Iraq

The Video of the Week: Delta Force operator speaks about his career in SOF

Retired Sergeant Major John “Shrek” McPhee served for over 20 years in the Army. All of his operational time was spent in Special Operations units, including the 75th Ranger Regiment, the Special Forces Regiment, and Delta Force. He has has some interesting advice on SOF selections. You can follow him on his website.

German top Special Operations unit rocked by right-wing scandal

The top Special Operations unit of the German military has once again been rocked by a right-wing scandal. Last month, German law enforcement officers, in conjunction with the German military intelligence agency (MAD), raided the residence of a sergeant major who was assigned to the Kommando Spezialkrafte (KSK), the Tier 1 Special Operations unit of […]

Unknown drones whack Iranian militia base in Syria

An Iranian proxy militias’ base, in the eastern Syrian city of Deir Ezzor, was hit by airstrikes. The attack killed at least 12 militias, who were reportedly from Iraq and Afghanistan. This attack comes just a few days after an Iranian base in Misyaf was similarly wracked by airstrikes. The U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human […]

Air Force sergeant arrested for deadly IED ambush in California

An Air Force sergeant has been arrested and is facing murder charges for the death of one police officer and the wounding of two in an ambush that involved several Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), last Saturday in California. Sergeant Damon Gutzwiller, a deputy with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, was killed during the incident. […]

Russia beefs up its military presence in northeast Syria

Amid reports of further standoffs between American and Russian troops in northeast Syria, outside of the city of Derik near the Turkish and Iraqi borders, comes more evidence that the Russians are trying to beef up their military presence in the area by building a base in the Kurdish-controlled territory. The U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for […]

Why the US will never fully back an independent Kurdistan

The ongoing ethnic and religious strife in Iraq creates an opportunity for Kurdish nationalists to realize their aspirations and declare independence. Although the Kurds are a nation with a common culture, a shared identity, and have civic organizations that pursue nationalistic-type goals, they still do not have an internationally recognized state. And as we shall […]

Where the Red Man Treads: Delta’s William “Chief” Carlson

William “Chief” Carlson came to Delta Force from one of the Green Beret groups around 1995. He was a Siksika warrior from the Blackfeet tribe of Montana. He was man whose reputation preceded him wherever he went in our community; no matter where you were at, there would be guys in your organization who had heard […]

C-RAM: The weapon system behind the video that went viral

A video depicting the defense of an American base from incoming Taliban rockets has gone viral, gaining more than 6 million views every day. The video, which was uploaded a year ago, shows a C-RAM weapon system wreaking havoc in the night. The radar-controlled rapid-fire 20mm gun is formidable, to say the least. It’s comprised […]

Before the Marine Raider community had a name, they had a flag

“All it takes is all you’ve got.” – Christopher Antonik KIA 11 July 2010 Long before the Raider community had a name, there existed an ethos. Only the men who already had that ethos branded deep within their core were accepted into that fraternity of rough and ready men. There was no coddling or coaxing. […]

The IFAK: An essential high-speed low-drag life-saving equipment

In a combat situation, the medic is not the first line of response. Each member of a unit is trained on how to save their lives and the lives of the people around them. During a Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) scenario, the first step is Care Under Fire. During this stage, the number one […]

Semper Fi? Marine Corps leadership disappears when warfighters need them most

Semper Fidelis. Latin for “always faithful.” It symbolizes the lifelong commitment held by every Marine for the Corps and America, a promise reciprocated by the Corps to all Marines. That is what the Marine Corps advertises. The unfortunate reality for numerous warfighters, particularly from Marine Corps Special Operations units such as MARSOC (Marine Forces Special […]

48 years ago, the A-10 Thunderbolt flew for the first time

Few U.S. Air Force aircraft are as popular among the ground troops of the military as the A-10 Thunderbolt, aka “The Warthog.” And it is as unpopular with our foes in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan as it is popular with our troops. The distinctive sound of the jet’s high-bypass turbofan engines is enough to make […]