Curated news, analysis, and commentary about special operations, national security, and conflicts around the world.
Photo / Image: U.S. Army Green Beret assigned to 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) calibrates a Kestrel Ballistics Weapons System Calculator during advance sniper skills training in Sanford, N.C., Oct. 6, 2025. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Edward Randolph)
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SOF News
More on the SF Identity Crisis. Mark Grdovic, a retired Special Forces officer, weighs in on the topic of the Special Forces identity crisis and reviews the many doctrinal publications that have been published by the Department of Defense about Special Forces, special operations, unconventional warfare, and other related topics over the past several decades. This is an interesting and thought provoking read. “Special Forces Identity Crisis; Deja vu all Over Again”, Small Wars Journal, November 24, 2025.
Ranger Course – 75 Years. The Ranger Course was established in 1950 during the Korean War. It coincided with the formation and training of 17 Airborne Ranger companies. Originally a 59-day program, it has changed based on the training needs of the Army throughout the past 3/4’s of a century. Read more in “Ranger Course marks 75 years of leadership development”, U.S. Army, December 1, 2025.
Cyber and SOF. Ben Soltisz examines the role that cyber operations will play in the future of special operations. As the Ukraine conflict has shown, cyber is an important emerging part of warfare. “Chance and Necessity: Evolving the Supporting Role of SOF to Cyber Operations”, Irregular Warfare Initiative, November 21, 2025.
SOF in LSCO. Two U.S. Army officers discuss how special operations forces (SOF) and conventional forces (CF) must work together to synchronize efforts during large-scale combat operations (LSCO). It is paramount that SOF and CF understand Army doctrine and each other’s capabilities and limitations. This is an interesting and educational article on how SOF can support the conventional force. “Special Operations Forces in Large-Scale Combat Operations”, Military Review, November 2025.
Help Special Operations Forces (SOF) personnel with spine injuries receive the healthcare options, education, and care they need.
PSYOP Recruiting Ad. The 4th Psychological Operations Group based out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, has put out another recruiting video. “The Army’s latest PSYOP recruiting ad reminds you: ‘We Are Everywhere'”, by Nicholas Slayton, Task & Purpose, November 30, 2025.
SOCOM’s MK1 Combat Assault Rifle. A new carbine has the latest technology, designs, and materials will be delivered to selected SOCOM units in early 2026. “The new special operations rifle takes the classic M4 to the next level”, We Are the Mighty, November 28, 2025.
MACV-SOG in Vietnam. The Military Assistance Command Vietnam-Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG) was a joint special operations unit tasked and equipped to conduct covert cross-border operations in Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and North Vietnam. “This elite US Special Operations Unit Required an Oath of Secrecy to Join”, by Stavros Atlamazoglou, Sandboxx, November 30, 2025.
U.S. SOF and the Finnish Utti Jaeger Regiment Train Together. Finnish Special Operations forces from the Utti Jaeger Regiment and U.S. SOF from the 352d Special Operations Wing and 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) participated in Exercise Florin Fossil, Sep. 21-26, 2025, at Utti Jaeger Regiment base, Finland. The exercise included airdrop operations for both personnel and equipment, utilizing the 352d SOW’s MC-130J Commando II. (DVIDS, 23 Sep 2025)
SOF History
On December 6, 1941, Camp X (STS 103) opened in Canada.
On December 7, 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.
On December 5, 1944, the combined U.S.-Canadian First Special Service Force (FSSF) paraded one final time at their Villeneuve-Loubert camp, near the town of Menton, in southeastern France on December 5, 1944. The 1st Special Forces Regiment and all U.S. Army SF groups trace their “official” lineage to the FSSF. Commemoration of Menton Day is an occasion when U.S. SF honors its lineal connection to the FSSF.
