Curated news, analysis, and commentary about special operations, national security, and conflicts around the world.
Photo / Image: SEALs. DoD photo.
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SOF News
UW, 9/11, and the Future. When terrorists struck the United States on September 11, 2001, a small part of the U.S. military was ready. U.S. Special Forces – having been trained up on unconventional warfare and other key skills – were quickly deployed on the global war on terror. “Unconventional Warfare, 9/11 and the Future of U.S. Military Power”, 1945, September 10, 2025.
New JSOC Commander. Army Lt. Gen. Jonathan P. Braga has been selected for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as commander, Joint Special Operations Command, U.S. Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Braga is currently serving as commanding general, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
New SEL for USSOCOM. A change of responsibility ceremony took place at U.S. Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida for the Senior Enlisted Advisor for USSOCOM. U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Andrew Krogman is taking over for Command Sgt. Maj. Shane Shorter who has been in the position for over three years. The commander of USSOCOM, Gen. Bryan Fenton, and CSM Shorter set the example for what a leadership team looks like. “USSOCOM hosts a Change of Responsibility”, DVIDS, September 5, 2025.
Sage Eagle 2025. Elements of the 3rd Special Forces Group took part in the Sage Eagle Exercise 25-04 on Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia in August 2025. The Sage Eagle exercise tests the agility, precision, and combat readiness of SF units. The exercise is a recurring, battalion-sized, unconventional warfare exercise that serves as a prerequisite for forward-deploying special forces members. Much of the training centers on incorporating partner forces in an evolving contested environment.
IW Online Course. The Irregular Warfare Center has announced that it is launching a new online course – Irregular Warfare (IW) 201. This is a follow-on to its introductory IW 101 online course which was rolled out in February 2024 and has had over 2,000 enrollments. The IW 201 course will provide an in-depth look at IW concepts and applications, fulfilling the IWC’s core mission as mandated by Congress to advance understanding of IW within the Department of Defense (DoD). This mission includes developing curricula and providing training for U.S. and international military and civilian personnel. “DoD Irregular Warfare Center Launches Advanced Online Course”, Irregular Warfare Center, August 27, 2025.
UW: A Thinking Man’s War. Retired COL David Maxwell (SF) provides a framework for unconventional warfare and explains why UW must be embraced by national security practitioners. “Unconventional Warfare: Solving Complex Political-Military Problems and Creating Dilemmas for Adversaries”, Small Wars Journal, August 26, 2025.
2019 Navy SEAL Mission in North Korea. The New York Times recently broke the news that the U.S. Navy SEAL Team Six attempted a secret mission along the coast of North Korea in 2019. Navy SEALs were tasked to plant an electronic device to intercept communications of Kim Jon Un – the North Korean leader. The mission was unsuccessful and left some unarmed North Korean fishermen dead. The SEALs were to infiltrate via two mini-subs followed by a swim to the target to install the electronic device. (CNN Politics, 5 Sep 2025)
AFSOC in the Caribbean. Air Force SOF have been training up for contingencies in South America. A small part of a large exercise held in Arizona and California took place in the Caribbean. This took place at the same time that naval and air assets have been moving in the area. The media is full of references to Venezuela and perhaps this is part of the administrations messaging. “Air Force special ops troops practice airfield seizures amid Caribbean build up”, Task & Purpose, September 9, 2025.
Fort Gordon Dedication. On September 26, 2025, MSG Gary Gordon will be remembered in a ceremony dedicating Fort Gordon in his honor. MSG Gordon is a Special Forces veteran who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on October 3, 1993 during the Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia.
Asian Influence on SF. Col (Ret) Dave Maxwell argues that Eastern philosophical traditions offer profound lessons that shape the intellectual and ethical framework of the modern SF soldier. “Eastern Philosophy and Influence on the Special Forces Soldier”, Small Wars Journal, September 12, 2025.
International SOF
UKs SOF. The United Kingdom is setting up its service-level forces to take a more direct role in the kinds of special operations that UKSF has historically held tight. “How the UK is changing its special forces for a modern world”, Breaking Defense, September 10, 2025.
Danish SOF. U.S. Air Force 352d Special Operations Wing Air Commandos and Danish Special Forces members trained together during Exercise SOUTHERN GRIFFIN 25, in Finland in August 2025. Exercise SOUTHERN GRIFFIN is part of a long-term multinational training effort to build warfighting capacity, expand military capability, maintain readiness, and deepen operational integration with NATO allied and partnered nations.
