Terrorists still number 1 on Special Operations Command’s target deck

Army Gen. Richard D. Clarke, the commander of SOCOM, addressed attendees virtually on last Tuesday during the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference (SOFIC). He stated that the number one priority for SOCOM operators remains the countering of Violent Extremist Organizations (VEOs). He emphasized that extremism is a “generational issue.” Nevertheless, General Clarke, speaking to the […]

Spec Ops Q&A: Former operator trekking coast to coast in support of MARSOC 3

Editor’s note: This Q&A is with Aaron Vanderbeck, a former Marine Raider and Scout Sniper. Two Marine Raiders and one Navy Special Operations Independent Duty Corpsman, the MARSOC 3 as they are called, are being abandoned by their commanders over charges involving the 2019 death of a contractor and retired Green Beret, Rick Rodriguez. Gunnery […]

What the 2020 Raider Ride means to this former operator

Editor’s note: The author is a former Marine Raider and Scout Sniper. He wrote this in support of his MARSOC brothers who have been wrongfully charged with manslaughter. Please read and support their cause. “Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream” –MLK Jr Quoting Amos Please bear with me a […]

No shortage of work for Special Operators

Special Operators are going to keep being special. That was the theme on Tuesday when General Richard D. Clarke, the commanding officer of the Special Operations Command (SOCOM), virtually addressed the audience during the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference (SOIFC). During this time of relative peace for the U.S.’s conventional military, Clarke stated that Special […]

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 […]

SOF Industry Conference 2020 going virtual

The Special Operations Forces Industry Conference (SOFIC) in Tampa, FL is always a big draw. In 2019, the conference had a record of 16,000 attendees. In the conference, the United States’ Special Operations Command (SOCOM), hosts hundreds of vendors (440 last year) wishing to do business with the military’s special operators.  However, due to the […]

The big ugly elephant in the room: Standards in Special Operations

Let us talk about standards… Oh no. Standards! Not that dirty word again. But it is a very important one. We’ve written about the standards in the Special Forces courses, both regarding Special Forces Assessment and Selection (SFAS) and the Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC) a couple of times. Yet now is a good time […]

A Green Beret’s take on the Salomon XA Forces Mid-Boot

Okay, so anyone who knows me or has read any of my articles in the past knows that I am and have always been a huge Merrell fan. Owner of too many pairs to count, Merrells are my go-to boots for anything. But that may be subject to change. I like to scan and read […]