The country was caught off guard this week when an RV packed with explosives was detonated in downtown Nashville, Tennessee on Christmas day. The FBI and special agents from ATF are investigating the bombing and pursuing a possible “lone wolf” suspect. See our analysis of what officials are now classifying as a case of domestic terrorism.

A large fire consumed large parts of Camp Pendleton in California. Officials at the Marine Corps base were forced to evacuate marines and close down large parts of the installation in an attempt to quell the inferno. While the fire raged, servicemembers across the country were fretting over their finances: an obligatory income tax deferral has come due, putting troops — especially junior enlisted and those with families — in a perilous financial spot on the heels of the holidays. Meanwhile, an investigation at West Point uncovered a massive honor code violation perpetrated by scores of first-year cadets. 

We learned of a tragic murder/suicide at Fort Bragg this week: a Civil Affairs Medic killed his pregnant wife before turning the gun on himself. Those close to the soldier reported that he had been struggling with PTSD. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family members and the Fort Bragg community. 

Abroad, we tracked stories from the Green Zone to the dark side of the moon. The U.S. Navy positioned a Guided Missile Submarine in the Strait of Hormuz in a move viewed as a clear warning to Iran; rockets rained down on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and in Bagram, Afghanistan; U.S. forces in Somalia will be repositioned despite a growing threat from the al-Shabaab terrorist group; acting SecDef confirmed our suspicions that Special Operations forces will be the last to leave Afghanistan. Further, China’s lunar probe returned to earth with the first lunar samples to be retrieved in decades, sparking a new wave of concern about the country’s evolving space program.

We published an exclusive report on Arizona Border Recon, a group of veterans, law enforcement officers, and civilians helping to secure America’s southern border in Arizona. 

We brought you a three-part series on the United States Space Force to mark its one year anniversary. Don’t miss this deep dive into America’s newest military branch, its real history (read: the idea for Space Force predates Trump by decades), and a look at its role in the quickly evolving Department of Defense. 

Navy SEAL veteran Brandon Webb paid homage to his close friend and fellow SEAL Dave Scott in a two-part eulogy. We recommend beginning with Part I.

We also brought you two retrospective pieces on the Battle of the Bulge. SOFREP Senior Editor Steve Balestrieri wrote about the curious truce brokered by a German family (and its delicious dinner) while staffer Jonathan Weiss reminded us of the bravery of a group of pathfinders and how they saved Bastogne.

On SOFREP Radio this week, we were honored to host Joe Kent, Special Forces veteran and Gold Star husband. Don’t miss the inspiring and heart-wrenching interview. 

What’s in store for next week? None of us knows. But, as always, we’ll be here to bring you the stories you won’t find anywhere else with insights and analysis from people who have actually been there. 

In the meantime,

Stay frosty

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