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 […]

AC-130U Gunship

Special Operations News Update 20180509

May 9, 2018 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20180509 – Somali army unprepared, SF in Yemen, West Africa tribal conflict, NATO’s ‘trip wire’ in the Baltics, intel support changing, Military Review, gunships and jamming, frogmen and maritime hybrid warfare, more on Niger SF mission (Oct […]

173rd Parachute Jump in Italy on March 12, 2018

Special Operations News Update 20180507

May 7, 2018 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20180507 – Syria, intelligence, PLDs, SEALs and drugs, Jade Helm, PR in Yemen, life transitions, Morell on intel, Wagner Group, 2nd Fleet re-established, BPC seminar in Australia, Somalia build up by US, how much is an AK-47 […]

Free Fall 82nd ERS Djibouti

Special Operations News Update 20180423

April 23, 2018 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20180423 – USSOCOM 2018 Bull Simons Award, Little Birds in Manhattan, US SF history and the future, SF officer comments on Ukraine, ASSF doubles in size, UAVs for Latvia, 1st Sgts of 27th SOW, Nigerian SF demo, […]

Soldier from the 10th Special Forces Group at Fort Carson, Colorado prepares for a night static line parachute jump from a C-130 aircraft. (Photo by SGT Connor Mendez, U.S. Army, October 24, 2017).

Special Operations News Update 20171115

November 15, 2017 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20171115 – Cdr of SOD-Central profiled, TV military dramas reviewed, death of Tom Hudner, achieve Green Beret fitness, more details on Niger attack on SF team, UK’s “Special Forces Club”, four U.S. soldiers wounded in Afghanistan, and more. […]

SOF Truths

SOF Truths

October 28, 2017 John Friberg 0

The five SOF Truths have been a basic guide for special operations forces (SOF) when conducting daily activities as well as long-range planning. Additionally they are helpful to members of the Department of Defense, other organizations and agencies of the […]

Sailors exit a Chinook during HALO parachute jump. (DoD photo July 20, 2017).

Special Operations News Update 20171006

October 6, 2017 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20171006 – Navy SEAL dies in skydiving accident, McChrystal interview, battle of Mogadishu, “R4 &S”, SOF needs cyber warriors, GB to be Pres of U Montana, Philippine ISIS fight, Navy SEAL is technical adviser on movie set, […]

SEAL Team Review

Review – SEAL Team on CBS

September 28, 2017 John Friberg 0

SEAL Team Review. Three of the television networks are presenting TV dramas about special operations this fall. CBS aired the premiere of SEAL Team on Wednesday 9/8c, September 27th. The lead character is David Boreanaz who starred in the TV drama Bones. […]

House Speaker Paul Ryan practices CQB at Fort Campbell, Kentucky while visiting the 101st Airborne Division on July 10, 2017. (US Army photo by SPC Patrick Kirby).

Special Operations News Update 20170802

August 2, 2017 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20170802 – Nigerian rescue attempt goes bad, behind the cancellation of the CIA covert program in Syria, SOF and civic action programs, B-52s and leaflet bombs, Gen Selva reconfirmed, video MoH ceremony, Afghan CRU in action, USSOCOM’s […]

Special Operations News Update – 20170619

June 19, 2017 SOF News 0

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 […]

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. […]

BUDS class in 2010 (photo DoD)

Special Operations Forces News 20161226

December 26, 2016 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20161226 – SOFCCC – the good and the bad, USSOCOM and WMD, MARSOC honored by museum, India SOF lagging behind other nations, NAVSCIATTS, Navy SEAL leaks meaning of Christmas, video of Norwegian SOF, special opns weathermen in […]

Special Operations Warrior Foundation SOWF

Special Operations Update for 20160813

August 13, 2016 SOF News 0

SOF News Update: Ventura pursuing suit to Supreme Court, who founded the Islamic State, who is the Syrian Opposition, GWOT, new cdr for SOCSOUTH, generals in politics, and Air Force pilot shortage. Operation EPIC 2016. Learn how the Special Operations […]

U.S. Military Force Structure

Military Force Structure: A Primer by CBO

August 5, 2016 SOF News 0

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) of the United States Congress has produced a 146-page publication on entitled The U.S. Military’s Force Structure: A Primer dated July 2016. The size and complexity of the U.S military can make it difficult to determine how […]