Three survival skills you learned from movies (that will get you killed)

Three survival skills you learned from movies (that will get you killed)

We tend not to go to movies looking for realism. Even the movies we watch that are “based on” or “inspired by” true stories tend to bend the facts of the tale around a more logical (or marketable) narrative that audiences would be more likely to get behind, but some common tropes have become so […]

Google backs out of working with the Pentagon, but is still considering helping China censor its people

Google backs out of working with the Pentagon, but is still considering helping China censor its people

Earlier this year, Google employees took what they called an “ethical stand” against helping the United States Defense Department establish a new system that leaned on artificial intelligence to identify elements of importance in reconnaissance images and videos. While the endeavor aimed to reduce the human labor associated with sifting through the countless surveillance feeds […]

Alcohol and the military — a dysfunctional relationship

Alcohol and the military — a dysfunctional relationship

Military service and alcohol-fueled tales of grandeur, as well as the tales of pure stupidity and recklessness, seem to go hand in hand. What some would call alcohol abuse, others would call a normal Friday night. The relationship between alcohol usage and the military cannot be overstated. I had just arrived at my new unit, […]

Three things that seem like they’ll kill you (but probably won’t)

Three things that seem like they’ll kill you (but probably won’t)

People have always been fascinated with death, and for good reason. Despite the massive breadth of experiences that one can accumulate over a lifetime on Earth, our final disposition after we exhale our last breath remains a unique kind of mystery: one we will all eventually solve, but can never relay to others. Death represents […]

Promising treatment on the horizon for traumatic brain injuries

Promising treatment on the horizon for traumatic brain injuries

In evidence generated from a ten-year study on Traumatic Brain Injury, or TBI, a team led by researchers from Rutgers University have found two molecules that could be the key to the development of new drugs used to treat traumatic brain injuries. According to Mayo Clinic a TBI is described as the following; Traumatic brain […]

12-year-old girl revives toddler brother after he fell into a septic tank

12-year-old girl revives toddler brother after he fell into a septic tank

Edgewood, WA — A 2-year-old boy, Thorin Hess, was wondering about and stepped on the cover of a septic tank which gave way. He fell inside — down 10 feet — and his mother and sister ran to the tank to rescue him. After locating the boy they attempted to pull him out, the boy’s […]

Addressing three common myths about home defense

Addressing three common myths about home defense

For many Americans, having the ability to defend yourself, your family and your property is a legitimate concern. While America is, by and large, an overwhelmingly safe place to live, there are portions of the country with crime rates that are far higher than the national average, just as there are many Americans living in […]

How bad gear choices can get you killed right here at home

How bad gear choices can get you killed right here at home

Here at SOFREP, we do a lot of talking about gear, training, and general preparedness. Pulling from our military, professional, and hobbyist backgrounds with firearms, we do our best to relate our experiences to you in an approachable way, and often, those experiences suggest that training, not equipment, is what will save your life in […]

Motorcycle ambushes lead to Eid holiday ban in Deir ez-Zor by the Syrian Democratic Forces

Motorcycle ambushes lead to Eid holiday ban in Deir ez-Zor by the Syrian Democratic Forces

The Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish ally to the United States led coalition forces, have put into place restriction for motorcycle use in Deir ez-Zor. The restrictions come during Eid, a holiday that follows the fasting period known as Ramadan. The Eid celebrations have cause security forces to fear of possible suicide attacks or ambushes […]

A simple mental exercise that increases your chances of surviving a gunfight

A simple mental exercise that increases your chances of surviving a gunfight

For a defensive minded person, potential threats to the well-being of you and your family are always near the forefront of your mind. Whether you’re walking down a dimly lit New York City alleyway or trudging up the steep and well-worn mountain path behind your wooded home, there are dangers to consider and mitigate if […]

A brief history of smallpox

A brief history of smallpox

Smallpox. To the veteran or some aid workers, it means a shot and a scar on the upper arm. To some older folks, it is one of many things that was spoken of and discussed in medical circles years ago, but no longer. To the average person it is an ancient ailment that, like many […]