Bright Star 25. Members of the U.S. Army 5th Special Forces Group and U.S. Navy SEAL Team 7 took part in training in Egypt in September 2025. They were in the company of counterparts from Cyprus, Greece, India, Italy, Jordan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, South Africa, United Kingdom, and Yemen. One of the events was a freefall jump by the many SOF partners. (DVIDS, 7 Sep 2025)
Panama SOF. U.S. Army Special Operations Command South and Panamanian special operations forces conducted joint training at Aeronaval Base Cristóbal Colón, Panama, during PANAMAX-Alpha Phase II, in September 2025. The exercise supported U.S. Southern Command’s goal to expand its ongoing coordination, collaboration, and security efforts where U.S. military personnel and Panamanian public forces can bolster collective capabilities and skills, as well as facilitate a joint learning environment.
SOF History
MACV-SOG Legend George Bacon. John Stryker Meyer has penned an account of Green Beret medic and later CIA operative George Washington Bacon III. He had established himself as an accomplished Green Beret during his service with Special Forces in Vietnam. Bacon would later die in Angola in 1976 while engaged in combat operations against Cuban troops. Read more: “In Vietnam with MACV-SOG Legend George Washington Bacon III: A Story From Teammate ‘Tilt’“, Soldier of Fortune Magazine, August 27, 2025.
On September 20, 1945, Executive Order 9621 abolished the OSS. On September 18, 1947, the Central Intelligence Agency was formed. The CIA was formed just two years after President Truman signed Executive Order 9621 disbanding the Office of Strategic Services (OSS).
On September 16, 1953, the 77th Special Forces Group was activated at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The group was formed with personnel not forward based with the 10th Special Forces Group sent to Bad Tolz, Germany. Later, the 77th SFG(A) was consolidated on May 20, 1960, with the 7th Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
On September 21, 1961, the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) was officially activated at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. https://www.specialforceshistory.info/groups/5sfga.html
On September 14, 1962, HQ Detachment (Provisional) 5th Special Forces Group (Abn) arrived in Vietnam. In October 1964 the 5th Group assumed control of all Special Forces operations in Vietnam.
On September 17, 1969. On September 17, 1969, Melvin Morris, a Green Beret that was part of the IV Mobile Strike Force, was in a fierce firefight. His heroic actions that day in Vietnam would be recognized years later when he received the Medal of Honor. https://sof.news/vietnam/melvin-morris-sf-moh/
National Security and Commentary
Army’s ISV. The Congressional Research Service has published an update (25 Aug 2025) to its “In Focus” publication entitled “The Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV)”. The ISV is a lightweight, unarmored ground transport vehicle intended to enhance the mobility of Army Infantry Brigade Combat Teams (IBCTs), Security Force Assistance Brigades (SFABs), and Army Special Operations Forces (ARSOF). It is designed to move nine soldiers and their equipment rapidly across terrain where other vehicles may be less practical or effective. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF13092
Iran and IW. Jeremiah “Lumpy” Lumbaca, a retired Green Beret, has an essay on the U.S. and Iran competition in the Middle East and how each nation uses irregular warfare to compete with each other. “The History of U.S.-Iranian Irregular Warfare”, Small Wars Journal, September 10, 2025.
AF “Shoots Itself in the Foot” – Cuts Advisory Units. The Air Force is conducting significant cuts to several units that provides advisory and training services to foreign air force units. The rationale by the DOD is that this will divert money from non-lethal programs to advanced weapons systems. “Air Force Looks to Cut Squadrons That Advise, Train Foreign Militaries”, Air & Space Forces Magazine, September 2, 2025.
DOD Renamed to War Department. The name change isn’t really official . . . an official name change requires congressional approval.
Department of War? A congressman, Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla) has filed an amendment to the annual defense policy bill that would change the name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War. Steube served with the U.S. Army, first as an Airborne infantry officer and then later in the Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps. He served in Iraq with the 25th Infantry Division during Operation Iraqi Freedom (2006 – 2007). The Department of War was renamed the Department of Defense as part of the National Security Act of 1947. This act consolidated the War Department (Army) and the Navy Department into a single entity to improve coordination and efficiency. It also reflected a unified, comprehensive approach to national security – to include peacetime preparedness and deterrence during the onset of the “Cold War”. “Trump Wants a Department of War. A House GOP Amendment Would Give Him One”, Military.com, August 27, 2025.
