SOF News Update 20170721 – AFSOC airmen train with MARSOC, female SEALs, foreign born recruits, NYPD CT unit, SOCOM RFI for body sensors, laser-armed C-130s, “Naked Warrior” – Navy SEAL monument, Jordanian murder trial, book review, UK SOF and the media, SOF counter-drone systems, combat side stroke, paper on “Multi-Domain Entropy”, and more.
Special Tactics Airmen Train with MARSOC. Two special tactics airmen spent four months in the beginning of 2017 undergoing training in the first phase of the Marine Special Operations Command’s seven-month Individual Training Course. See “Airmen train with Marines to boost skills, capability”, Air Force Times, July 21, 2017.
Laser-Armed C-130s. The United States Special Operations Command’s top unfunded priority is to put lasers on its C-130s. The lasers would be a moderately low kilowatt laser (at first). Read more in “USSOCOM #1 Unfunded Priority: Laser-Armed C-130s”, GOVCONWIRE, July 21, 2017.
Jordanian Killer of Green Berets Gets Life. The families of three 5th Special Forces Soldiers killed in Jordan by a Jordanian soldier are demanding more action by Jordan. See “Families of Slain Green Berets Demand Further Justice From Jordan”, Military.com, July 21, 2017.
Combat Side Stroke (CSS). Combat divers use the Combat Side Stroke to efficiently move through the water. Learn more in “Introducing the Little Known Combat Side Stroke”, Swimming World Magazine, July 17, 2017.
SOCOM RFI for Body Sensors. The US Special Operations Command in Tampa, Florida has issued a ‘Request for Information’ regarding lightweight, low-powered body sensors to help SOF operators maximize signals intelligence (SIGINT) in war zones (or anywhere for that matter). Read more in “SOCOM Is Looking For Better Eyes and Ears for US Commandos”, Task and Purpose, July 20, 2017.
UK SOF and Media. The United Kingdom has a long standing policy of not commenting on the activities of its special operations units. Lately the SAS has been getting some bad press but the Ministry of Defence is holding fast in not entering the media fray. But there may be a cost to the silence. Read “The Dangers of the UK’s Blanket No Comment Policy for Special Forces”, Real Clear Defense, July 20, 2017. (Some people just want to know everything!)
New Navy SEAL Monument – the “Naked Warrior”. The SEAL community can take pride in the placing of a monument honoring Navy SEALS that has been erected on the boardwalk of Virginia Beach. It is a bronze statue of a World War II Navy combat swimmer wearing swim trunks, a scuba mask, and holding fins. The statue has been dubbed the “Naked Warrior”. Read more in “Navy SEAL monument dedicated at Virginia Beach Oceanfront”, Pilot Online, July 20, 2017.
Two Females Heading to NSW Training. Two females are in the early stages of applying to the Naval Special Warfare ranks. One is looking to become a Navy SEAL while the second is looking becoming a special warfare combatant crewman. Both have long months of training ahead of them before they attain their goal. See “The Navy Gets Its First Female SEAL Candidate”, National Public Radio, July 20, 2017.
SOF Counter-Drone Systems. The US military is expanding its research into the use of counter-drone systems. Check out “Special forces testing new anti-drone systems”, FCW, July 20, 2017.
NYPD’s CT Unit. In the past couple of years the New York Police Department has upgraded its ability to respond to terrorist attacks. It recently established the Critical Response Command – a unit designed to protect NYC against terror. See “Inside New York City’s Elite Counterterrorist Police Unit“, NBC News, July 19, 2017.
Foreign Born Recruits. One of the historical facts about Special Forces in the 1950 and 1960s is the high number of East Europeans who served in 10th Special Forces. These individuals were very valuable to a unit whose mission was to conduct Unconventional Warfare behind enemy lines in Soviet-bloc occupied areas of Europe. Their language abilities, cultural knowledge, and ability to fit into the population made them very suitable for guerrilla and intelligence operations. Even today in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world SOF is using interpreters to conduct their missions. However, one step better would be someone with the same cultural and language skills but wearing a U.S. military uniform. Read more in “I Spent 25 years in the Army. We Need Foreign-Born Recruits”, Esquire, July 21, 2017.
Article – “Multi-Domain Entropy”. Four writers have collaborated on an article on future warfare. One of them is a Special Forces officer – Adrian T. Bogart. Read “Multi-Domain Entropy”, Small Wars Journal, July 19, 2017. (Editors note: this is a drink coffee and read early in the morning article; not drink beer and read late at night).
Book Review – Moyar’s History of SOF. Henrik Bering reviews Mark Moyer’s book on the history of US special operations in Los Angeles Review of Books, July 20, 2017.