On December 5, 1963, the 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) was activated.
https://www.specialforceshistory.info/groups/3sfga.html
On December 1, 1989, the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) was activated as a major Army command.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Special_Operations_Command
National Security and Commentary
2nd SFAB Inactivated. The 2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade was inactivated on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, at Fort Bragg, NC. The brigade was activated in 2018 to train, advise, and assist partner militaries worldwide. The 2nd SFAB’s first deployment was to Afghanistan in 2019. Its advisor teams were most recently serving under U.S. Africa Command and were deployed to 15 African nations. “2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade Inactivates at Fort Bragg”, DVIDS, November 26, 2025.
CJTF-OIR and Syrian MoI Destroy ISIS Sites. U.S. military personnel from Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolved (CJTF-OIR) worked with Syrian forces in identifying and eliminating ISIS weapons storage facilities across the Rif Damashq province during multiple airstrikes and ground detonations. The combined operation destroyed over 130 mortars and rockets, multiple assault rifles, machine guns, anti-tank mines, and materials for building improvised explosive devices. Forces also discovered and destroyed illicit drugs. (DVIDS, 30 Nov 2025)
Venezuela Military Buildup Continues. There are a wide variety of U.S. military aircraft and naval vessels in the Caribbean at the moment. View a chart of the many different types of aircraft currently deployed in the region. View a chart of the U.S. naval elements in the Caribbean. In addition there is a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU-SOC), special operations forces, and more. A national security team meeting took place on Monday with Venezuela on the agenda.
Killing Boat Survivors – is it Legal?. It would seem that the DoD is facing some blowback on one of its counter narcotics operations in the Caribbean conducted on September 2nd. Reports that military forces conducted a second attack on the two survivors of an attack on a vessel carrying drugs is raising concerns in Congress and elsewhere. The first strike killed nine of the eleven men on the Narco boat. A follow-on strike was conducted to kill two survivors of the first attack who were in the water clinging to the burning wreckage. A couple of legal experts look at the legal implications of the incident. “Unlawful Orders and Killing Shipwrecked Boat Strike Survivors: An Expert Backgrounder”, Just Security, December 1, 2025.
Who Ordered 2nd Strike? There is a lot of speculation as to how the order for the second strike transpired. Initially some sources indicated that SecDef Hegseth ordered the second strike; but the narrative seems to be shifting. In the past day or so the White House has been mentioning (CNN) the USSOCOM commander, Admiral Frank Bradley, as responsible for ordering the second strike on the boat attack survivors. At the time, Bradley was the JSOC commander.
Here’s what SecDef Hegseth had to say on Twitter at 7:00 PM Monday, Dec 1, 2025.
“Admiral Mitch Bradley is an American hero, a true professional, and has my 100% support. I stand by him and the combat decisions he has made – on the September 2 mission and all others since.”
Shooting of Two National Guardsmen in D.C.
Two NG Soldiers Shot in D.C.. On Wednesday, November 26, 2025, two West Virginia National Guardsmen on duty in Washington, D.C. were shot just blocks from the White House. Both suffered gunshot wounds fired from a pistol, one of the soldiers has since died. The shooter is in custody and has been hospitalized with injuries as well. Within hours SecDef Pete Hegseth ordered an additional (DoD) 500 National Guardsmen to perform duty in D.C. The West Virginia Joint Force Headquarters identified the two WV Guardsmen. (DVIDS, 27 Nov 2025). U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom died of wounds and U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe was severely wounded.
D.C. Shooter is an Afghan National. Early indications are that the attacker was an Afghan who entered the United States via Operation Allies Welcome after the chaotic period of August 2021 when Afghanistan fell to the Taliban. The shooting suspect reportedly served with one of the CIA’s “Zero Units” – the Qandahar Strike Force or QSF “partner force”. The QSF was also known as NDS-3. During the last days of the U.S. presence the Kabul international airport was overwhelmed with Afghans attempting to board aircraft departing Afghanistan. This resulted in the evacuation of thousands of Afghans during the Kabul NEO. During the evacuation, the CIA’s NDS paramilitary forces helped secure the Kabul airport in return for a promise of evacuation to the U.S. The Afghan arrived in the U.S. in September 2021 as part of the u.s. evacuation effort with his wife and five children under humanitarian parole status.
