Curated news, analysis, and commentary about special operations, national security, and conflicts around the world.
Photo / Image: U.S. Naval Special Warfare (NSW) operators transit underwater using a diver propulsion device during joint maritime training with Marine Raiders assigned to U.S. Marine Forces Special Operations Command as part of Exercise Talisman Sabre 25 in Sydney, Australia, July 11. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class David Rowe)
Do you receive our daily newsletter? If not, you can sign up here and enjoy it 2 or 3 days a week with your morning coffee (or afternoon tea depending on where in the world you are).
SOF News
Mike Vining. One retired member of Delta, Mike Vining, is well-known in the SOF community. Mostly because of his splendid reputation in the Army; but also because of the presence of a variety of memes repeatedly posted on social media. Read about it in “The career of Mike Vining, the Internet’s most badass military meme”, We Are The Mighty, August 13, 2025.
Green Berets Teach Air Force Cadets. The U.S. Air Force Academy recently concluded its inaugural Cadet Warfighter Instructor Course (CWIC), an 11-day program held from July 22 to August 1, 2025. This new addition to the Cadet Military Education and Training Plan gives cadet instructors the tools to teach lower-class cadets basic warfighting skills at the individual and small-unit levels. The 10th Special Forces Group provided instructors for the program. “The Cadet Warfighter Instructor Course enhances basic warfighting skills”, DVIDS, August 1, 2025.
PANAMAX-Alpha 2025. Amy Forsythe reports how U.S. SOF are playing a critical role in advising and assisting Panamanian security forces to enhance regional security cooperation. “U.S. Special Operations Forces Train with Panamanian Security Forces During PANAMAX-Alpha 2025”, Medium, August 2025.
Women in Delta. A less than favorable report on the work environment of women working within one of the nation’s most elite units. The story of Countney Williams, a female who worked at FBNC for Delta in a support role. “My Life Became a Living Hell: One Woman’s Career in Delta Force, the Army’s Most Elite Unit”, by Seth Harp, Politico, August 12, 2025.
Special Forces Identity Crisis? Greg E. Metzgar examines the historical roots of the Green Berets, the Afghanistan mission, mission drift, why identity matters, and restoring identity and meaning. “Who Are the Green Berets Supposed to Be?”, JSOU Press, August 6, 2025.
Best Ranger Competition. Kevin Maurer provides a description of the annual event that Ranger teams compete in that is very physical and demanding. “Is This the Hardest Physical Contest in the World?”, The Atlantic, August 13, 2025. (subscription)
SOF History
August 22, 1955, marks the anniversary of the Department of the Army approving the Special Forces (SF) Shoulder Sleeve Insignia (SSI). The SSI, or ‘unit patch,’ with the arrowhead shape and three lightning flashes, was designed by Captain John W. Frye, 77th SF Group, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. For more information on the history of SF insignia visit: http://spr.ly/6184GmmCM
On August 25, 1961, the first Finnish conscript paratrooper course graduated with a parachute jump in Utti, Finland. Since then, first the Finnish Defence Force Paratrooper School and now the Special Jaeger Battalion (Erikoisjaakaripataljoona) have celebrated this day as their anniversary / tradition day.
On 23 August 1968 a large force hit a MAC-V SOG FOB and mission launch site on Marble Mountain in Da Nang. The attacking NVA numbered at least 100 and were armed with AKs, grenades, satchel charges, and RPG-2 launchers (or B-40s). Over two dozen Americans and 40 Montagnards who manned the Recon Teams or the Hatchet Force alongside Americans.
On August 26, 2021, thirteen U.S. service members and almost 200 Afghans died in a terrorist bombing at Abbey Gate of the Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA) in Kabul, Afghanistan. The Kabul airlift (NEO) was in the final days of execution. https://afghan-report.com/news/abbey-gate-bombing/
National Security and Commentary
CIA Website Hacked. Unidentified hackers recently compromised a major intelligence website used by the Central Intelligence Agency and other agencies. “Hackers breach intelligence website used by CIA”, Washington Times, July 24, 2025.
