The Pic of the Day: A rare peek inside a Ranger armory

The Pic of the Day: A rare peek inside a Ranger armory

U.S. special operations service members conduct combat operations in support of Operation Resolute Support in Afghanistan, February 2019. RS is a NATO-led mission to train, advise, and assist the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces and institutions. An assortment of weapons can be seen inside the armory, including: M3 Carl Gustav recoilless rifles M4A1 carbines […]

Army chooses security forces over Green Berets for counter-drug deployment to Colombia

Army chooses security forces over Green Berets for counter-drug deployment to Colombia

The United States is sending one of the Security Force Assistance Brigades (SFAB) to Colombia to teach, advise, and assist Colombian counternarcotics forces as the country once again has seen a rise in the cultivation of illegal narcotics.  What makes this deployment so noteworthy is that the SFABs will be working for the first time […]

Special Operations Warrior Foundation: A noble cause worth supporting

Special Operations Warrior Foundation: A noble cause worth supporting

One of the constant reminders of the cost of endless wars is the human toll they exact. This is not just confined to soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines, but to their families too. Every time a warrior is either killed or seriously wounded in battle, his or her family is left to pick up the […]

News from the foxhole

News from the foxhole

Hey folks, June is around the corner, and with it another exciting month packed with content. Steve Balestrieri sits down for an interview with the president of the Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF), a non-profit organization that supports Gold Star families and ensures that the children of fallen commandos receive an education. In a much-anticipated […]

The Pic of the Day: Recon Marines and their drones

The Pic of the Day: Recon Marines and their drones

A reconnaissance Marine assigned to the Maritime Raid Force, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), prepares to launch an RQ-20 Puma aboard a combat rubber raiding craft May 24, 2020. The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and 26th MEU, supported by air power from the Aviation Combat Element of the ARG/MEU, including AV-8B Harriers and attack helicopters, […]

Why the US will never fully back an independent Kurdistan

Why the US will never fully back an independent Kurdistan

The ongoing ethnic and religious strife in Iraq creates an opportunity for Kurdish nationalists to realize their aspirations and declare independence. Although the Kurds are a nation with a common culture, a shared identity, and have civic organizations that pursue nationalistic-type goals, they still do not have an internationally recognized state. And as we shall […]

Combined Special Operations raid kills two ISIS leaders in Syria

Combined Special Operations raid kills two ISIS leaders in Syria

On May 17, a combined Special Operations raid killed two regional Islamic State leaders in eastern Syria. The assault force was comprised of a U.S. Special Operations element and a Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) partner force. In a press release, Operation Inherent Resolve identified the two ISIS leaders as Ahmad ‘Isa Ismail al-Zawi, AKA Abu […]

Honoring the Niger Special Forces team this Memorial Day

Honoring the Niger Special Forces team this Memorial Day

Inconvenient fact: If you peel back the onion and focus on the facts, you will see that the most vocal military veterans on the internet, the ones who scream the loudest, triggered by their own insecurities as they fall into full Budweiser induced retard mode, likely didn’t serve so well. And some didn’t serve at […]

The Special Operations world of Sub-Saharan Africa: South African Recces

The Special Operations world of Sub-Saharan Africa: South African Recces

You can read part one here. Langebaan — Western Cape Province, South Africa. It has a predominantly white population of slightly over 8,000 and is located approximately 120 km north of the iconic city of Cape Town. Langebaan boasts of an ecosystem that is the epitome of natural serenity and the lagoon waters of its […]

The Pic of the Day: Navy SEALs love the snow

The Pic of the Day: Navy SEALs love the snow

Navy SEALs demonstrate winter warfare capabilities during an exercise in Alaska. SEAL candidates go through the Special Operations Forces Cold Weather Maritime Training Facility (SOFCWMTF) during the SEAL Qualification Training (SQT) course, which comes immediately after the Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) selection process. They spend approximately a month in Alaska learning about arctic warfare, winter […]

Less pull-ups, more intellect: The new approach to Special Operations recruitment

Less pull-ups, more intellect: The new approach to Special Operations recruitment

It is no secret that Special Operations Command (SOCOM) has a growing shortage of operators and is experiencing an ongoing struggle to meet training quotas. In previous articles, I have talked about the manning shortfalls within the Special Operations community and the dwindling number of people that are capable and willing to make it through […]

Darn Tough: Finding the right sock for Rucking is incredibly important

Darn Tough: Finding the right sock for Rucking is incredibly important

One of the most frequently asked questions we get, from those of you who are about to embark on a career in Special Operations, concerns rucking and how to best prepare to hoist the big green pain pill around our southern military bases.  We have written countless times about proper fitting boots and socks and […]