1st SOS crew member looks out over the crash site of STRAY 59 - a MC-130E that crashed 37 years ago. (photo SSgt Matthew Fredericks, 18th Wing Public Affairs, Feb 26, 2018).

Special Operations News Update 20180302

March 2, 2018 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20180302 – New rifle for the Army, 1st SFAB, Stan McChrystal on Afghanistan and CT, Operation Gunnerside, Afghan GCPSU growing, book reviews, lasers for AC-130, Gary Rose, expeditionary advising, Gov Greitens in hot water, GB Gazette, SOF’s […]

SOF operators assigned to Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR) conduct parachute training in Europe. (SOCEUR photo 16 October 2017).

Special Operations News Update 20171211

December 11, 2017 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20171211 – Taliban Special Force Unit, mission in Niger, SF THOR3 program, Irish Army Ranger Wing, MARSOC’s ‘robot dogs’, Syria troop levels, SF general now book author, Silver Star for combat controller, Army Sniper School, STS in […]

MATA - 1st SFAB member undergoing advisor training. (photo by SPC Noelle E. Wiehe, 50th PAD, 23 Oct 2017).

Military Advisor Training Academy – MATA

December 9, 2017 John Friberg 0

MATA – The Military Advisor Training Academy is located at Fort Benning, Georgia. The purpose of the school is to prepare Soldiers for a future assignment as advisors to foreign military forces. MATA Course Scope. The academy will provide to […]

Afghan Territorial Army (ATA)

Afghan Territorial Army (ATA)

December 8, 2017 SOF News 0

The Afghan Territorial Army (ATA) is a new program that recently made the headlines in the international media in late 2017. The intent of the Afghan government, with support from NATO’s Resolute Support Mission, is to establish a local defense […]

CV-22 Ospreys of the 352nd Special Operations Wing (SOW) flying over England in August 2017. (Photo by AFSOC).

Special Operations News Update 20171204

December 4, 2017 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20171204 – USSOCOM 2018 Fact Book, Metz on the demise of COIN, book review No Front Line, award for “Spooky 43” aircrew, more to do in Iraq, armed drones over Niger, SOCSouth cdr promoted, USASOC birthday, Mattis […]

Army CoS Reading List

Army Chief of Staff’s Reading List

December 2, 2017 SOF News 0

CoS Reading List – General Mark Milley, the Army’s Chief of Staff, has a selection of favorite books and publications for professional development. The books are suitable for readers of any rank or position. The CoS reading list is divided […]

Soldiers of the 25th Infantry Division conduct Combat Rubber Raiding Craft Training in Hawaii. (Photo by SSG Armando Limon, DoD, 29 Nov 2017).

Special Operations News Update 20171201

December 1, 2017 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20171201 – Standards at SFQC slipping, Jaded Thunder exercise, former Navy SEAL running for Congress, abandoning the Kurds, STS in Faryab province, innish Winter War anniversary, U.S. advisors to accompany lower level Afghan units, UAE in Yemen, […]

African students conduct riverine boat training at NAVSCIATTS. (Photo by Michael Bottoms, USSOCOM, November 16, 2017).

Special Operations News Update 20171130

November 30, 2017 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20171130 – ASSF seize explosives, SOF in Africa, Erik Prince in the news, Larry Thorne, Afghan NMUs, Air Observer published, NAVSCIATTS, fun video on Special Forces training pipeline, Lake Chad Basin Initiative, “overextension” of U.S. SOF, former CIA […]

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

Special Operations News Update 20171128

November 28, 2017 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20171128 – SOCOM sniper rifle, WWII naval gray zone activities, Ralph Peters on Africa, SWCS student dies, armed UN Little Birds in Mali, air opns in Afghanistan, 26,000 troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, MARSOC recruiting video, AFSOC’s […]

Italian Special Operations Forces (SOF) mentor Afghan security forces while conducting an EAP mission to Farah province (RS HQs photo August 11, 2017).

Afghan War News Update 20171123

November 23, 2017 SOF News 0

Afghan War News Update 20171123 – UK’s role in the Afghan counter narcotics campaign, proposed formation of ANATF, new ANDSF (and RS) offensive against opium production in Helmand, RS Cdr’s weekly presser, gender equality in ANDSF, ICC and war crimes, ALP in […]

UAE Commando participating in US SOF and UAE exercise Eastern Eagel 2017 in UAE. (Photo by PFC James Harvey, 3rd MISB, Sep 26, 2017).

Special Operations News Update 20171122

November 22, 2017 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20171122 – Strain on SOF forces, U.S. troop increase in Somalia, SEALs remember Christian Lambertsen, earning the beret, SPMAGTF-SC finishes deployment, Lockheed Martin’s C-130J-SOF, RISF assumes control from SDF, more remains of 3rd SFGA soldier found, fighting […]

ASSF - Afghan Commando Formation

Update on Afghan SOF Units – DoD IG Report

November 21, 2017 John Friberg 0

The Department of Defense Inspector General’s report on Operation Freedom’s Sentinel is provided to Congress every quarter. The latest report published in late November covers the period of July 1st to September 30th, 2017. This 130-page report covers five key […]

Sep 2017 OFS Report

OFS Quarterly Report 30 September 2017

November 21, 2017 SOF News 0

Sep 2017 OFS Report – The Lead Inspector General for Overseas Contingency Operations has published the Operation Freedom’s Sentinel Report to the United States Congress (July – September 2017). This 130-page document describes the activities of the U.S. Government in […]

Iraqi Special Operations Forces (ISOF) personnel conduct range firing drills with 249 and 240 machine guns. (Photo by PFC Johnathon Carter, MISO-OIR, 28 Sep 2017).

Special Operations News Update 20171119

November 19, 2017 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20171119 – Passing of Hermann Adler, JSOC member to be DoD executive, JSOC Cdr visits CTC at West Point, MG Kraft (USASOC) address to MOAA, SOF units at breaking point, ‘Light Footprint’ counterterrorism strategy, UK special forces units […]

SF soldier from SOTF-A waits for nightfall prior to start of operation in Alingar district, Laghman province, Afghanistan. (U.S. Army photo, Sep 4, 2016).

Special Operations News Update 20171117

November 17, 2017 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20171117 – SOF’s MWDs, AAR of ZAPAD 2017, lecture at USSOCOM by book author, movie actor workout program, Afghanistan’s GCPSU, Soldier dies in Kuwait (Nov 14), review of Hollywood movies about Vietnam, coup in Zimbabwe (?), new […]