The Pic of the Day: Special Tactics Air Commandos bridging the gap

A U.S. Air Force Special Tactics operator stands by while his team conducts a forward arming and refueling point mission with USAFE aircraft during Operation Rapid Forge on Amari Air Base, Estonia, July 16, 2019. Special Tactics is a U.S. Special Operation Command’s tactical air and ground integration force, and the Air Force’s special operations […]

GROM: An exclusive look into Poland’s premier counter terrorism unit

In 2013, our team had an opportunity to visit Poland and their premier counter terrorism unit, the GROM. For the first time ever, a US film crew was allowed inside their compound and granted exclusive interviews with GROM operators. Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 the GROM have been deployed alongside US Special […]

The Pic of the Day: Paratroopers on the move

A group of U.S. Army Paratroopers, assigned to Attack Company, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, moves out towards its objective in Army Ground Mobility Vehicles (AGMV) during Exercise Immediate Response at Udbina, Croatia, on May 15, 2019. Exercise Immediate Response is a multinational exercise co-led by Croatian Armed Forces, Slovenian Armed Forces, […]

Extreme combat fitness: British Paras ruck over 500 miles

Physical fitness is one of the core pillars of effective soldiering and it has been since time immemorial. Whether it was in ancient Greece where the formidable Spartans and Macedonians developed superb strength to withstand the physical rigors of Hoplite combat, or in Early Middle Ages Scandinavia where the Vikings developed an extraordinary muscular endurance […]

A new star is born: Meet the Hellenic Joint Special Operations Command

After years fraught with disputes and skepticism, the Greek government has decided to establish a new Joint Special Operations Command (ΔΔΕΠ). The new Hellenic JSOC will answer directly to the Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) and will most likely be comprised of two components: a “Tier 1” and “Tier 2” component (these […]

The Pic of the Day: Shooting Javelins is fun

A U.S. Army soldier from the 3rd Platoon, Apache Troop, 1st Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment fires the Javelin anti-tank missile during the 1/2CR live fire exercise during Saber Guardian 2019 near Várpalota, Hungary, on June 5, 2019. 1/2CR is currently supporting SG19, an exercise co-led by the Romanian Land Forces and U.S. Army Europe that […]

The Picture of the Day: Making new friends in Romania

Private First Class Scarlet Wilson, a medic with the 1st Platoon Comanche Troop, 1st Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment stationed in Vilseck, Germany, speaks with 2nd Lt. Roxana Ciolan, a civil affairs officer with the Romanian Armed Forces First Cimic Battalion. Both were at a static display in Sibiu, Romania, where both U.S. and Romanian soldiers […]

Major changes coming to British Special Forces

The winds of change are blowing fiercely across the geopolitical chessboard, propelling countries to adjust and adapt to remain competitive. Nation-level conflict is once more the focus of Western militaries following decades of counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations, and special operations forces (SOF) are fighting to remain at the tip of the spear. According to the […]

The Pic of the Day: Blasting targets and slaying dragons

U.S. Marines with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Africa 19.2, Marine Forces Europe and Africa, prepare to fire their M4 carbines during a combat-marksmanship range on Morόn Air Base, Spain, on June 3, 2019. SPMAGTF-CR-AF is deployed to conduct crisis-response and theater-security operations in Africa and promote regional stability by conducting military-to-military training exercises […]

The Pic of the Day: ETA, three minutes!

Aboard a U.S. Army CH-47 helicopter from the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, U.S. Army Rangers assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment and Italian Army Rangers with the 4th Alpini Regiment signal three minutes to landing on their way to conduct a raid at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, on April 25, 2018. […]

Op-Ed: Will Italy’s Matteo Salvini cater Trump’s favor for political gain?

It’s possible that in the next few days, Matteo Salvini—Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior—will land in the United States to achieve Donald Trump’s favor. For his election campaign, the leader of the Italian League was inspired by the American president motto “America First”, replacing it with “Italy First.” But who is Matteo […]

The Pic of the Day: Dutch Raiders train with U.S. Marines on Carolina coast

U.S. Marine Cpl. Cody Hebert, right, a dog handler with 2nd Law Enforcement Battalion, II Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, and a Royal Dutch Marine with the 32nd Raiding Squadron, prepare to patrol during Dutch bilateral training at Camp Lejeune, N.C., on April 2, 2019. Bilateral training between the U.S. Marine Corps and the Royal […]