Change Detection – Warfighters finally have a “Cheat-Sheet”

Almost immediately following the swift 2003 defeat of Saddam’s forces in Iraq, US and Coalition Forces were confronted with an adversary that brought an onslaught of overwhelming and indiscriminate violence never anticipated by even the sharpest military strategists.  Quickly becoming the number one killer of military personnel, the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) forever changed the […]

SOCOM Needs to Improve Cyber Terror Policy & Long Term Strategy

I write this with great respect in having served with the men and women of US SOCOM. I’m a thirteen year, six month veteran of the US Navy SEAL Teams, and have deployed to southwest Asia five times and had one son born when I was chasing AQ in the north of Afghanistan in 2001. […]

Apache Crash: When Density Altitude and Ego Collide

I’ve been in a lot of Helos as a SEAL and Search & Rescue Crewchief (AW) in H60F & H’s, and this is a prime example of not having situational awareness to realize the effects of density altitude (thin air) and even worse– putting peoples lives at risk. I’m a 500 hour instrument rated pilot […]

The Switchblade UAS: Is Everyone Now a Sniper?

I want to introduce one of our newest and most qualified contributors, Travis Lively.  Travis is an Industry heavy weight when it comes to all things UAS (Unmanned Aerial System). He’s also a former teammate who we used to call the “Mayor of Bahrain” but that’s another story.  Travis is a damn good writer and […]

GySgt. Robert L. Gilbert, Fallen MARSOC Operator

Gunnery Sgt. Robert L. Gilbert II, 28, of Richfield, Ohio, died March 16, 2010 of wounds sustained on March 8th while supporting combat operations in Badghis province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion, Marine Special Operations Regiment, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command. Rob was severely wounded while on patrol […]

MARSOC Operator Needs Help – a Call to Action

We usually talk about the men and women who’ve given the ultimate sacrifice in these ongoing wars, but today I want to speak of one man who survived.  On August 16, 2009, MSgt Eden Pearl (2d MARSOC) was traveling in a vehicle that was struck by an IED. He was thrown 30 feet from the […]

Military Free Fall Advanced Tactical Infiltration Course

Advanced Tactical Infiltration Course sharpens freefall techniques Military freefall is as relevant as ever in operational environments where roads are littered with IEDs, and extensive early-warning networks update the bad guys on troop movements. “We like to be able to knock on an enemy’s back door without them knowing we’re in their yard,” Sprouse said. […]

MARSOC Sniper and Barrett M107 SASR in Afghanistan

It was late December 2009 and our 14-man Marine Special Operations Team (MSOT) was tasked with conducting a Joint/Combined operation to seize a key piece of terrain in Bala Morghab River Valley.  Our partner for this mission was a squad (-) of 82nd Airborne Paratroopers and a small detachment of Afghan National Army Soldiers (6). […]

Force Recon VBSS

Initially, when MARSOC was stood up, they rolled the majority of the Force Recon Operators into the newly created unit, and disbanded Force Recon. This left a large operational hole in the Marine Expeditionary Unit’s (MEU) capabilities. With no Force Recon detachment and the fact that SEALs no longer float, the MEU had no direct action or […]

SOF TV: ALLAH AKBAR!

When you’re cold and deep in the mountains there is nothing quite like starting a fire to warm the bones, and it provides a little entertainment.  There’s something primal and good about starting a warm fire, not that you can do this operationally, most of the time it’s sleeping boots on and gun at the […]

Exercise Bold Alligator – MARSOC on point

USSOCOM – SOF Truth #5 “Most Special Operations require non-SOF assistance” Bold Alligator 2012 involved more than 25 naval vesicles, 14,000 personnel from 5 different countries. This was the largest Joint/Combined exercise in 10 years and reinforced more of a traditional large scale amphibious landing and assault operation. MARSOC was set center stage for the […]

Act of Valor – A Marine’s Take on the Movie

I had a cool day on Friday. A bit of range time and then caught Act of Valor with a DevGru buddy of mine, and about 20 other guys that shot with us (he owns a training company, so it was a little company event).  I wanted to give you guys a Marine’s perspective on […]