Erik Prince Firm in Haiti – 10 Year Contract. An agreement with the Haitian government has provided Vectus Global, a Prince company, with a long-term contract to fight the country’s criminal gangs and then take a role in restoring the country’s tax-collection system. Reuters, August 14, 2025. Read an Associated Press article on the same topic. Read a more detailed account in “Blackwater’s Erik Prince Muscles Back Into the Mercenary Business”, The Wall Street Journal, August 16, 2025.
U.S. – Losing Its Voice. Russia and China are increasing their efforts of disinformation campaigns in Africa at the same time the the United States is gutting its ability to win in the global information war. Next on the chopping block is the Voice of America. It would appear we are ceding the information domain to our enemies. “As America silences its voice in Africa, China and Russia amplify theirs”, The Hill, August 15, 2025.
New AFRICOM Commander. U.S. Africa Command held a change of command ceremony Aug. 15, 2025, at Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany, as Marine Corps Gen. Michael E. Langley formally transferred command to Air Force Gen. Dagvin R.M. Anderson. A former commander of Special Operations Command Africa, Anderson is no stranger to the role of the U.S. military in Africa. “U.S. Africa Command Gets New Leader”, DoD News, August 15, 2025.
U.S. Military Forces to Caribbean. The deployment of air and naval forces to the southern Caribbean Sea is taking place to address threats from Latin American drug cartels. They will be targeting drug gangs that have been designated as global terrorist organizations. “US military deploying forces to southern Caribbean against drug groups”, Reuters, August 14, 2025.
Ukraine Conflict
Alaska Talks. Most analysts believe that not much of value – at least as it is currently understood – came out of the talks between President Putin and President Trump on Friday, August 15, 2025 in Alaska. The three hour discussion did not lead to any progress for a ceasefire. Later, after the meeting, Trump called selected European leaders and President Zelensky to update them personally. There are some reports indicating that Trump now believes that the best way to end the war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a peace agreement. Zelensky is scheduled to meet with Trump in Washington on Monday, August 18, 2025. He may have the company of other European leaders as well.
Putin probably achieved his objectives with the meeting. It proved that he is willing to talk, he was able to put off the implementation of secondary sanctions on the oil and gas sector previously threatened by Trump, and he created a situation where his demands place Zelenskyy in bad light if Ukraine says no. Most news analysis suggest that Putin wants Ukraine to cede all of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts and to freeze the front lines in Zaporizhia and Kherson oblasts. The future of Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts seem to be in question.
Russian Breakthrough. Last week a large number of small infantry teams of Russians managed to cross through Ukrainian lines and established positions deep in Ukrainian-held territory. Most of the advance seems to have halted with some Russian personnel in that breakthrough now isolated in pockets that have been encircled. According to OSINT mapping posts on Twitter the Ukrainians have halted the advance and are now recapturing lost territory. The Russians achieved an initial breakthrough but were unable to exploit it; resulting in lost troops and equipment.
