Category: SOF

Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewmen (SWWCs) pride themselves in being subject matter experts and jacks of all trades simultaneously. As all special operations units do, SWCCs operate in small groups in harsh and remote environments. This unique mission set requires operators to become very good at their respective jobs because most likely, they won’t have any […]

A Special Forces junior officer is to be kicked out of the Army with just a two-week notice following a personal transgression that took place years ago. In 2015, the Green Beret captain, whose name hasn’t been published for personal security reasons, had had an extramarital affair with the wife of a fellow soldier, according […]

In yet another move to increase its combat effectiveness and retention, the 75th Ranger Regiment rolled out the PHALANX program. The initiative is centered on three pillars: Human Performance (performance enhancement opportunities, holistic health assessments, world-class offsite care tailored to each individual) Career (mastery of Ranger fundamentals and competences, more time in key positions — […]

When it comes to medical care under fire it’s hard to find a better remedy than Special Operations combat medics. Last year, two Ranger combat medics proved that fact by saving the lives of six of their brothers during an operation that went south in Afghanistan. And they did so by implementing medical procedures that […]

I remember Jonny Kim as a new guy at SEAL Team 3 and later when he checked into sniper school at the old bunker complex south of Coronado, California. He had a quiet intensity and determination about him that years later I still remember. When I was a sniper course manager for the west coast […]

A Navy SEAL has successfully completed the NASA Astronaut program. Last week, Lieutenant Jonny Kim graduated from the course and now is qualified for missions to the International Space Station and the moon. Kim enlisted in the Navy in 2002. After successfully completing the grueling Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) and SEAL Qualification Training (SQT) courses, […]

Facing a concerning shortage in special operations personnel, the U.S. military grapples with the reality that, despite the high costs and rigorous standards of training, fewer young Americans are stepping up to join the elite ranks, possibly due to growing societal comfort and diminishing physical and mental aptitude.

A seasoned Special Forces operator was killed during Military Freefall training. Master Sergeant Nathan Goodman died on January 14 while conducting routine training with his unit in Eloy, Arizona. The causes of his death are under investigation. Assigned to the 3rd Special Forces Group (3rd SFG), MSG Goodman was a veteran of eight deployments (four […]

Becoming a Navy Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman (SWCC) is no easy task. The SWCC selection pipeline is designed to weed out the weak and to create a training environment that simulates the stressful conditions that are experienced in real-world situations. If an individual is not physically and mentally prepared, they have very little chance to […]

The MH-47G Chinook helicopter fleet, one of the most important aviation assets of the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), is getting a new countermeasure system aimed at improving its survivability on the battlefield. More specifically, the MH-47Gs are being outfitted with the AN/AAQ-24 LAIRCM. This enhancement is a Directional Infrared Counter Measures (DIRCM) system that […]

Special Forces soldiers from the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) received dozens of combat medals, among them three Silver Stars, the nation’s third-highest award for valor under fire, for their actions during a single deployment to Afghanistan. In addition to the three Silver Stars, during the six-month deployment, the 2nd Battalion, 7th SFG operators received […]

March 4, 2002. Takur Ghar, Afghanistan. As the sun shyly emerged, a SEAL Team 6 reconnaissance element was about to get in the fight of its life. Designated as MAKO 30 and led by Senior Chief Petty Officer Britt Slabinski, the reconnaissance team was part of a Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) task force that […]