NASA’s Guardian Angels: Pararescuemen and the SpaceX launch

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 spacecraft launched from the Kennedy Space Center on May 30th. This was the first spacecraft to take off from the Kennedy Space Center’s pad since the Space Shuttle Program was shut down in 2011. The Defense Visual Information Distribution Service was on the front lines of this historic event. They provided an […]

Special Operations Command to upgrade Ghostrider gunships and Commando II aircraft

The U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) will be upgrading its fleet of AC-130J Ghostrider and MC-130J Commando II aircraft with the addition of countermeasures systems against air and ground threats. Last week, SOCOM awarded Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) a $700,000,000 contract for the development and procurement of Radio Frequency Countermeasure (RFCM) systems. The RFCM system […]

So you wanna be a Navy SEAL?

“Hey, can you talk to my nephew? He wants to be a SEAL.” I always say yes and answer whatever questions I can. Let’s be honest; I enjoy it.

Naval Special Warfare’s upcoming cutting-edge technology

It is no secret that technology is rapidly taking over the military. This can be seen in recruiting techniques, training styles, and weapons and tools being used in battlefield settings. Behind the gruff, rough, dip-spitting, barrel-chested freedom fighter attitude that the Navy SEALs and Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewmen (SWCC) of Naval Special Warfare have come […]

Coronavirus outbreak strikes Special Forces students

COVID-19 has now affected the Special Warfare Center at Fort Bragg. U.S. Army Special Operations Command officials announced that 90 students, who were going through Survival Evasion Resistance and Escape (SERE) training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, have tested positive for COVID-19. According to a spokeswoman, officials became aware of the outbreak after an instructor became […]

Jump & Dive 2020: A fundraiser for the combat diver and freefall communities

The Combat Diver Foundation and the U.S. Military Freefall Association will be jointly hosting a virtual fundraiser to raise money for their respective causes. The “Jump & Dive Fundraiser” will take place on August 29. The event will include a livestream of the fundraising event, comments by notable Combat Diver and Military Freefall qualified leaders, […]

Navy SEALs and Navy SWCC | Comprehensive Guide

How long is Navy boot camp? Navy Boot Camp is seven to eight weeks long, depending on scheduling. Navy Boot Camp resides at the Recruit Training Command (RTC) in Great Lakes, Illinois, which is in close proximity to Chicago. In Boot Camp, civilian recruits are transformed into Navy sailors. During their time at RTC, recruits […]

Women & standards in Special Operations and Special Mission units

SOFREP recently published an exclusive piece covering the journey of the first female candidate set to graduate the Special Forces Qualification Course and earn her coveted green beret — an amazing achievement. Similarly, recent years have seen the services open their previously male-exclusive roles, including the opportunity to attend Ranger School and others, to women […]

The Special Operations argument for a Civil Affairs tab

Symbols are important. Civilizations, organizations, corporations, and even an individual’s identity are built on and around symbols. They communicate values, demonstrate principles, express aspirations, declare intentions, assert purpose, affirm origins, and galvanize solidarity. Symbols are powerful because they instill pride, evoke camaraderie, and spur individuals to strive harder in their pursuits. The proud graduates of […]

Naval Special Warfare continues to pump out operators

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on the way that the U.S. military does business. Naval Special Warfare has not been immune to these changes. As previously discussed on SOFREP, on March 16, The Naval Special Warfare (NSW) Basic Training Command (BTC) put a hold on BUD/S classes that were in the 1st […]

75th Ranger Regiment permanently activates new battalion

Earlier this month, the 75th Army Ranger Regiment permanently activated its newest battalion. The Ranger Military Intelligence Battalion (RHIB) is now one of the five battalions of the 75th Ranger Regiment, the other being three infantry battalions (1/75, 2/75, 3/75) and a Special Troops Battalion. According to the 75th Ranger Regiment, the RHIB’s mission is […]