Paratrooper: Following in my Father’s Footsteps

Paratrooper: Following in my Father’s Footsteps

Today we’d like to share another story from one of our readers. Heath Hansen is a paratrooper and grew up watching his dad jump out of a perfectly good airplane with the 12th Special Forces Group, while a youngster.  His story is one about continuing the legacy between father and son and the bond of […]

American Paratroopers Assault “The Rock” Corregidor, Feb. 16, 1945

American Paratroopers Assault “The Rock” Corregidor, Feb. 16, 1945

After the fall of the Philippines in early 1942 by the Japanese, recapturing the island was of paramount importance to General Douglas MacArthur. Corregidor, known as “The Rock” to U.S. troops was the last piece to fall and American and Filipino troops wanted their redemption. During the subsequent invasion to retake it, MacArthur used a […]

“Kill the Enemy, But Please…Don’t Hurt His Feelings”

“Kill the Enemy, But Please…Don’t Hurt His Feelings”

If this sounds strange, ludicrous and outright ridiculous…then congratulations! Welcome to our politically correct world where our leaders who send our troops into harm’s way to kill our enemies are more worried about hurting those said enemies’ feelings than they are about ensuring that our troops have everything they need to accomplish their mission and […]

Three Members of the Army Parachute Team Seriously Injured in Florida

Three Members of the Army Parachute Team Seriously Injured in Florida

Three Ft. Bragg soldiers were seriously injured in a night training parachute jump in Homestead, Florida early Tuesday morning. The Army’s parachute team, the Golden Knights, were at Homestead Air Force Reserve Base in Miami-Dade County, where they frequently train during the winter months. Kelli Bland, a spokesperson for the US Army Recruiting Command, said […]

The Strange Story of David Baez, Green Beret, and Sandinista Officer

The Strange Story of David Baez, Green Beret, and Sandinista Officer

One of the most bizarre stories to come out about Central America was the strange saga of David Baez. Baez was born in Nicaragua but became a U.S. citizen and later a Green Beret. Baez’s father was a military officer in Nicaraguan National Guard before being executed by the military’s leader Anastasio Somoza. Baez grew […]

With Mattis Gone, SF Command Again Punishes SF CPT From Niger Ambush

With Mattis Gone, SF Command Again Punishes SF CPT From Niger Ambush

Op-Ed: The handwriting was on this one right from the very start. The Army tried to lay the blame on the ambush of the American Special Forces troops in Niger on the commander and NCOs of the SF A-Team before the last body had even been recovered off the battlefield. The Army had issued a […]

Don’t Poke the Bear Especially With Special Forces Troops

Don’t Poke the Bear Especially With Special Forces Troops

“And Don’t Shoot the Goddamn Beanbag Lights” One of the best perks of this position is that in trying to read all the news concerning the military and Special Operations around the globe every day, everyone now and then something triggers. And as you’re reading something having to do with 1158th Special Operations Squadron of […]

SAS Selection in Australia, Lesson in Perseverance

SAS Selection in Australia, Lesson in Perseverance

We’ve shared many of our Selection anecdotes here on the pages of SpecialOperations.com  the past two years and it is always refreshing to see someone else’s perspective especially if the person is in one of our allies Special Operations units. This one account is a really close look at one officer’s Australian SAS experience. It […]

Two Ranger Bns Wiped Out at Cisterna, Jan. 30, 1944

Two Ranger Bns Wiped Out at Cisterna, Jan. 30, 1944

On January 30, 1944, two U.S. Army Ranger Battalions, the 1st, and the 3rd were wiped out in an assault on the German-held town of Cisterna in central Italy. The Germans were aware of their advance and conducted an excellently planned ambush. Only 6 men of the 767 Rangers walked out of Cisterna. This resulted […]

USSOCOM Selects Sig Sauer Optics For New Sniper Rifle Scope

USSOCOM Selects Sig Sauer Optics For New Sniper Rifle Scope

The United States Special Operations Forces are getting a new rifle scope for their sniper rifle systems. And it is being made by one of the most well-known arms manufacturers in the U.S. Under this five-year, indefinite-delivery/indefinite quantity, firm-fixed-price contract for $12 million dollars, Sig Sauer will furnish the rifle scopes until the completion date […]

SAS Hits Back Hard Against ISIS Terrorists in Syria

SAS Hits Back Hard Against ISIS Terrorists in Syria

The SAS got a bit of payback this week it seems. The British special operations unit earlier this week hit an ISIS-controlled village in eastern Syria. And in doing so, they dispatched 20 of ISIS fighters as they ran from the battlefield, scurrying away in vehicles. While the British make it a point not to […]

RIP to the Army Reflective Belt, You Won’t Be Missed

RIP to the Army Reflective Belt, You Won’t Be Missed

Opinion: Sometimes, common sense IS an uncommon virtue. And sometimes the Army, despite all evidence to the contrary actually gets one right. Just recently, the Secretary of the Army, Mark Esper signed a memorandum that states the simple, yet hard to understand for some truth. That the hated reflective belt was not needed in the […]