While it could be said that every unit which falls under the “special ops” umbrella is comprised of operators who can move, shoot, and communicate with lethal efficiency, different units developed to address specialized challenges. As the years wore on, and particularly since the onset of the Global War on Terrorism, lines may have blurred […]
Alex Hollings
Check out the magnetic system Navy SEALs use to climb ships like Spider-Man
America’s special operations units have seen a dramatic uptick in the missions sets they’ve been tasked with throughout nearly two straight decades of the War on Terror, but despite some overlap in combat operations, each specialized unit has a specific area of expertise to draw from. The Navy SEALs, as most could assume from their […]
The warrior’s dilemma: My biggest parenting challenge has been renegotiating my relationship with death
On Thanksgiving Day this past November, something incredible happened: my wife gave birth to my beloved baby girl. It had been a long road, much longer than 9 months, and far more difficult a journey than most people realize. The birth of my daughter was more than a momentous occasion for my wife and I, […]
Check out this underwater pistol Heckler & Koch built for the Navy SEALs
One of the things movies always get wrong about firearms is how water will affect the way a bullet travels. Even in the otherwise-almost-too-real “Saving Private Ryan,” bullets are shown flying through water almost exactly as they do in the air: on a straight trajectory and with a lethal amount of kinetic energy. The truth […]
Why do Navy SEALs hate the SCAR?
For many of us from the conventional side of the military (or who never served at all) the FN Scar tends to carry with it a certain appeal. As a rifle designed specifically for Special Operations troops (SCAR actually stands for Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle), it’s hard not to look at the jagged […]
These are the elite warfighting units throughout history that inspired modern American special operations
It can be said that the need to band together in groups is intrinsic to what makes us human beings. Long before the dawn of civilization, humans gathered together in like-minded groups in order to offer one another protection, defend resources, and share the mental and physical challenges of survival. Forming a cooperative group, or […]
The glaring problem with your plan to defend your home
It’s not at all uncommon to find articles breaking down the proper techniques you should employ when clearing your home, just like it’s easy to find articles discussing and debating what the best possible firearms are for that specific (and dangerous) set of circumstances. I love reading these pieces and participating in the dialogue they […]
Watch: This is what full-color night vision looks like
There is no question that night vision technology has revolutionized the way wars are fought, particularly among America’s special operations community. That said, anyone who’s been stuck wearing the sort of night vision goggles (NVGs) that find their way into the hands of conventional forces can attest that television rarely provides an accurate portrayal of how tough […]
Watch: Ever wonder what a tank could do to your old SUV?
Here in the U.S., we tend to only see large armored vehicles like tanks parked at local National Guard installations. They resemble large metal works of art, rather than the mighty war machines they truly are. Even if you happen to spot a tank scooting around the Motor T lot, the chances you’ll see one […]
Watch: After crashing in the wilderness, pilot films his efforts to get rescued
On July 27, pilot Matt Lehtinen found himself living his worst nightmare. While flying alone in his single-prop aircraft over the remote Quebec wilderness, the plane suffered a mechanical failure that put it into an unrecoverable descent. After crashing into the dense forest (using parachutes to slow his fall), some people might have taken a […]