Tip of the Spear October 2017

USSOCOM’s “Tip of the Spear”, Oct 2017

December 6, 2017 John Friberg 0

Tip of the Spear October 2017 – The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) based at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida has published its October 2017 issue of Tip of the Spear. This 40-page pub has articles and pictures about United […]

Shoulder patch of the Afghan National Army Mountain Warfare Training Center in Herat, Afghanistan.

Afghanistan War News Update 20171205

December 5, 2017 SOF News 0

Afghan War News Update 20171205 – video ANA mtn warfare training, Operation Maiwand, humanitarian needs report, Heart of Asia Conference, NII equipment at border crossings unused, stalemate in Afghanistan, ‘turning the corner’, NATO stuck in Afghanistan, Commando Force 333, ASSF […]

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 […]

Map of Somalia (CIA map)

Somalia – A Short History of a Failed State

December 3, 2017 SOF News 0

Somalia – A short history. The country of Somalia located in the ‘Horn of Africa’ has been a troubled nation for decades. It has been caught up in the events of the Cold War, suffered through famines, experienced anarchy, dealt […]

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, […]

Video Air Force Dive School in Florida trains up Airmen and other military personnel to become combat divers. (Photo Airman 1st Class Tybee Hurst, 30 Nov 2017).

Video – Air Force Dive School

December 1, 2017 SOF News 0

The United States Air Force runs a combat diving course for Airmen and members of other services. It operates similar (but different) to the U.S. Army’s Combat Diver School at Key West, Florida and the Navy SEALs/UDT dive course in […]

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 […]

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

November 23, 2017 SOF News 0

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! […]

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 […]