Report – Russian Concept of Future Warfare. A recently published report examines Russian military strategy after three years of conflict in Ukraine. This study extends into the air, sea, and ground domains of warfare. The conflict in Ukraine has presented some surprising outcomes for Russia: they could not establish air dominance, their Black Sea fleet is ineffective, and it is unable to wage effective combined arms offensives. Despite these changes in modern warfare Russian views on armed conflict have not evolved in the past three years. This detailed report dives deep into this topic. Russian Concepts of Future Warfare Based on Lessons from the Ukraine War”, Center of Naval Analysis (CNA), July 2025, PDF, 98 pages. https://www.cna.org/reports/2025/08/Russian-Concepts-of-Future-Warfare-Based-on-Lessons-from-the-Ukraine-War.pdf
“Big Soviet Army Beats Little Soviet Army”. In the initial invasion of Ukraine a few years back the Russians were surprised with the resolute defense the Ukrainian army presented. Heroism, quickly mounted defense, and unconventional tactics delayed and stopped the Russian thrust to take Kyiv. Over the next year counterattacks by the Ukrainians retook much of the lost territory. Special operations units and the introduction of tactical drones quickly put the Russians on their heels. But over the past few years the war has become stalemated and has transitioned to an infantry war fought over meters each day. The Russian advantage in personnel and military equipment (larger population, bigger industrial base, and larger military) is taking its toll in a war of attrition. One important reason, according to many junior members of the Ukraine military, is the reliance by senior Ukrainian commanders on old style Soviet Army doctrine and tactics. A comprehensive explanation of this divide between the rank-and-file and the top brass is presented by Marcus Walker, Ian Lovett, and Ievgeniia Sivorka. “Ukraine’s Once Nimble Army Is Mired in Soviet Decision-Making”, The Wall Street Journal, August 12, 2025. (subscription)
- References:
- Interactive Map. Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine by the Insitute for the Study of War and Critical Threats. On storymaps.arcgis.com See also https://www.national-security.info/ukraine/maps.html
- U.S. Security Assistance to Ukraine, Congressional Research Service, CRSIF12040, periodically updated, PDF, 3 pages. https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF12040
- Ukraine Conflict, National Security Info. https://www.national-security.info/ukraine-conflict.html
SOF News welcomes the submission of articles for publication. If it is related to special operations, current conflicts, national security, or defense then we are interested.
Asia
A Path Forward for Myanmar. Jim Webb proposes a road forward for the Trump administration in its interaction with a country with 55 million people and vast natural resources. Webb served as a Marine in Vietnam, as Secretary of the Navy, and as a United States Senator. He has visited Myanmar several times. He believes that the U.S. should move forward in recognizing the determined opposition that is fighting the military junta. “Myanmar: Asia’s Forgotten Prize”, The National Interest, August 8, 2025.
CRS Report: Taiwan: Background and U.S. Relations. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) has updated its “In Focus” report on Taiwan. Topics include U.S.-Taiwan unofficial relationship, modern history, current politics, U.S. policy toward Taiwan, and relations across the Taiwan Strait. August 15, 2025, IF10275.
https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF10275
Europe
Riots in Serbia. While all eyes are on Ukraine, Israel, and Alaska things are heating up in eastern Europe. There have been several nights of large-scale protests in Serbian cities.
Poland – On Receiving End of Hybrid War. Poland is Europe’s frontline against Russian agression but it is battling a wave of Russia-linked sabotage that threatens its stability. Numerous arson incidents and acts of sabotage have taken place in Poland over the past year that are targeting, either directly or indirectly, critical and military infrastructure. “Russia’s Hybrid War on Poland”, by Filip Styczynski, The National Interest, August 12, 2025.
Afghanistan
Zero Units of Afghanistan. Geeta Bakshi is the founder of the nonprofit Famil and a 14-year veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to include a significant amount of time in Afghanistan. She is the guest of The Afghanistan Project Podcast and the topic of the video, hosted by Beth Bailey, is about the CIA-trained Afghan National Strike units – more commonly known as the Zero Units. These units played an important role is clearing and securing the Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA) in August 2021 during the takeover by the Taliban of Afghanistan and the Kabul non-combatant evacuation operation (NEO). Some of the members of the Zero Units made it to the United States. However, many of them still have not been processed for Special Immigrant Visas and are reaching the end of their humanitarian parole. Zero Units during the Afghanistan withdrawal and today, August 11, 2025, YouTube, 58 minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3kiOrO8dps
More News From Afghanistan. Anti-Taliban groups in Afghanistan are continuing their attacks against the Taliban in isolated incidents. The Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) is still present in Afghanistan and the Taliban conduct operations against it from time to time – usually in the northeast of the country.
