Could a Spec Ops base in Syria be in danger of being overrun?

The presence of a small, but strategically important, Special Operations base inside Syria might be in jeopardy after Congress raised concerns about its security. Last week, Congress requested the Department of Defence (DoD) and the Director of National Intelligence Retired Vice Admiral Joseph Maguire, a former Navy SEAL, to assess the threat level of the […]

JSOC General who commanded the Delta Force ISIS raid now in charge of Army SOF

The officer, who commanded the Delta Force raid that killed Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS, is now in charge of all Green Berets. Last month, Major General John Brennan replaced Major General E. John Deedrick Jr at the helm of the 1st Special Forces Command. The 1st Special Forces Command oversees the seven Active […]

No more SEALs: Navy pauses expansion of SEAL Teams

A proposed expansion of the SEAL Teams has been put on hold by the Navy leadership over concerns that it could jeopardize the operational effectiveness of the Navy’s elite. Senior Navy leaders believe that the Naval Special Warfare Command (NSWC) isn’t ready to withstand an expansion — that is, a healthy productive expansion — since […]

SEAL Team 6 was minutes away: Taliban prisoner recounts failed rescue attempts

An Australian who was recently released by the Taliban believes that SEAL Team 6 came agonizingly close to rescuing him six times. Timothy Week, an Australian teacher, was abducted, alongside his American colleague Kevin King, from Kabul in 2016. He was released after the U.S. and Australian governments struck a hostage exchange deal with the […]

RAVEN: How Marine Raiders prepare for combat

What takes place before a Marine Raider unit is deemed ready to deploy downrange and pour some hate onto the nation’s enemies? The answer is RAVEN. This final certification exercise is a scalable unit readiness test that encompasses many command structures and capabilities. It can assess, for example, the leadership qualities of a whole company […]

Former Special Operator receives SEAL K-9

A former SOF operator received an unexpected gift during an event hosted by the Navy SEAL Museum. The SOF operator was presented with Silver during the Museum’s 34th Annual Muster and Music Festival that took place on November 8/9. Silver is a Special Operations Military Working Dog (SOMWD). “Working with our veterans remains a primary […]

NATO activates new regional SOF command

In trying to increase its effectiveness and interoperability, NATO has created yet another mini Special Operations Command. In late October, Hungary, Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Austria (a NATO partner) signed a memorandum of understanding for the creation of the Regional Special Operations Component Command (R-SOCC). Hungary, as the framework nation (i.e., the nation which launched […]

Making SOF and conventional canines deadlier

Canines have become an integral part of the military. Whether it’s a Navy SEAL platoon or an Air Force Security Forces team, Military Working Dogs (MWD) are a key addition to the team. The four-legged warfighters bring a lot to the table. Among many tasks, they can act as scouts, detect explosives, sniff out bad […]

Female Marine becomes the first to pass grueling Marine Recon selection

A female Marine has passed the grueling Marine Corps Basic Reconnaissance Course (BRC). Earlier in November, Lance Corporal Alexa Barth became the first-ever female to graduate from the 12-week course. Although Lance Cpl. Barth has been awarded the coveted 0321 military occupational specialty (MOS), which distinguishes her as a Recon Marine, she is currently going […]