The big ugly elephant in the room: Standards in Special Operations

Let us talk about standards… Oh no. Standards! Not that dirty word again. But it is a very important one. We’ve written about the standards in the Special Forces courses, both regarding Special Forces Assessment and Selection (SFAS) and the Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC) a couple of times. Yet now is a good time […]

Exclusive: The perilous state of the Special Forces Combat Diver capability

Special Forces Combat Divers are a rare breed in an already elite community. Only a small number of Army Green Berets volunteer for and go through the Special Forces Combat Diver Qualification Course (CDQC), arguably the toughest school in the Army, and ultimately qualify to serve in a dive team. Special Forces Operational Detachment Alphas […]

SF legend & Medal of Honor recipient Bennie Adkins dies from COVID-19

Command Sergeant Major Bennie Adkins, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions in Vietnam, passed away from complications due to the coronavirus at the age of 86. He contracted the virus in late March and was admitted to the East Alabama Medical Center and then moved into the intensive care unit […]

Coronavirus be damned: Navy SEAL class graduates amid pandemic

Amid the ongoing social distancing measures affecting the country and the military, the Navy SEAL community just received its newest operators. SEAL Qualification Training Class 336 graduated on April 15 and its members received the coveted SEAL Trident. Last month, Naval Special Warfare Basic Training Command decided to suspend some SEAL and Special Warfare Combatant-Craft […]

129 Raids & 153 Strikes: Air Commandos attached to the 75th Ranger Regiment shine

Eight Special Operations Airmen were recognized for their valor during a deployment in Afghanistan as part of a 75th Ranger Regiment task force. The Air Commandos came from the 17th Special Tactics Squadron. In conjunction with the Rangers and other American and Coalition units, they completed 129 direct action raids and 153 kinetic strikes. The […]

April 9, 1987: The Special Forces Officer (18A) branch is born

On April 9, 1987, the Army Chief of Staff established a separate branch for SF officers (18A). Previously, in June 1983, the military had authorized a Special Forces tab for SF troops to be worn on the left shoulder. Then, on October 1, 1984, the Army established a separate career management field (CMF 18) for […]

Special Operations units will be the last line of defense in Afghanistan

As U.S. troops have begun withdrawing from Afghanistan after 19 years of warfare, it looks like U.S. Special Operations units are going to be the last bastion of defense in the country. The agreement between the U.S and the Taliban stipulates that American troops are to be gradually withdrawn from the country within a 14-monthly […]

How the Coronavirus is affecting Special Operations training and selection courses

The Coronavirus pandemic has forced Special Operations units to improvise when it comes to their training and selection programs. The Naval Special Warfare Command (WARCOM) has suspended a number of Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) and Basic Crewman Training (BCT) classes; the former course is the first major hurdle to those aspiring to become Navy SEALs, […]

A life in special operations: Ranger Regimental Sergeant Major speaks out

The 75th Ranger Regiment is known for raising its own. Often, privates enter the Army’s premier Special Operations direct action unit right out of high school only to depart years, and even decades, later. Recently, and after 24 years of service with the Regiment, Command Sergeant Major Michael D. Albaugh, the Regimental Sergeant Major of […]

Combat Diver Foundation: Preserving the heritage of combat divers

The Combat Diver Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dedicated to preserving the history of the Combat Diver community. Though the foundation’s story began with a recognition that the class plaques at the Special Forces Underwater Operations School in Key West were under threat by the ravages of time and salt air, CDF’s vision […]