SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES

Paratrooper: Following in my Father’s Footsteps

Today we’d like to share another story from one of our readers. Heath Hansen is a paratrooper and grew up watching his dad jump out of a perfectly good airplane with the 12th Special Forces Group, while a youngster. His story is one about continuing the legacy between father and son and the bond of […]

Fire and Ice: Iceland’s elite “Viking Squad” SWAT Team

“Never walk away from your home ahead of your axe and sword. You can’t feel a battle in your bones, or foresee a fight.” — The Hávamál (Viking book of knowledge), circa 1000 A.D. Occasionally here at SpecialOperations.com we get article submissions from authors, that we believe that our readers will enjoy. And this one from Warren Gray, […]

Talos “Iron Man” Was Always A Pie in the Sky Option For SOCOM

Opinion: Coming back to reality was the first order of business for USSOCOM this winter. The command finally admitted that the Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit or TALOS project was not even close to being a reality, which we reported after attending the SOFIC Conference in Tampa two years ago. The entire concept was flawed […]

Meet Special Reconnaissance, a new career field in Air Force Special Operations

Soldiers with 2-20th Special Forces Group (Airborne) as well as other members of the special operations community prepare to conduct a mock-nighttime assault on the Grenada Dam in Grenada, Mississippi January 20, 2019. The exercise involved a simultaneous assault from multiple points, with the intent of gaining control over an insurgent-held dam. Southern Strike 2019 […]

Rucking Questions Answered, More Advice, Practice…Less Worry

As always during the winter months, we get a lot of questions about Selection once the cold weather classes begin. And as per usual, the majority of questions pertain to rucking, land navigation (the Hoffman “Dagobah System”) and general preparedness. So, to answer the questions, the best way to answer is to actually go out […]

Learn How To Prepare For Cold Weather Prior to Selection

Because most of our military bases are in the southern United States, one area that can be neglected, especially when preparing for Special Operations training is cold weather training. It is surprising how many young people who enter the military don’t know or understand the basics of cold weather preparation. First some of the basics; […]

Rucking Trails in Deep Snow? Try Something New, Go Snowshoeing

We publish a daily workout regimen that we post for all of the aspiring Special Operations candidates to properly prepare themselves physically for the various Selection courses. And Sunday was supposed to be a long rucksack march. But Mother Nature decided to throw us all a curve here in the Northeast. Our first major winter […]

Rucking in the snow: It just adds to the workout benefit

With the winter months upon us, the cold, wet weather has been a frequent visitor. If you are preparing for one of the Selection Courses, you have to prepare for the conditions that you’re dealt with. It is what it is. And when it involves rucking, it can be challenging, but actually, if you look […]

Don’t be a Babylonian, stick to those new year’s resolutions

We hope that all of you had a fantastic, happy and healthy Christmas and New Year. And now that the holidays are over we can, hopefully, get back to somewhat of a normal schedule. As we’re all creatures of habit, to varying degrees. And the New Year is the subject of today’s piece here. Specifically […]

Special Operations Selection: Breaking up your training routines

For many of our readers who are preparing for taking the big leap into one of the Selection courses, we try to help you get ready for the challenges here by posting a daily piece on the physical training program that we feel will help you achieve your goal. But sometimes it is good to […]