He was granted asylum in April 2025. He had an active SIV application underway and had received Chief of Mission (COM) approval but had not yet been granted lawful permanent residence status. Both the COM application and his asylum application required review and vetting by the U.S. government, including the CIA. An Inspector General report by the FBI (PDF, 29 pages, June 2025) details the vetting process beginning in Afghanistan, at the “Lily Pads”, at Port of Entry, and finally at one of the stateside military bases prior to movement to a resettlement agency.
Asylum is a permanent status granted by the United States Citizenship and Immigrations Services (USCIS) after reviewing identity and background checks (DoD, DHS, FBI, and IC checks), biometric vetting (fingerprints, iris scans, and photos), in-person interviews, and an assessment of individualized risk and eligibility under U.S. law. Persons who receive asylum can apply for lawful permanent residence one year after being granted asylum.
IO, IW, Intel, and Cyber
The Harvard Spy. Richard Welch had an illustrious and clandestine career in the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) that spanned many years. He didn’t look like James Bond, more like a university professor with his partially bald head, glasses, and clipped mustache. He was assassinated by Marxists terrorists in Athens in 1975 where he was serving as chief of station. Read more about Welch in “The Life of a Harvard Spy”, Harvard Magazine, Nov – Dec 2025.
New Director of NCTC. In May President Donald Trump appointed Joe Kent, a former Green Beret, as the head of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC). The center is responsible for identifying, understanding, and mitigating terrorist threats to the United States. This article details his training and assignments with the U.S. Army Special Forces as well as with the Central Intelligence Agency. “Joseph Kent: New US National Counterterrorism Czar”, Grey Dynamics, November 28, 2025. (Editor’s note: not a very favorable article on Joe Kent).
IW Club. Former Green Beret Jeremiah “Lumpy” Lumbaca writes about the small group of scholars and practitioners that form up an unofficial “Irregular Warfare Club”. This small informal group drives the discussion, research, and writing on Irregular Warfare (IW). Read more in “Irregular Warfare Club”, Small Wars Journal, November 28, 2025.
Strategic Competition
Putin’s Mercenaries. Mark Galeotti writes about the long history of the use of mercenaries by Russia starting from the eleventh- and twelfth-centuries to the modern era of Putin. He describes how and why the Wagner Group was formed and the use of other mercenary entities as well in Ukraine and in Africa. “Putin’s Outsourced Warfighting”, Osprey Publishing, November 23, 2025.
Age of the Mercenary. The advent of the Wagner Group, Africa Corps, and other private military companies (PMCs) is a sign of the future in the world of hybrid warfare. The presence of PMCs in Ukraine, the Sahel region of Africa, and other parts of the world is not an aberration but a new way of conflict in the ‘gray zone’. Read more by Amar Singh Bhandal in “The Age of the Mercenary Is Here to Stay”, The National Interest, November 27, 2025.
Confronting China. The DoD is several years into its pivot from the War on Terror to Great Power Competition. Unfortunately the focus appears to confronting China in the ‘next big war’. However, that is not the fight that China is fighting. With the redirection of scarce resources from special operations forces to conventional capabilities the US. is ignoring that the future conflicts will be fought in the gray zone. Read more in “Confronting China: America’s Conventional Approach Misses the Real Threat”, Special Operations Association of America, December 1, 2025.
Drone Warfare of the Future. A fiction piece envisions what a future war would look like in the Pacific given the place that drones have taken in land, air, and sea warfare. “Task Force Rust Bucket”, by Tyler Totten, CIMSEC, December 1, 2025.
Our Adversary’s Gray-Zone Ops. Our Great Power rivals (Russia, China, etc.) understand that in a conventional fight they would likely lose. That is one of the primary reasons they conduct hybrid warfare in the “gray zone”. They operate in the spectrum between war and peace and avoid a direct confrontation with the United States. “Why America Freezes: How Rivals Win Through Gray-Zone Warfare”, Special Operations Association of America (SOAA), November 18, 2025.
