Roland and Sibley: Remembering the Men Killed During the Darkest Day in Combat Controller Afghan history
They wouldn’t have traded places with anybody, for anything—and that tells you everything you need to know.
PJ
Discover the Intriguing History of the Term ‘Special Operator’
The term “Special Operator” has become part of the military cool guy lingo, but its origins are more humble than you might think.
SOF Pic of the Day: From our Private Stash-Pararescuemen in Afghanistan
US Air Force pararescuemen from the 83rd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron are shown in Afghanistan
Hairy Riverine Operations With Delta Force
Editor’s Note: Geo’s memoir, Brothers of the Cloth, a true account of special mission unit soldiers, is now available for pre-order. You can purchase it here. No shite, there I was. That is how this sort of story typically unfolds. There’s no moral to it; no special message. Perhaps the message is that when it […]
The Pic of the Day: It’s raining men, hallelujah
Pararescue specialists with the 103rd Rescue Squadron, Westhampton Beach, New York, conduct multi-component training at the National All-Domain Warfighting Center, at Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, during Northern Strike 20 on July 21, 2020. Northern Strike is a National Guard Bureau sponsored exercise that provides readiness building opportunities for units from all services to achieve […]
Air Force revamps Special Operations officer career fields
As with the recent revamp of its enlisted Special Operations career fields, the Air Force created a new specialty code that will now encompass its three officer SOF jobs. Combat Rescue, Special Tactics, and Tactical Air Control Party officers will now fall under the same Air Force Specialty Code (19ZXX), which is the Air Force […]
The Pic of the Day: Air Commandos react to active shooter scenario
Airmen in the Air Commando Field Skills course defend themselves during an active-shooter drill, Mar. 4, 2020, Hurlburt Field, Fla. In preparation for deployments in austere locations, ACFC prepares Airmen for combat in any location.
Ever wonder what Spec Ops climbing looks like? Take a look for yourself
Have you every wondered what it is like to tide side-by-side with Special Operators as they navigate the globe executing the most extreme and authentic Spec Ops training out there? Here is your chance to see firsthand what the pros do to stay sharp. In the first episode of SOFREP’s Training Cell series, the team […]
Air Force creates new pathway for Special Operations candidates
The Air Force has created a new, single pathway to funnel candidates in its Special Warfare specialties. Called the Special Warfare Operator Enlistment Vectoring (SWOE-V) program, the new pathway will pool all those who wish to join one of the Special Operations career fields of the Air Force (Pararescue, Combat Control, Special Reconnaissance, and Tactical […]
Pararescueman recognized for his role in the Thai Cave rescue operation
A Pararescueman (PJ), who played a key role in the rescue of a boys soccer team from a flooded cave in Thailand in 2018, was chosen as one of the 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year. Technical Sergeant Ken O’Brien, who is assigned to the 320th Special Tactics Squadron (320th STS) out in Kadena Air […]
The Pic of the Day: Look at that Pararescueman and his beard
A U.S. Air Force pararescueman assigned to the 82nd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron, deployed in support of Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), conducts close quarter battle drills in East Africa, May 10, 2019. Pararescue is the only career field in the entire Department of Defence (DoD) dedicated to personnel recovery.
The future of Pararescue
This year has been monumental for the Air Force Special Operations community. Early in 2019, the Air Force announced the creation of a new Special Operations job: Special Reconnaissance (SR) replaced and improved the outdated Special Operations Weather Technician (SOWT) specialty. Then, in the Spring, the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) announced that its […]
