Where Were You on 9/11? A Dark Day for the US

Like many of us, we can remember exactly where we were on 9/11, like the generation before us could recall where they were when JFK was shot in Dallas. The memories of that awful day and the days that followed will forever be burned into our memories and it shaped our national policy for years […]

Israeli Duvdevan Unit, One of the Premier CT Units in the World

The Israelis are no strangers to the counter-terrorist world of Special Operations. They arguably have the most experience in that they have been dealing with counter-terror issues in and around their own country for decades. They have developed several Special Operations units that integrated with their conventional troops, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and each […]

Mail Call… Rucking Problems With Shoulder Pain, How to Fix it

Getting prepared to pass Selection into Special Operations is a long, and difficult process. As the summer months begin to slowly morph into fall, many of the prospective candidates will begin their preparation in earnest to tackle the course. For many of the candidates, the two biggest elephants in the room revolve around carrying a […]

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 6, Day 6

Friday morning at the gym means that it is Leg Day our favorite day of the week. Start off with some Squats – front, dumbbell goblet, and barbell. After the weighted sled push, and some lunges mixed in there as well, we’ll finish off with a 4-mile run. The leg training is very important as […]

Life In Special Operations Is in the Shadows, Not the Limelight

For the current crop of aspiring Special Operations Forces candidates that want to be part of the legacy of the different units under the SOCOM umbrella, being part of the command comes with not only great sacrifice but a great responsibility as well. The special operators have to sacrifice much of themselves in training to […]

Train To Pass The UBRR And You’ll Be Ready For Anything

About a year ago, we wrote a piece about preparing our candidates for Selection and in regards to the Physical Fitness test, training for the UBRR (Upper Body Round Robin) rather than the old, outdated 3-Event Physical Fitness test. We had received several questions from potential candidates asking,“Why do use the Upper Body Round Robin […]

“We Keep Rucking Until Our Leg Falls Off…Right?

There are times in Special Operations where you just have to stand back and say WTF just happened. And it seems to crazy that it can’t possibly be true…but it is and then you just have to laugh. He’s a funny rucking story for you guys this morning. Many years ago, while our Special Forces […]

On This Day, 300 Spartans Led By King Leonidas, Defended Thermopylae

On this day in 480 B.C., the Persians under the command of Xerxes in the second invasion of Greece went to battle with a greatly outnumbered force of Spartans and Greeks under the command of King Leonidas of Sparta over a three day period. The battle took place at the tiny mountain pass of Thermopylae. […]

Sorry, we are not all created equal – SOF isn’t for everybody

Without meaning to, I’m sure we offended quite a few people with the title, but the simple fact of the matter is, it is true. Rest assured it is not using any kind of racist or biased slant in any way, although someone will no doubt take it that way. When it comes to Special […]

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 4, Day 4

Wednesday is Shoulder Day in the gym along with some speed work. The sprints here will help with your overall cardio fitness, build some explosion, and will serve you well with your endurance. It is also a functional part of your job in Special Operations. There will be plenty of times where you’ll have to […]

Remembering Randy Shughart: Medal of Honor recipient

Today we remember one of our most famous Special Operations warriors. Randy Shughart would have been 60 years old today. Shughart and Gary Gordon, both Delta Force operators and snipers died in Mogadishu, Somalia in October 1993 after being inserted alone into a crash site for a Blackhawk helicopter which had been shot down while […]

Land Navigation Tips: Do’s and Don’ts For Passing Selection

We’ve been going hard at Land Navigation for the past week or so with a refresher 101-type, of course, to get everyone on the same level playing field. We started we a basic map reading piece and moved on to the necessary basic skills every candidate should be familiar with before arriving. The key to […]