Ukraine Conflict
Witkoff the Negotiator? Steve Witkoff, real estate developer turned diplomatic envoy is taking a lot of heat for how he is negotiating with the Russians on their invasion and occupation of Ukraine. Some observers are accusing him of helping Putin and prolonging the war. “What is Steve Witkoff Trying to Do?”, by Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, November 26, 2025.
Two Russian Oil Tankers Attacked. Two oil tankers were attacked by Ukrainian Sea Baby naval drones in the past week. (Washington Examiner, 29 Nov 2025) One Russian oil tanker off the coast of Senegal has ‘experienced’ difficulties as well. The vessels are said to be part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” that evade sanctions.
Report: Ukrainian Sabotage Operations. A report has detailed the tactics and motivations for acts of sabotage carried out by the Ukrainians in both Russian-occupied Ukraine and in Russia. “Behind the lines: How Ukraine has outgunned Russia in sabotage”, ACLED, November 27, 2025.
- References:
- Interactive Map. Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine by the Institute 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
Africa
Coup in Guinea-Bissau? On this past Wednesday, November 26, 2025, soldiers took control of parts of the capital city of Bissau and detained President Umaro Sissococ Embalo. A contested presidential election was just held and the soldiers announced on state TV that they suspended the electoral process. Some senior army officers were taken into custody and checkpoints have been established around the city. Since independence from Portugal in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has experienced considerable political and military upheaval. Guinea-Bissau’s history of political instability, a civil war, and several coups (the latest in 2012) have resulted in a fragile state with a weak economy, high unemployment, rampant corruption, and widespread poverty. View map of Guinea-Bissau (NSI). The West Africa’s regional bloc ECOWAS has suspended Guinea-Bissau’s membership (africanews.com) after an army general was sworn in (africanews.com) as the country’s president.
Map of Jihadist Groups in West Africa. This interactive map by Critical Threats covers the area where JNIM, IS Sahel Province, IS West Africa Province, and Boko Haram are conducting operations and have “zones of control”. https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/05e4e0c6979a4f3a85170d43e6a5e703
SOCAFRICA’s Flintlock MPC. Special operations and law enforcement planners representing more than 20 allied and partner nations came together for Exercise Flintlock 2026’s mid-planning event, Nov. 22, 2025, held in Budapest, Hungary. The multinational gathering advanced operational planning for U.S. Africa Command’s premier special operations exercise, scheduled to commence in Côte d’Ivoire and Libya this April. Planners developed unified strategies and objectives for a realistic, cross-border scenario against increasingly sophisticated terrorist networks. Watch a two-minute long video of the proceedings. (DVIDS, 16 Nov 2025)
Books, Podcasts, Videos, and Movies
Video – How a US Air Force Survival Expert Can Survive Anywhere on Earth, Business Insider, YouTube, November 28, 2025, 12 minutes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPZebkT92Qk
Video – Finland’s Impact on NATO. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, against the backdrop of its illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, changed the security landscape in Europe and acted as a catalyst for Finland’s accession to NATO. After 30 years of close partnership with NATO, Finland joined the Alliance as a new member in April 2023. NATO, YouTube, Oct 3, 2025, 9 minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn7ojLa8WvE
Video – Prepping for a Russian Invasion on NATO’s Eastern Border, Wall Street Journal, November 27, 2025, YouTube, 12 minutes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRciyEysilY
Sentinel. The December 2025 issue is now posted online. Topics include the SFACON and SOAR 2025 conventions in Las Vegas, a book review of I Walked With Heroes, profile of CSM George Vidrine, a history of MACV-SOG / CIA George Baccon, and some history of the 46th Special Forces Company.
https://www.specialforces78.com/chapter-78-newsletter-for-december-2025/
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May 18-21, 2026
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