ARSOF Soldiers fastroping from a CV-22. (Photo credit USASOC 20170511)

Special Operations News Update – 20170623

June 23, 2017 SOF News 0

SOF Update 20170623 – Updated C-130J-SOF, U.S. SOF and Nepal Rangers training exercise, the special relationship between the Kurds and U.S. Special Forces, new HQs building for USACAPOC, AFSOC flight surgeon receives award, Afghan Commando School gets visit, Navy SEALs […]

4-319th Artillery in Latvia conducting fire support training in winter of 2016 (photo Department of Defense)

Defense and National Security News

January 6, 2017 SOF News 0

National Security and Defense News – JSTARS, Syria, Iran, Iraq, fixing the Navy, fighting terrorism, counterinsurgency, state-building, foreign policy, and more. JSTARS Over the Middle East. One reporter, Eric Schmitt, recently spent some time with the Air Force visiting a […]

US artillery unit providing fire support to Iraqi government forces in the offensive to take Mosul from the Islamic State.

Mosul Offensive – Now in Phase II

January 5, 2017 SOF News 0

The Fight Continues – Phase II. After a two-week lull in the action in the waning days of December the Iraqi military and its allies (Kurdish Peshmerga, Iran proxy militias, etc.) have re-started the campaign to re-capture Mosul. Phase II […]

SOF Operators helicasting onto a rooftop (photo from USSOCOM 2016 Factbook)

Special Operations News 20161227

December 27, 2016 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20161227 – destruction of ISIS, Global SOF Symposium, Afghan interpreters in the lurch, fake SEAL goes to prison, French reporters embed with Iraqi SOF, top 5 Marine Corps around the world, and more. Global SOF Symposium. February 20-23, […]

Destroyed ISIL oil tankers. (Photo by SSgt Charles Rivezzo, U.S. AFCENT Public Affairs, Dec 8, 2016). Targets were struck based on intel from the Target Fusion Cell.

CENTCOM’s Target Fusion Cell (TFC)

December 22, 2016 John Friberg 0

The newly-established Target Fusion Cell (TFC) works within the Combined Force Air Component Command (CFACC) in the CENTCOM Area of Responsibility (AOR). The Target Fusion Cell is “. . . an integrated cell of intelligence analysts, targeting experts and intelligence, surveillance […]

John Cena stars in the war movie "The Wall". Image from movie trailer on YouTube.com

Special Operations News 20161221

December 21, 2016 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20161221 – Review and movie trailer of “The Wall”, review and trailer of “SIX” by History Channel, ISIS use of RBs providing greater safety and capability, Reaper upgrade, book review (yep, its about a SEAL), and SOCAfrica […]

SOF Operator - Image from USSOCOM 2016 Factbook

Special Operations News Update 20161218

December 18, 2016 SOF News 0

SOF News Update for 20161218 – Iraq’ Golden Division, OSS veterans honored by Congress, Navy SEALs in Serbia, Navy SEAL for Interior secretary, Fox News video on ‘shadow warriors’, Navy SEALs and what Hollywood gets wrong, SOCEUR re-enacts D-Day parachute […]

SOF News Update

December 13, 2016 SOF News 0

SOF News Update 20161213 – Lithuanian PYSOP Team, preparation tips for snipers, investigation reopened of Green Beret who killed an unarmed Taliban fighter, JTAC training, capture on Saddam Hussein Dec 13, 2003, SOF motorbike, Ukrainian SOF webpage, and more. Operation […]

Mad Max Vehicle - VBIED with armor plating used by ISIS

Mad Max Vehicle of Islamic State in Iraq

December 3, 2016 SOF News 0

The number of Mad Max vehicles employed by the Islamic State in Iraq is astounding. Every day suicide bombers are driving into Iraqi Security Force (ISF) and Peshmerga positions or convoys and exploding their Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (VBIEDs) […]