Sabotage Ops in a New Era. Ant Burke, a Visiting Scholar at Arizona State University, details the escalating threats from hostile state actors (Russia, Iran, etc.) conducting sabotage operations on British soil. “Hybrid Autonomy Sabotage: Innovation Anchored in Tradition”, Small Wars Journal, August 25, 2025.
Intelligence, Cyber, and Info Opns
OSINT and AI. Artificial intelligence is everywhere and it has an impact of modern intelligence operations. AI can be an aid for open-source intelligence professionals; but it can also be a danger. The spread of AI-generated content (images, videos, and text) clouds and enlarges the public information space which complicates the efforts of OSINT professionals in providing trust intelligence reports. “You Can’t Spell PAI Without AI: The Issues of Cognitive Load and Tradecraft with OSINT”, Small Wars Journal, September 3, 2025.
Top CIA Russia Expert Fired. The purge throughout the intelligence agencies is continuing. A CIA officer due to take up a prestigious assignment in Europe has had her security clearance revoked and has been fired. Her 29-year career in public service was over after being ordered to report to the security office where she found out her service to the nation had come to an abrupt ending. “Trump, Gabbard fired top CIA Russia expert days after Alaska summit”, The Washington Post, August 27, 2025. (subscription)
The DoD announced that Navy Rear Admiral Heidi K. Berg has been selected for appointment to the grade of vice admiral, with assignment as commander, Fleet Cyber Command/commander, Tenth Fleet/commander, Navy Space Command, Fort Meade, Maryland. Berg is currently serving as deputy commander, Fleet Cyber Command/deputy commander, Tenth Fleet/deputy commander, Navy Space Command, Fort Meade, Maryland.
Slashing CI and CT Capabilities. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) is continuing its efforts to reduce the size of the U.S. intelligence community. The latest steps are possible reductions to the National Counterintelligence and Security Center and the National Counterterrorism Center. “ODNI expected to shrink counterintelligence, counterterror centers”, Defense One, September 11, 2025.
The DoD announced that Army Lt. Gen. Michele H. Bredenkamp has been selected for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as director, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Bredenkamp is currently serving as director’s advisor for Military Affairs, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Washington, D.C.
Strategic Competition
Russia and the Black Sea. National security observers worry that Russia will establish a commanding presence in the maritime region where several nations have a coastline. Daniel S. Hamilton and Angela Stent dive into the Russian quest for regional dominance. The strife has disrupted flows of energy, food, and other commodities. “Russia’s Imperial Black Sea Strategy”, Foreign Affairs, August 19, 2025. (subscription)
Zapad 2025. Russian and Belarusian troops recently conducted Zapad 2025, a strategic military exercise in mid-September. It is a series of events held in Russia and Belarus. This annual exercise has declined in scope due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
China and Latin America. Beijing is finding success in Latin America by offering security cooperation very different from that of the U.S. It’s Global Security Initiative (GSI) is China’s framework for packaging its global security engagement. “China’s Quiet Security Push in Latin America”, Americas Quarterly, September 11, 2025.
China’s PLA. The Congressional Research Service has updated its information publication on the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Topics include the PLA organization, China’s military strategy and goals, modernization, key capabilities, and more. (PDF, 2 pages, updated 4 Sep 2025). https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IN12602
Armor Lessons from Ukraine. The use of large formations of combined arms in land warfare in today’s era is now being questioned. The Ukrainian Armed Forces twelve-brigade counteroffensive in the summer of 2023 was a failure despite extensive equipping and training by the West. The war has devolved into a grinding campaign of attrition. The has sparked much discussion about combined arms tactics and doctrine. “Armor’s Promise and Its Limitations”, by Joshua Ratta, Modern War Institute at West Point, September 10, 2025.
Reports and Journals
CRS Report – Illicit Fentanyl and Mexico’s Role. The Congressional Research Service has published IF10400, a synopsis of how the synthetic opiod fentanyl has been a key driver of the opioid crisis in the United States and how Mexico has probably replaced the People’s Republic of China as the main source of U.S.-bound illicit fentanyl. (CRS, August 26, 2025).
CRS Report on Syria. The Congressional Research Service has published a report entitled Syria: Transition and U.S. Policy. This 47 page PDF, updated September 5, 2025, covers a variety of topics. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/RL33487
Infantry. The Fall 2025 issue is now online.
https://www.benning.army.mil/Infantry/Magazine/issues/2025/Fall/
Spotlight. The Irregular Warfare Center has posted its August 2025 issue online. (PDF, 2 pgs)
https://irregularwarfarecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025-08-IWC-Spotlight.pdf
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