Swarm of Armed Drones Attack Russian Bases in Syria

Thirteen low-tech armed drones attacked two Russian bases in western Syria on Saturday. Russian military forces identified the launch location from where the attacks began, but the identity of the attackers is not known. Russia claims that the attackers are a Syrian rebel group supported by Turkey. Ten drones rigged with explosive devices descended over […]

Turkey Summons Top US Envoy Over Syrian Kurds

Turkey is not happy that the US has continued to support and arm Syrian Kurdish fighters, and their foreign ministry has summoned the top US diplomat in the country to voice its “discomfort” over the situation. Turkey’s state-run media, the Anadolu news agency quoting government sources, said that US Embassy Charge d’Affaires Phillip Kosnett was […]

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 7, Day 5

We are heading back to the gym today as we prep for the UBRR with a Chest and Triceps workout. This workout will build your upper body strength. Then a 4-mile ruck march with 45-pounds minimum. Remember to stretch well before and after and to stay hydrated. Mark your progress down in your workout log […]

We Need to do a Better Job With the Invisible Injuries of War

Op-Ed: This weekend I had two very interesting conversations with two brothers who served with me in the Special Forces Regiment and specifically in the 7th Special Forces Group. Both suffered catastrophic injuries and now confined to wheelchairs. And after speaking with both of them, it became clear, that although we in the Regiment and […]

Taliban Seeking New Financing As Drug Trade Suffers

The change in tactics under the Trump Administration of conducting airstrikes on the Taliban’s narcotics processing labs is having an adverse effect on the group’s ability to finance their insurgency in southern Afghanistan and they’re having to find new ways to raise money, including checkpoints on highways, extortion, kidnapping, and smuggling. Taliban officials say they […]

Pakistan Seeing “Increasing Footprint” of Islamic State

Pakistan is facing new challenges in the decades-long battle against terrorism and religious extremism within its borders as a new reports document what is characterized as an “alarming increase” of the Islamic State footprint. This report cannot come at a worse time for the Pakistani government. They are already smarting from statements by President Donald […]

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 7, Day 4

Shoulders and back day in the gym before heading off to do the SOF (Special Operations Forces) Triathlon. A 3-mile run, a 3-mile rucksack march, and a 300-meter swim with fatigues and boots. Aim to go as fast as you can in each event. Get used to swimming with fatigues and boots. It is much […]

Building Rapport: The Difference Between Green Berets …and Everyone Else

We here at SpecialOperations.com gear most of our writing to the younger people of our subscribers who are looking to embark on one of the great careers that Special Ops has to offer. We get tons of questions about how to prepare for this particular training event or that one…but one email asked what, in […]

A Look at the World’s Most Unusual Military Museums

Photographer Jason Larkin has visited military museums all around the world. And the pictures he’s taken pictures in Egypt, Vietnam, Cuba, and the UK among others shows an intriguing glimpse of how different countries remember their conflicts. They recall scenes from Dr. Strangelove, or Thunderbirds: the photos taken by Jason Larkin have a simplicity and […]

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 7, Day 3

Tuesday is our favorite Leg Day at the gym, but we’ll begin with pull-ups, squats, and lunges to build up the strength in your lower body. That builds the muscles necessary for carrying a rucksack, which is the bread and butter of SOF. Then a four-mile run in 32 minutes or less which is the […]

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 7, Day 2

Some good pretest work for the Upper Body Round Robin (UBRR) with many of the exercises that will be tested. Always go for perfect form when doing the pushups, it will be an area that is always looked at hard during the PT tests in Selection. After the exercises, a three-mile run, the standard is […]

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 7, Day 1

It is time for our Sunday morning ruck march. We’ll do a six-mile course today over varied terrain, aim for a time better than the standard of 90 minutes. Do a quick warmup of pushups and sit-ups before heading out. Stretch well both before and after the ruck march. Remember to drink plenty of water […]