Middle East
Iran and Proxy War. Much of the diplomatic, political, and military power that Iran enjoys in the Middle East is through something national security commentators refer to as ‘proxy war’. A concept of working through other nations or non-state actors to extend a nations power into a country or region of the world. Iran has used proxy power (SOF News, Jan 21, 2025) for decades – with its state and non-state allies in Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, Iraq, and Yemen. However, the past year has seen the limits of Iran’s proxies. The Israeli operations against Hamas and Hezbollah have curtailed or restrained these groups. The change of regime in Syria in December 2024 has also weakened Iran’s power projection. In addition, the results of Operation Rising Lion and Midnight Hammer (SOF News, June 22, 2025) have temporarily set back Iran’s nuclear program, caused it humiliation, and severely degraded its military. Read more in “The Collapse of Iran’s Proxy Strategy Exposes the Limits of Asymmetric Warfare”, by Rufat Ahmadzada, Small Wars Journal, August 14, 2025.
Books, Podcasts, Videos, and Movies
Publication – Security Assistance Training Management Manual. A guide for security assistance managers has been published by the Center for Army Lessons Learned (CALL). Published in August 2025, it has eight chapters and eleven appendices. It outlines the process of how security assistance teams direct the development, management, excution, and support of U.S. Army SATs provided to friendly foreign governments and U.S. allies. (PDF, 170 pages).
https://api.army.mil/e2/c/downloads/2025/08/11/099294bd/no-25-998-security-assistance-training-management-manual-aug-25.pdf
IWC Spotlight. The Irregular Warfare Center newsletter for July 2025 has been posted online. (PDF, 3 pages). https://irregularwarfarecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025-07-IWC-Spotlight.pdf
Book Review – Brutal Catalyst: What Ukraine’s Cities Tell Us About Recovery from War. Dr. Russell W. Glenn’s book, published in 2024, offers a comparative analysis of Ukraine’s wartime urban challenges alongside historical postwar reconstruction in large cities of other past conflicts. These include Sarajevo, Manila, Tokyo, Nagasaki, and Berlin. The book provides a strategic framework for Ukraine’s redevelopment. It focuses in on the Ukraine cities of Kharkiv, Kherson, and Mariupol. Kharkiv and Kherson are very much on the frontlines of the Ukraine conflict and have suffered significant damage while Mariupol is ‘temporarily occupied’ by the Russians. Susan Siegrist Thomas, the book reviewer, gives us a detailed synopsis of this book. Small Wars Journal, August 13, 2025.
Video – Why Special Operations Must Unite to Win the Next Flight. Col (Ret) Stu Braden is interviewed on SOF Week 2025 and the Global SOF Foundation. The Jedburgh Podcast, August 14, 2025, YouTube, 40 minutes. The Jedburgh Podcast is part of the Green Beret Foundation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THrcITyTY5Q
Video – Former DIA Officer Shares Insider Threat Secrets. Shawnee Delaney, a former Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) office is interviewed by Gavin Stone about her time with the DIA, training at “The Farm”, cyber security and intelligence, and more. YouTube, June 2025, 53 minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM3q2A13gaw&t=1s
CA – Call for Papers. The Civil Affairs Association has issued its 2025-26 “Call for Papers”.
https://www.civilaffairsassociation.com/post/2025-26-civil-affairs-issue-papers-call-for-papers
SOF News Book Shop
View our selection of books about special operations forces at the SOF News Book Shop.
Upcoming Events
August 19-21, 2025
Indo-Pacific Irregular Warfare Symposium
Bangkok, Thailand
Stars & Stripes Classic
GB and SEAL Lacrosse Competition
Philadelphia, PA
October 2025
Virtual MOG Mile
Three Rangers Foundation
October 7-9, 2025
Global SOF Europe
Athens, Greece
October 13-16, 2025
Special Operations Association Reunion (SOAR)
Las Vegas, Nevada
October 14-17, 2025
Special Forces Association Conference
Las Vegas, Nevada
SOF News is not a ‘money making’ enterprise; but we do have administrative, operating, and publishing expenses. Individuals and businesses provide the funds to defray these expenses. Their contributions are deeply appreciated. Learn how you can support SOF News.
