Tag: green berets

The pair of MH-60 Blackhawks roared past the target building. One of the birds came into a hover, and operators started fast-roping. Time was of the essence. They were supposed to have hit this target some minutes before. The ISIS cell leader that was inside might have already left. An MH-47 Chinook carrying the blocking […]

Green Berets from the 1st Special Forces Group (1st SFG) conduct Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS) training somewhere in the Pacific ocean. The 1st SFG is responsible for Asia. Each Special Forces Group is comprised of numerous Special Forces Operational Detachment Alphas (ODAs). The ODA is the basic ground unit that gets deployed. Manned […]

Fuerzas Comando is a military exercise consisting of a skills competition between military and police Special Operations teams from the Western Hemisphere. The event will be hosted by Colombia in 2020. Teams from about 20 countries, including the United States, will be taking part in the challenging contest, which promotes military-to-military relationships, increases training knowledge, […]

First off, let me preface this article with the fact that I definitely don’t think I’m some gift from God that has come down from the heavens to judge others and act like I know everything. I do feel very fortunate and lucky to have accomplished and experienced the things that I have so far […]

A U.S. Army Special Forces team assaults a building during a close-quarters battle demonstration for Marines with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response-Africa in Baumholder, Germany. The ability to rapidly secure buildings allows Special Forces teams to complete a variety of missions ranging from hostage rescue to the suppression of enemy forces in an […]

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 […]

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.

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 […]

U.S. Army Special Operation Soldiers with 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) fire M224 handheld 60mm mortar system at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC), Twentynine Palms, Calif., Oct. 16, 2019. The Green Berets used the MCAGCC training areas to refine detachment tactics and prepare for combat operations

This is the type of phone call you never want to receive…”I’ve got some bad news for you.” Oh shit, those never are the first words you want to hear out of an old SF friend’s mouth when you get a call early on a weekend morning.  My buddy “S.” was a friend from some […]

A U.S. Army Special Operation Soldier with 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) fires an M4A1 rifle at pop up targets at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC), Twentynine Palms, Calif., Oct. 18, 2019. The Green Berets used the MCAGCC training areas to refine detachment tactics and prepare for combat operations.

Soldiers who came from a light infantry or a Ranger battalion will have already mastered the art of rucking for long distances. For soldiers coming from a different background, that is where they are sailing into uncharted waters.