Secretary of the Navy fired over Navy SEAL drama

Acting upon the orders of the White House, the Secretary of Defence has fired the Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer over the ongoing debate about a controversial Navy SEAL’s right to remain in the SEAL Teams. According to an email statement given to the Navy Times, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman stated that Defense Secretary Mark […]

Spec Ops Infantry? It won’t work

This article should start with the statement that this isn’t an attack on Major General Robert Scales at all. Scales recently wrote an intriguing piece on how to try to “bottle SOF” and make our United States infantry units in the Army and Marine Corps as good as our SOF operators.  Scales earned a Silver […]

“Alive”: A fitting Veterans Day documentary for everyone

 “Alive” is a documentary by award-winning director Stephanie Soechtig that focuses on five American soldiers, who were seriously injured during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Scheduled for general release on November 11 at 9:00 p.m. by Epix, the film is a fitting tribute to watch on Veterans Day.  SOFREP was given an exclusive first […]

And thus ends the legal saga of the SEAL who was accused of war crimes

After more than a year since he was first accused, the legal saga of Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher has come to an end. And the verdict is that he will be demoted to the rank of Petty Officer First Class (E-6) and forfeit almost $3000 of pay/month for four months. In October 2018, military prosecutors […]

Future US-Iraqi relations uncertain as Baghdad is gripped by protests

In recent weeks, and as discontent has been rising throughout the country, tens of thousands of Iraqis have taken to the streets of Baghdad to demonstrate. During the past two years, since Iraq’s declaration of victory against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, institutional problems have resulted in large scale protests. Like in Lebanon, […]

Just weeks after Syria pullout, US troops return to defend oil fields

Just weeks after President Trump ordered the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Northern Syria, troops have returned to defend oil facilities from falling into the hands of the Islamic State. There were approximately 1,000 American troops in Northern Syria when President Trump announced, “It’s time to come back home,” earlier in October, but with this […]

‘On me!’ — Watch Delta shooters and Kurdish SOF raid ISIS compound

With everyone praising Delta Force and the rest of the assault force for the killing of the leader of ISIS, it’s worth taking a moment and reflecting the operations and sacrifices that have led to this moment. Delta has led the campaign against ISIS since 2015, either by conducting surgical raids or unconventional warfare in […]

Wiping the slate clean: How the US obliterated any chance of an al-Baghdadi shrine

Last Saturday night, approximately 70 special operators hailing from Delta Force’s A Squadron and the 75th Ranger Regiment stormed a compound in the Idlib Province of Northeast Syria with orders to kill or capture ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The mission has been hailed as a complete success, with no American troops lost and one […]

Fraying at the edges: Elite SOF aviation unit faces critical pilot shortage

According to a manning report, the elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (160th SOAR), also known as Night Stalkers, is facing significant manning shortages. The report, first obtained by the Army Times, concerns the final quarter of Fiscal Year 2019. It reveals the following numbers of pilot shortages: With regard to the MH-60 Black Hawk […]

The Hero that got hurt in the weekend ISIS raid is named Conan — what a good pup!

Earlier today, President Donald Trump released the first image of the military working dog that was injured during Saturday’s dramatic raid that culminated in the death of ISIS leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The dog, whose name the president said remains classified (but is rumored to be Conan), was injured when al-Baghdadi chose to kill himself […]