SOF

Hydration: How much water do you really need to be effective?

Drinking water and remaining hydrated is essential for the human body to survive. I remember during Marine Corps boot camp drinking upwards of 12 canteens of water each day depending on the training evolution. We would take water breaks and have to drink a canteen until it was empty, then hold it upside down over […]

Compact and Lethal: The Sig Sauer P228, a staple Navy SEAL sidearm

As Naval Special Warfare transitions to the Glock 19, it is important to pay tribute to the legendary Sig Sauer P228. As some people know, SEALs have carried the P226, but on the SWCC side of the house, operators have been carrying the P228 – a smaller and more compact version of the P226. Sig […]

After 19 years of war, U.S. troops begin withdrawing from Afghanistan

The United States has begun the initial, gradual withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan in keeping with the peace agreement signed with the Taliban on Feb. 29. The Pentagon confirmed this despite the political chaos surrounding the Kabul government. Under the peace agreement, U.S. forces will be reduced from 13,000 to 8,600 over the next 135 […]

Pentagon identifies fallen Marine Raiders killed in Kurdistan

The Marine Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) has identified the two Marine Raiders, who were killed in action, supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, March 8. The two Critical Skills Operators killed in action are Gunnery Sgt. Diego D. Pongo, a critical skills operator from Simi Valley, Calif., and Capt. Moises A. Navas, a special operations officer […]

Preparing the Special Forces operator for the Unconventional Warfare environment

The task of the Special Forces Assessment and Selection course is identifying the candidates who are suitable for Special Forces training. And two of the primary functions of Special Forces are UW (Unconventional Warfare) and FID (Foreign Internal Defense). It is important that the schools don’t lose sight of that fact as SOF (Special Operations […]

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 […]

Navy SEALs accused of invading Washington State parks

For the past 30 years, the SEAL Teams have had had an agreement with Washington State to be permitted to train on five of their State Parks. Recently, the Navy presented a proposal to the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, seeking access to 29 State Parks for training purposes. These State Parks, many of […]

Special Forces operator hounded by leadership catches a break

MSG Hasenbein is charged, among other things, with Reckless Endangerment, and Aggravated Assault, in violation of Article 128, UCMJ. The incident that forms the basis of the charges occurred on Mar 22nd, 2019, during a pre-mission training event where MSG Hasenbein allegedly assaulted an F3EA role player. LTC Haake recommended General Officer Memorandum of Reprimand […]

Battle of Mirbat: The near Alamo of the Special Air Service

You can read part four here.  July 19, 1972 The small fishing village was still dozing under the monsoon’s early morning mist. A half-mile to the north, behind a small hill, 250 adoo advanced in silence. No sound came from their cloth-muffled Chinese webbing. Their brand-new Russian AK-47s were well-oiled, their RPGs and 12.7mm heavy […]

Airborne Operations can always be an adventure in Special Operations

Just a few days ago, Stavros did a great writeup on how conducting airborne operations in the Third World, with some of our partners and allies who aren’t very well trained, can be… interesting. Many of these soldiers had never even been around aircraft before joining the military, and most of those on their first […]

A failing Army: Most recruits can’t complete basic fitness test

A misty morning at Fort Jackson, SC, basic trainees, currently in week seven and set to graduate soon, are tested on the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT). About 80 percent of them will fail the test. There are six events in total: THREE REPETITION MAXIMUM DEADLIFT (MDL): Deadlift the maximum weight possible three times. STANDING […]

The Pic of the Day: Egyptian commandos visit 5th Special Forces Group

A Soldier with the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) coaches Egyptian Special Operations Soldiers of Unit 999 during room clearing exercises at a training complex on Fort Campbell, Ky., February 10, 2020. 5th SFG(A) Soldiers trained with the Egyptians on a variety of tasks during a two-week-long joint training event designed to enhance the operating […]