USSOCOM

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 […]

With the coronavirus on a rampage around the world, how could this impact our national security in the future? What is the real cost of COVID-19, and how can we afford next year’s budget? The president has proposed a $45.8 billion government-wide funding package that will provide DoD with $8.3 billion to assist in dealing […]

With the recent 14th anniversary of Marine Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC), the latest addition to U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), it is important to remember how it all came to be a reality. Much has been discussed about the success of MARSOC, but less is known about why it was formed — and what […]

In its quest for more effective close-air support (CAS), the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is turning away from the Air Force and is looking to purchase its own aircraft. According to a solicitation published on the U.S. government’s site, SOCOM is looking to set up a fleet of at least 75 armed overwatch aircraft. […]

The attacks of 9/11, which seem so long ago, caught the United States by surprise. There were some warning signs that were missed by our intelligence and law enforcement agencies but pointing the finger isn’t the purpose here. The last 16 years have seen our forces fighting a different kind of war, with a different […]

Over 40-years ago, Iranian militants seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran, and took 98 hostages. The majority of them would be held for 444 days until they would be freed just before Ronald Reagan became President.  The events that unfolded during the crisis would put in motion the creation of the United States Special […]

In the Netflix series, “Daredevil,” superhero-lawyer Matt Murdock has an, arguably, unfair advantage over criminals in court: He can use his heightened senses to measure changes in a person’s biometrics like heart rate, perspiration and temperature. Over the years, he’s developed a pretty attuned understanding of how these physiological responses correlate with things like nervousness […]

Nine people were hurt, with one listed in critical condition, after a 38-foot Coast Guard vessel collided with a U.S. Navy vessel of approximately the same size off the coast of Alaska on Wednesday. The Coast Guard vessel had just completed a helicopter hoist training exercise in conjunction with a nearby Coast Guard Air Base. […]

There are some things that stand the test of time and Richard Gatling’s invention of the earliest days of the American Civil War has certainly fit that description. Gatling was an inventor who fashioned the first machine gun, although a different design by most standards. His basic design with many modern variants is still in […]

Contrary to what you’ll see in most action movies, bullets don’t actually travel through water very effectively at all. When a round impacts the water, it very literally impacts, often breaking apart or tumbling off of its trajectory because of the water’s density. As we’ve covered here at SOFREP before, it doesn’t take much water […]

In a recent installment of the SOFREP series, “Inside the Team Room,” host Aaron “Rad” Radl sat down with former Navy SEAL sniper instructors Brandon Webb and Charlie Melton to talk training, combat, and their transition into civilian life. After leaving service, Melton made headlines a few years ago when he led a team of […]

Way back in 2013, SOCOM Commander Adm. William McRaven announced plans to develop a high-mobility suit of armor that could better protect the first special operators tasked with entering contested spaces. This new suit was to be developed around an exoskeleton that would not only permit a high degree of mobility, but also bolster the […]