This SOF news update contains news snippets on the special operations world from the last week of June, 2016. The following links include some history, current events, SOF news, and videos not reported elsewhere by the SOFREP team. There’s so much out there to cover!

Former Navy SEAL heads up effort to defeat ISIS online

The State Department’s Global Engagement Center is headed up by retired Navy SEAL Commander Michael Lumpkin. The former SEAL says that the goal is to effectively counter the terrorists’ messaging by involving many government agencies in the online fight. Read more in “How the U.S. is working to defeat ISIS online,” The Hill Defense Blog, June 25, 2016.

Global SOF Foundation
Global SOF Foundation

“SOF for life” – Or how to transition

The Global SOF Foundation has published an article that reveals a program to assist SOF veterans in their transition from military service to civilian life and work. This article, written by Stu Bradin—who provides some good SOF news occasionally—could be worth reading if you are making that big step out the door into the real world.

Transition – SF networking techniques

Another article by the Global SOF Foundation is “Mastering the Transition Through Special Forces Networking Techniques” (June 20, 2016). This one is written by Juan Perez.

Video: Difference between SEALs and Green Berets?

Retired LTC Scott Mann, a retired Green Beret, describes how the Navy SEALs and U.S. Army Special Forces are different in this short two-minute-long video posted by Business Insider, June 30, 2016.

Operation Entebbe – 40 years ago

In June 1976, Israeli commandos launched a hostage rescue after two Palestinian and two German terrorists hijacked a commercial airliner with 248 passengers on board. The plane flew on to Libya where additional terrorists were taken on. The hijacked plane then landed in Uganda, where the Israelis were kept captive and the remaining passengers released. Israel launched a rescue mission. The task force was comprised of the elite special operations unit Sayeret Matkal, as well as Air Force pilots, paratroopers, and support personnel. The mission was a success. Other nations took note and soon developed plans for establishing similar counterterrorist forces. Read more in “Operation Entebbe as told by the commandos: Planning the mission,” ynetnews.com, June 27, 2016.

General John Campbell (Ret.) now on defense firm’s board

John Campbell, a newly retired four-star general who had commanded Resolute Support headquarters in Afghanistan, is now on the board of the J.F. Lehman & Company, a middle-market private equity firm focused on the defense, aerospace, and maritime sectors. Campbell was also a former member of U.S. Army Special Forces. Read his biography written when he was a major general.

3rd SFGA and Swift Response 16

The 3rd Special Forces Group and the German 31st Airborne Regiment recently worked together in an exercise at the Hohenfels Training Area in June 2016. Read more in “Special operation forces build relationships at Swift Response 16”, Army.mil, June 23, 2016.