Learn to live and thrive like a Navy SEAL

Across the ages, every great society has celebrated and revered a great warrior tradition and passed on the stories of these heroes in folklore. We can look back to the Spartans, Roman legions, Vikings, medieval Knights, Samurai, or Aztecs, and each time we will find that a strong warrior class coincided with a strong nation. […]

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 […]

Op-Ed: Army Arctic Tab, everyone gets a trophy

This past week SOFREP’s Steve Balestrieri wrote about the newly redesigned Artic Tab and how it spurred controversy. The controversy ultimately comes from egos, a feeling that everyone needs a trophy. Let us be honest; how many tabs does the Army need? The Arctic tab is earned by completing either the Cold Weather Leaders Course […]

Mental health & the quarantine: The unseen wounds of the Pandemic

The impact of the COVID-19 on Individuals and Communities has taken its toll. The COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak has the potential to increase stress and anxiety, both because of the fear of catching the virus and because of uncertainty about how the outbreak will affect all us socially and economically.  The pandemic is presenting every level […]

Working with Shayetet 13, one of the world’s top Naval Special Operations units

On any given day, there’s a decent chance you’ll hear something about Israel in the mainstream media. It’s a hotbed of conflict and religious extremism. No matter how you look at it, Israel is in a constant state of war. My co-worker, Steve Balestrieri, just published an article about Israel possibly “removing” a Syrian General. […]

Situation in Syria remains tense as militias block Turkish patrols

Tensions continue to rise in Syria as all the warring parties jockey for advantage. And a number of recent events demonstrate the fragility of the situation. Yesterday, the Turkish military in Idlib broke up a protest along the all-important M4 highway on Monday after members of Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), a militia group, and civilians […]

April 9, 1987: The Special Forces Officer (18A) branch is born

On April 9, 1987, the Army Chief of Staff established a separate branch for SF officers (18A). Previously, in June 1983, the military had authorized a Special Forces tab for SF troops to be worn on the left shoulder. Then, on October 1, 1984, the Army established a separate career management field (CMF 18) for […]

ISIS terrorists and Syrian troops fight it out around Homs

Islamic State (ISIS) fighters attacked Syrian troops loyal to the government of President Bashar al-Assad. The intense fighting left nearly 50 dead.  The fighting took place, according to the U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), around the villages of Badiya Al-Sukhnah and Badiya Al-Sham in Syria’s central province of Homs. ISIS fighters tried to […]

The Pic of the Day: A glimpse into Special Forces selection during Corona

Candidates assigned to the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School attempt to push a jeep through a muddy trail during Special Forces Assessment and Selection at Camp Mackall, North Carolina March 14, 2020. Candidates who attended the three-week assessment and selection were evaluated on their ability to work individually and as […]

Quarantine: The best time to smash your PT numbers for SOF selection

Considering that I love to powerlift, do CrossFit workouts, and participate in mandatory arm day every Friday, this whole quarantine situation is a dark cloud over my gym life right now. In the past few weeks, I have found myself doing A LOT more running (not my most favorite form of working out), combined with […]

Army: No N-95 masks in uniform, effective immediately!

Fort Bragg yesterday published new guidance for the military including its policy on masks. And it appears the military is way more concerned with its force looking uniform than with truly keeping its soldiers safe. “I’m not going out to search for special colored fabrics. My husband will be going in with whatever colored pillowcase […]