Lawmakers debate major changes for US special operations forces

The winds of change are blowing through the United States’ Special Operations Forces (SOF) as lawmakers debate significant changes to the mandate of the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). According to a March 2019 report by the Congressional Research Service, USSOCOM is trying to pass an amendment to the Unified Command Plan that would greatly […]

Major changes coming to US special operations forces

The winds of change are blowing through the United States’ Special Operations Forces (SOF) as lawmakers debate significant changes to the mandate of the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). According to a March 2019 report by the Congressional Research Service, USSOCOM is trying to pass an amendment to the Unified Command Plan that would greatly […]

YouTube bans Navy SEAL who exposed stolen valor cases

The online video platform YouTube decided to suspend the account of a retired Navy SEAL known for exposing numerous cases of stolen valor. Known for his direct manner and incisive humor, retired Senior Chief Petty Officer Don Shipley used his YouTube account, tagged Buds131, as a hammer against military imposters, specifically Navy SEAL imposters. His […]

“It’s not our fault”: Pentagon releases preliminary report on special operations’ ethics, professionalism

After a lengthy investigation, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) concluded its review on America’s Special Operations Forces (SOF) ethics and professionalism. The results are rather ambivalent. The Pentagon didn’t find any systemic or structural reasons for the numerous high-profile incidents that negatively rocked the spec ops community over the past few months. Nonetheless, the […]

SEAL and Marine Raider seek plea deals in exchange for Melgar murder information

In an interesting development in the murder trial of Special Forces Staff Sgt. Logan Melgar, two of the four accused special operators are negotiating plea deals with the government in exchange for information about the murder. According to the Military Times and the Daily Beast, these men are Navy SEAL Chief Special Warfare Operator Adam […]

Special Operations Hall of Honor inducts 20 new members

In January 2019, the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) inducted 20 special operators and Medal of Honor recipients into its prestigious Commando Hall of Honor. The honorees represent military personnel from all branches except the U.S. Coast Guard. The actions that led to their induction span across decades of American small and large military engagements. […]

Naval Special Warfare reactivates stealthy SEAL unit on the East Coast

After an absence of 11 years, the Naval Special Warfare Command (NSWC) decided to reactivate SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team Two (SDVT-2) to serve as the dedicated East Coast SDV unit. An SDV task unit is an operational unit responsible for planning, coordinating, and operating submersible systems. Usually, SDV task units have numerous SDV/SEAL platoons. The […]

The newest maritime facility where SEALs and other special operations units will be training

A new private maritime training facility promises to provide the most realistic training possible to maritime special operations units such as Navy SEALs, Marine Raiders, or Special Forces dive teams. BEI Maritime, a company that specializes in realistic maritime training, is building an indoor training facility that will be able to hold everything from a small […]

Exclusive report: Which US Special Operations unit has the highest attrition?

Special Operations units are famous for their arduous selection and assessment programs. All four service components of the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) boast that they offer the toughest challenge to those aspiring to join their units’ elite ranks. In an attempt to increase the success rate of its selection programs, SOCOM has released a […]

The politics behind Navy SEAL Gallagher’s war crimes trial

Two U.S. congressmen penned a letter to President Trump on behalf of Special Warfare Operator Chief Officer Edward Gallagher, asking that he directly intervene in the court-martial proceedings of the Navy SEAL. U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., and U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-FL sent the request in an obvious attempt to turn a military trial into […]