21st Special Tactics Squadron Commandos receive 90 medals

On July 24, 2020, members of the Air Force’s 21st Special Tactics Squadron, along with their friends and family, joined together for a special awards ceremony. The squadron’s most recent deployment was in 2019. It involved members deploying to three different locations and fighting against six different extremist organizations. Due to the actions of the […]

When the British secret service trolled al-Qaeda with cupcakes

One might assume that an international intelligence apparatus like Britain’s MI6 would wreak havoc when hacking into a terrorist-affiliated website. The truth is they did little more than likely annoy al-Qaeda after hacking a recruiting website. The result wasn’t exactly devastating unless you’re someone who hates cupcakes. It’s hard to imagine even the most hardcore […]

The ‘Deep State’ and its threat to national security

It is with a healthy mindfulness of the need for wisdom and humility in the face of complex discourse that we introduce the author’s personal opinion of the notion of a so-called “deep state” in American politics. It is not the author’s intent to investigate matters outside his understanding, nor to imply disrespect towards different […]

Valor in Afghanistan: Marine Raiders receive 8 medals for bravery under fire

Last week, several Marine Raiders received awards for their actions during a deployment in Afghanistan. In total, the Raiders, who are assigned to the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion, received eight medals. The team chief of the Marine Special Operations Team (MSOT) that was involved in the action received the Silver Star (the third-highest award for […]

SEAL Teams are getting a new and improved delivery vehicle

Naval Special Warfare is in the process of taking delivery of the new Mark 11 SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV) in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. According to SOCOM’s maritime program executive officer, Captain Kate Dolloff, two of these Mark 11s have already arrived, allowing SEAL SDV operators to begin the familiarization process. The Mark 11 will replace […]

Combat Medicine to Go Through Significant Changes

The latest trend in the U.S. military is “near-peer conflict.” After nearly two decades of mainly counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations, the Pentagon is changing gears. It is taking a step back in time to a more Cold War setting in preparing for conflict against potential adversaries like Russia and China.  We can argue that open […]

The Outpost: Tense, riveting, and true, a must-see war film

Hollywood has already delved into the long war in Afghanistan by showcasing Special Operations units. The film 12 Strong, for example, portrayed the Green Berets in the war’s early days as the U.S. sent the first troops into the country to fight against the Taliban. Zero Dark Thirty was about the raid in Pakistan by […]

The Business of Drugs: A Navy SEAL & a CIA officer tackle the drug trade

What happens when a former Navy SEAL and a former CIA officer get together and decide to study the drug trade? A splendid and gripping documentary series. The Bussiness of Drugs, which premiers today on NETFLIX, offers an original approach to the international drug trade. Created and produced by former Navy SEAL and journalist Kaj […]

Thank you for your suicide: The ugly consequences of purposeless wars

Linda, an Army veteran, went into the bathroom late one night to shoot herself in the head. Her family and the world would be better off without her, she thought to herself. Plus, she wanted to finally put an end to the bad dreams. Her convoy was struck by a roadside bomb in 2010 taking […]

Special Operations close air support aircaft questioned by Congress

The plan for a Special Operations aircraft that would provide close air and overwatch support to American commandos is under question by Congress. The idea for the Armed Overwatch program spawned from the need to provide sufficient platforms to support Special Operations troops and their partner forces in low-intensity conflict scenarios. The inability of the […]

22 a day, we have to work together to end Veteran suicides

It seems that scarcely a week goes by without hearing of another Special Operations soldier that has committed suicide. This week was no different and as always it follows an all-too-familiar pattern.  A SOF soldier that has seen too many combat deployments and has resultantly suffered both physical and mental injuries, commits suicide after seemingly […]

Special Operations Command to upgrade Ghostrider gunships and Commando II aircraft

The U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) will be upgrading its fleet of AC-130J Ghostrider and MC-130J Commando II aircraft with the addition of countermeasures systems against air and ground threats. Last week, SOCOM awarded Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) a $700,000,000 contract for the development and procurement of Radio Frequency Countermeasure (RFCM) systems. The RFCM system […]