International students training at the Naval Small Craft Instruction and Technical Training School (NAVSCIATTS) participate in a field training exercise near John C. Stennis Space Center in Mississippi on May 8, 2019. NAVSCIATTS’ Special Operations Forces Tactical Patrol Leader course is a seven-week course designed for company-level junior officers and senior enlisted personnel that provides […]
During a U.S. House Armed Services Committee hearing last Tuesday, Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan told lawmakers the long-awaited Niger ambush report will go through yet another review. The report concerns the botched Niger operation that took place in October 2017 and cost the lives of four Americans. Justifying his decision, Shanahan said his […]
The British Ministry of Defense plans to establish a specialist Gurkha unit to further enhance the combat effectiveness of the Gurkha Brigade. The 3rd Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles will be a specialized infantry battalion with approximately 300 personnel. The new outfit will be responsible for conducting Foreign Internal Defense missions around the world. And there […]
Bad exits or landings during parachute operations aren’t uncommon. Throwing people, often laden with dozens of pounds of equipment, out of an aircraft inevitably invites trouble. Parachuting is inherently dangerous, whether the jump is static line (the parachute opens automatically as the paratrooper exits the aircraft) or free fall. Naturally, parachute training is complex and […]
Beards are alright; you’ll notice I have one in almost every picture or at the very least a little scruff. Lord knows I hate shaving (which is, mostly, why I have one) and my wife says I look like a scary man-child with a shaved face. Beards are really cool when you’re in the military, mostly […]
A U.S. Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) came under attack today in the Bar-Sanguni area near Kismayo in Somalia. The U.S. Special Forces team was in the process of constructing a new Forward Operating Base (FOB) with a large local partner force when they came under sustained mortar fire and machine gun fire from […]
During my time embedded with Kurdish Peshmerga forces, I spent the majority of it in a training and advising role when not conducting combat operations. With this position I have come to acquire a vast amount of experience in what it requires to train soldiers to specific standards. There are basically two routes when it […]
Over the years, many have lamented the end of Special Forces, foreseeing the destruction of the Green Berets, a slipping of training and selection standards, and plenty of general navel-gazing about how it “use to be.” Hell, I remember buying a copy of Soldier of Fortune magazine in the PX at Fort Bragg over a […]
In the tactical world, the word instructor is widely overused and has become an over-saturated description for many people. The meaning has become null in the sense that instructing and teaching are two very different approaches to the problem and the solution. For real world applications (high threat) instructing the solution isn’t enough as to […]
And I discovered that my castles stand Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand -Coldplay- The American major was ready to murder the two top government officials […]
Last March, China quietly deployed troops to Syria. The soldiers, according to Chinese officials, trained members of the Syrian army, offering advice on medicine and logistics. Despite how little fanfare surrounded this move, it was, in fact, very significant: this is the first time China has sent troops to the Middle East for any reason […]
One of our readers asked if we’d discuss some of the training that goes into Unconventional Warfare, which we’ll from this point address as UW. But it is kind of putting the cart before the horse somewhat. Many of, if not most of our readers at SpecialOperations.com are aspiring candidates to become members of our […]
Praesidus builds rugged, American-assembled watches inspired by historic military timepieces. Designed for accuracy and tested for endurance, each watch is made for outdoor explorers, everyday adventurers, and anyone who needs reliability when it matters.
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Have you ever tried to wear a fleece hoodie in bad weather? We don’t recommend it. That’s why we founded BÆRSkin in 2019 – to create the world’s best outdoor gear that’s just as comfortable at home as it is durable outdoors. “Bad fitting, bulky, and boring” is how we felt about 1000’s of regular fleece hoodies we tested.
If you’re 21 or older and use nicotine or tobacco, charge ahead with Black Buffalo, America’s only credible smokeless tobacco alternative. Black Buffalo dips just like the real thing without the tobacco leaf or stem. Find Black Buffalo in Wawa, Circle K, Sheetz, Love’s, Pilot, Racetrac, and many more retail locations across the United States.
Stay Locked In. No Matter What. NEORON is a brain-boosting beverage built for the mission: sugar-free, crash-free, and engineered for clean, tactical focus through long hours and high-stakes operations. Made for those who grind, stay sharp under pressure, and refuse to fold—if failure isn’t an option, NEORON has your six.
Our roots in shooting sports started off back in 1996 with our founder and CEO, Josh Ungier. His love of airguns took hold of our company from day one and we became the first e-commerce retailer dedicated to airguns, optics, ammo, and accessories. Over the next 25 years, customers turned to us for our unmatched product selection, great advice, education, and continued support of the sport and airgun industry.
