Military History

[Editor’s Note: This is the third in a series of exclusive SOFREP stories of what led to the MACV-SOG Bright Light mission that haunts SOG Green Beret SSG James H. Shorten (Jones) to this day. It has taken him back to Cambodia twice and he hopes to return to Cambodia in 2018 to help DPAA […]

December 6, 1884: the largest piece of aluminum in history up to that point is placed onto the Washington Monument, marking its completion. It wouldn’t be open to the public until October, four years later, but it was at this time that construction was finished. At the time of its completion it was the tallest […]

[Editor’s Note: This is the second in a series of exclusive SOFREP stories of what led to the MACV-SOG Bright Light mission that haunts SOG Green Beret SSG James H. Shorten (Jones) to this day. It has taken him back to Cambodia and he hopes to return to there in 2018 to help DPAA officials […]

Airmen assigned to Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., participate in M-4 shooting drills during the Green Beret Experience, Dec. 12, 2016. Taught by U.S. Army Green Berets, the Green Beret Experience is a four-day event featuring weapons and ground operations training intended give Airmen an idea of what it’s like to be a member of […]

[Editor’s Note: In the eight-year secret war fought by Green Berets during the Vietnam War across the fence in Laos, Cambodia and North Vietnam from 1964-1972 under the aegis of the Military Assistance Command Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group (SOG), no mission was more dangerous than a Bright Light Mission. Heavily-armed SOG recon teams were sent in to […]

The psychiatric field of Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a relatively new one. The term dates as far back as 1980s, and its predecessor, “gross stress reaction,” was coined in 1952. However, the term “shell shock” is an older one, and made its mark in the minds of the public during the first world war. […]

An MH-6 little bird transports an International Special Operations Forces team during a SOF Industry Conference demonstration in Tampa, Fla., May 21, 2014. 16 SOF partner nations participated in the International Special Operations Exercise this year.   U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Tori Schultz/Released   Watch a video of a hostage demonstration […]

Airmen participating in the Green Beret Experience infiltrate a training area Dec. 15, 2016, at Melrose Air Force Range, N.M. Airmen assigned to Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., were trained and tutored by U.S. Army Green Berets over a four day period to get an in-depth experience of all the facets of tactical ground operations. […]

For those of you that subscribe to the method of evolution as the origin of our species, there are many types of “arms races” between species as they developed over time. For example, if you have cheetahs and gazelles then the cheetahs will likely kill off all the gazelles with the genetic predispositions that make […]

The AK-74 Kalashnikov automatic rifle model 1974  (Russian: Автомат Калашникова образца 1974 года) was developed  by  Mikhail Kalashnikov as the replacement for the  AKM. After see the of the effectiveness American 5.56 x 45mm round in Vietnam, the Russians developed 5.45×39mm cartridge, an faster, flat shooting upgrade over the 7.62×39mm AK-47 round and Mikhail but a gun for it. When these rifles first […]

Combat control and pararescue trainees run to their rally point after off-loading a helicopter Sept. 7, 2007, at Hurlburt Field, Fla. The special tactics Airmen were conducting a combat search and rescue training scenario on base at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. AST is the last phase of training for combat controllers before they report […]

“Oh my god! Are you going to defend Nazis?” No, I am not. The profile by New York Times of a white nationalist/Nazi sympathizer called Tony Hovater sent people into a frenzy. Tweet after tweet and article after article accusing the Times of normalizing and humanizing Nazis. But the problem is that, Nazis were always […]