U.S. Army Pfc. Cole Burkhead and Pfc. Wyatt Jester, infantrymen assigned to Able Company, 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry Regiment “The Rock”, 173rd Airborne Brigade, scan for targets during a demonstration at the Gunfighter Gym in Vicenza, Italy, June 22, 2018. The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army’s Contingency Response Force in Europe, providing […]
Green Berets
Gear in the Wild: Aircraft rescue teams training for the worst
U.S. Marines assigned to Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron conduct fire containment drills at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Oct. 12, 2018. The training was conducted in order to maintain proficiency extinguishing aircraft fires in support of the air station’s mission of launching and recovering aircraft. ARFF is a […]
Gear in the Wild: Doorway breaching with Special Operators
U.S. Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (A) breach a doorway as they prepare to enter and raid the objective during Exercise Flaming Sword in Panevėžsy, Lt., May 20, 2016. Since 2012, Lithuanian SOF has organized Exercise Flaming Sword with NATO SOF and allied Partners. The aim of this exercise is to train […]
Gear in the Wild: The power of concealment
A Special Operations Command sniper attached to the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), walks along a ridgeline during a special reconnaissance mission, Feb. 17, 2016, while participating in training at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center at Twentynine Palms, Calif. MCAGCC conducts relevant live-fire combined arms, urban operations and joint coalition level integration training […]
Gear in the Wild: An operator and his dog
A dog handler with U.S. Army Special Forces clears a building during a close-quarters battle demonstration for Marines with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response-Africa in Baumholder, Germany, March 9, 2015. The use of military dogs is an efficient way to detect hazardous materials and locate individuals within a structure. Image courtesy of the […]
Gear in the Wild: Green Beret’s participate in a stress shooting competition
A Green Beret assigned to the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) engages a target from the window of a building during a stress shoot competition held Oct. 15 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The competition tested the Special Forces Soldier’s ability to navigate terrain and obstacles while engaging targets accurately despite his elevated heart […]
Gear in the wild: Maybe he’s born with it…
A Marine Special Operations School’s Individual Training Course student applies camouflage paint during Field Training Exercise Raider Spirit, May 3, 2017, at Camp Lejeune, N.C. For the first time, U.S. Air Force Special Tactics Airmen spent three months in Marine Special Operations Command’s Marine Raider training pipeline, representing efforts to build joint mindsets across special […]
Gear in the Wild: The many uses of a good rope
An Air Force Special Tactics Airman with the 24th Special Operations Wing rappels into the Al-Badia Cave Complex during a personnel rescue mission for Eager Lion on May 13, 2017, in Mafraq Province, Jordan. Special Tactics teams have the ability to conduct personnel recovery missions, from rapid mission planning to technical rescue, treatment and exfiltration. […]
Gear in the Wild: Foreign weapons familiarization with the Kalashnikov AK-47
U.S. Marines and Airmen fire AK-47 assault rifles (also known as Kalashnikovs) during a foreign-weapons familiarization class at Marine Special Operations School’s Individual Training Course, April 10, 2017, at Camp Lejeune, N.C. For the first time, U.S. Air Force Special Tactics Airmen spent three months in Marine Special Operations Command’s Marine Raider training pipeline, representing […]
Gear in the Wild: Sensitive Site Exploitation
A Green Beret assigned to the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) observes activity at a compound during a training mission held February 20 on Eglin Air Force Base in Northwest Florida. The mission required a team of Special Forces soldiers to assault a mock drug-cartel outpost and document sensitive materials found inside. Photo Credit: Capt. […]