Jamie Read

About the author

I am a former UK infantry reconnaissance specialist serving worldwide, military advisor to Ukrainian special operations, a former volunteer with the YPG in Syria. Worked many years as a private security contractor in the Middle East and Africa and currently working as an executive protection officer on the UK circuit. Also, I am the owner of the Mercs Corner podcast.

Breaking down the British elite forces: The Royal Marine Commandos (RM)

In a recent series, we examined the United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF) spectrum. In this series, we’ll review the elite components within the conventional British forces. We will start with one of the U.K.’s most renowned units: the Royal Marines, an elite amphibious commando force of the Royal Navy. The Royal Marines (RM), or Bootnecks […]

Disbanded but not forgotten: The Czech Special Operations Group

The Special Operation Group (SOG) was a SOF unit from the Czech Republic. The unit was part of the Military Police and was one of the youngest units kicking around having been formed only in 2002. SOG consisted of two departments: the Department of Protection for the Minister of Defense and the Combat Operation Department. […]

Ukrainian forces under heavy assault from Russian-backed separatists

Russian backed separatists forced Ukrainian troops, from the 72nd Armoured Brigade based in Zolote, Luhansk region, to withdraw on February 18th, 2020. This has been the most intense engagement since the conflict broke out in 2014. This does not bode well for the ongoing peace negotiations. The Ukrainian TSN TV news service reported that not […]

UK Special Forces breakdown: The Special Air Service (SAS)

Note: This is part five of a multi-part series exploring the various units within the U.K. Special Forces (UKSF). The Special Air Service (SAS) is the British Army’s most distinguished and renowned special forces unit. From the moment operators of the 22 SAS emerged on the balconies of the Iranian embassy in London in 1980, […]

UK Special Forces breakdown: The Special Forces Support Group (SFSG)

Note: This is part four of a multi-part series exploring the various units within the U.K. Special Forces (UKSF). The Special Forces Support Group (SFSG) is a fairly new special forces unit. Officially formed on 3 April 2006, the SFSG is based on a core segment of the soldiers from the 1st Battalion Parachute Regiment […]

UK Special Forces breakdown: The Special Boat Service (SBS)

Note: This is part three of a multi-part series exploring the various units within the U.K. Special Forces (UKSF). The Special Boat Service (SBS), one of the oldest Special Forces regiments, is the U.K.’s premier naval counter-terrorism unit (CT). The unit is tasked with addressing assaults on U.K.’s maritime interests. Over the years the SBS […]

UK Special Forces breakdown: The Special Reconnaissance Regiment (SRR)

Note: This is part two of a multi-part series exploring the various units within the U.K. Special Forces (UKSF). The United Kingdom’s prolonged involvement in the Global War on Terror (GWOT) has created the demand for an increase in the country’s number of special forces operators. From that need emerged the United Kingdom’s newest special […]

UK Special Forces breakdown: 18 (UKSF) Signals Regiment

This is the first part of a multi-part series exploring the various units within the U.K. Special Forces (UKSF). The Special Air Service (SAS) is widely recognized the world over and is often erroneously considered the only special operations unit Britain has. This couldn’t be further from the truth. In this series, we’ll cover the […]

The Increment: The UK’s most clandestine special operations unit

One of the most clandestine of all British special operations units is E Squadron. It’s a small unit of United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF) operatives handpicked to work for the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), better known as MI6. Both the UKSF Directorate and Secret Intelligence Service use E Squadron to carry out clandestine activities. They […]

Breaking down the British elite forces: Honorable mentions

Note: This is the fifth and final part of a multi-part series exploring elite components within the conventional British forces. To wrap up this series, we awarded honorable mentions to No. 2 Squadron RAF Regiment and Counter Terrorist Specialist Firearms Officers (CTSFOs). The most elite units in the U.K. military would be unable to do […]

Breaking down the British elite forces: The Pathfinder Platoon

Note: This is part four of a multi-part series exploring elite components within the conventional British forces. The Pathfinder Platoon (PF), also known as the Pathfinder Group, is an elite airborne reconnaissance unit within the 16 Air Assault Brigade. Pathfinders work as the Brigade’s eyes and ears, and operate far forward of the Brigade, behind […]