. Photo by Airman 1st Class Dennis Spain, 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs, Hurlburt Field, Florida, July 17, 2018.

Special Operations News Update 20180725

July 25, 2018 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20180725 – video on Iraqi SOF training, war in Yemen, deteriorating situation in northeast Nigeria, NSW SWCC graduation, more money for Philippines, M-16 rifle history, ISIS media operations, COIN, EIB changes, video – EOD Dive School, OSINT […]

German advisors at TAAC North review a sand table depicting an exercise plan. RS HQs photo February 16, 2018.

Afghanistan Update 20180723

July 23, 2018 SOF News 0

Mid-summer is generally the halfway point for the fighting season; or at least approaching it. The Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) are reportedly (if you can take the word of the Resolute Support PR folks) pressing the Taliban […]

Afghanistan conflict - Afghan Special Security Force

Afghanistan Conflict Update 20180719

July 19, 2018 SOF News 0

The Afghanistan conflict continues to be a stalemate. Taliban and other insurgent groups are attacking isolated outposts, threatening district centers, and conducting high-profile bombing attacks in city centers. The Afghan special operations forces are rapidly responding to the insurgent attacks […]

A Colombian competitor uses his Data of Previous Engagement (DOPE) during the zeroing of weapons for this year's Fuerzas Comando, July 15, 2018 on a shooting range in Panama City, Panama. Fuerzas Comando is an annual multinational special operational forces skills competition sponsored by U.S. Southern Command and hosted this year by the Ministry of Public Security, Panama. Through friendly competition, this exercise promotes interoperability, military-to-military relationships, increases training knowledge, and improves regional security. (U.S. Army Photo by Staff Sgt. Brian Ragin/Released)

Special Operations News Update 20180718

July 18, 2018 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20180718 – Thai SEAL honored, more CH-47s for SOAC, IS in Africa, ST and Air Force Cross, China’s SOF, Army Futures Command, CV-22 video, ISKP resilient against USSF, CJSOTF-I video on IO in Iraq, SEAL fundraiser in […]

USSOCOM Ground Vehicles

Special Operations News 20180713

July 13, 2018 SOF News 0

“Amateurs talk mission command, professionals ask about the CONOP approval process.” (All Berets Matter, Twitter, Jul 12, 2018) SOF News Update 20180713 – Estonian SOF Cdr on Russia, Islamic State and urban warfare, reduced focus on Africa, 137th SOCES, Hezbollah […]

Soldier from 10th Special Forces Group climbs a ladder during water extraction on Chatfield Reservoir near Littleton, Colorado. Photo by SSG Brandon McIntosh, 10th SFGA, Sep 3, 2012.

Special Operations News Update 20180711

July 11, 2018 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20180711 – Thai cave rescue, Wagner Group, Marine Raider recruiting video, NATO summit, video of AFSOC rifle range firing, Red Bull and flying, Russian SOF exercise off coast of Finland, Australian SAS and lessons in morality, Congressman […]

Members of a territorial defense force train at the Kabul Military Training Center (KMTC).

Afghanistan War – News Update 20180705

July 5, 2018 SOF News 0

The news coming out of Afghanistan remains bleak. The ‘feel good’ moment experienced when the Taliban and Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) didn’t fight each other for three days has passed. The government of Afghanistan had a unilateral […]

Open House at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska on June 30, 2018. Photo by Airman 1st Class Jonathan Valdes.

Special Operations News Update 20180702

July 2, 2018 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20180702 – terrorist use of social media, US Army guide to social media, briefing paper on Tripoli’s armed groups, JSOM Summer 2018 edition, book review, creators of History’s Six, NATO’s Brussels Summit (mid-July), Air Force Magazine (Aug edition), MSG Gary Gordon […]

US tactical vehicle provides security on roads near Manbij, Syria. Photo by Staff Sgt. Timothy Koster, Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve, June 20, 2018.

Special Operations News Update 20180629

June 29, 2018 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20180629 – AFSOF and directed-energy weapons, Estonia defenses, OSUT adds weeks, Autumn 2018 AAJ, French SF in Yemen, Saudi Arabia and UAE in Yemen, Syria update, drones for SOF speedboats, NATO Joint Air Power Strategy, a comprehensive […]

Marine Stand Guard at Bost Airfield Afghanistan

Afghan War Conflict – Update 20180613

June 13, 2018 SOF News 0

The Taliban spring offensive is continuing in Afghanistan. The insurgents have threatened several provincial capitals over the past few months. In addition, they have captured (and sometimes still hold) many district centers. Although the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces […]

US Artillery in Iraq fire at ISIS locations near Iraqi-Syrian border on June 5, 2018. Photo by PFC Anthony Zendejas, US Army.

Special Operations News Update 20180611

June 11, 2018 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20180611 – U.S Navy in the Baltics, TV spy series – Condor, Iraqi election, Syria, Trojan Footprint, CWIX, Aussie SOF under the microscope, The Russian Challenge, NATO and the Baltic States, wars of the Ottoman empire, Yemen, SFA convention, terrorism […]

HALO Jump SOCSOUTH. USMC photo by PFC William Chockey, Jan 31, 2018.

Special Operations News Update 20180608

June 8, 2018 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20180608 – Reduced SOF deployments in Africa, Marine Raiders, new SOCSouth cdr, new strategy for Nigeria, Air & Space Power Journal, TRIDENT JAGUAR 2018, Best Warrior Competition, Army modernization, USAF CAA career field, caffeination, SF dive school, Yemen […]

173rd Airborne Brigade paratroopers descend on Juliet DZ in Pordenone, Italy. (Photo by Davide Dalla Massara, U.S. Army, May 22, 2018).

Special Operations News Update 20180604

June 4, 2018 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20180604 – Rohingya refugees returning to Myanmar, Pacific combined maritime task force, protecting sources and methods, Special Operations Outlook 2018, SOFs MTRCs, Sweden prepares for war, advising proxy forces, NRF 2018 SOCC, IEDs on Mindanao Island, mercenaries in Rhodesia, […]

ASSF Commando Trains at Camp Commando outside of Kabul, Afghanistan.

Weekly News Update on the Afghan War – 20180528

May 28, 2018 SOF News 0

Read up on events of the past week that occurred in Afghanistan. Below are selected news articles on security, the Afghan National Defense Security Forces, NATO’s Resolute Support Mission, governance, politics, peace talks, development, and economy. Also provided are some […]

SOFIC 2018 Vendors

Special Operations News Update 20180525

May 25, 2018 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20180525 – Syria, book – A Tiger Among Us, SOFIC 2018, counterterrorism, proxy forces, SEAL MoH award, 3rd SFG Memorial Walk, Nasty Nick, Petraeus on Gina Haspel, Russia in Africa (again), CTC Sentinel (May), CIA card game, Sweden’s conflict […]