SOF Update: U.S. SOF in Libya, Battelle wins USSOCOM NSCV contract, Medal of Honor for Viet SF Vet, F-35A ready for combat, 70th anniversary of MSG, Ex-SEAL wins primary for governor, “Robin Sage” exercise scheduled, NSWC CoC, and the Irish Defence Forces’ maritime counter terrorism force.
“Operation Odyssey Lightning”. U.S. SOF are on the ground in Libya passing data on Islamic State targets to U.S. warplanes flying off the aircraft carrier Wasp. Read more in “U.S. Strikes Help Libyan Forces Against ISIS in Surt”, The New York Times, August 2, 2016. Read a news release entitled “U.S. Strikes Accelerate Gains Against ISIL in Libya”, DoD News, August 2, 2016.
Battelle Wins Armor Contract. The US firm, Battelle, has received a contract to convert commercial SUVs and trucks for use by special operators in combat. The contract by USSOCOM will provide over 500 vehicles – trucks, vans, SUVs, dune buggies, etc. These vehicles are referred to as Non-Standard Commercial Vehicles (NSCVs). Read more in “Armor: Bomb Proof SUVs For Commandos”, Strategy Page, August 3, 2016.
Medal of Honor for SF Man from Alabama. On a secret mission in Laos over 50 years ago during the Vietnam War an Army medic distinguished himself while deep behind enemy lines with a secretive Special Forces unit. Read more in a news report by Alabama.com, August 2, 2016.
Former SF Doctor Appeals Life Sentence. In 1979 Jeffrey MacDonald, a doctor assigned to Special Forces, was convicted of murdering his wife and children. His lawyers have mounted an appeal saying he is innocent. Read more in a story in People Magazine, August 3, 2016.
Runs in the Family. The son of the President of Uganda just happens to be the head of the country’s Special Forces Command. Read more in New Vision (UG), August 3, 2016.
F-35A Ready for Combat. According to the Air Force (but not many critics) the very expensive and not so useful F-35A is “almost” ready for combat missions. Read more in “Air Force Declares F-35A Ready for Combat”, Defense News, August 2, 2016.
NSWC CoC. The Naval Special Warfare Command held a change of command ceremony on August 3, 2016 at Naval Amphibious Base, Coronado. Read the story on navy.mil.
70th Anniversary of MSG Program. The U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Marine Corps celebrated the Marine Security Guard Program’s 70th Anniversary. A ceremony was held at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Virginia. Read more in a state department news release (August 2, 2016).
Ex-SEAL Wins Gov Primary. Former Navy SEAL officer Eric Greitens won the Republican primary for Missouri governor casting himself as a conservative outsider and anti-corruption fighter. Read more in “Ex-Navy SEAL Eric Greitens wins Missouri governor primary”, The Gazette, August 2, 2016.
“Army Ranger Wing”. Read about the maritime counterterrorist training that Ireland’s Irish Defence Force conducts in a news report by the Irish Examiner, August 3, 2016.
“Robin Sage” Exercise Scheduled for August. The U.S. Army’s premier unconventional warfare exercise – Robin Sage – is scheduled for August 13-26, 2016. Read more in a news report by the Salisbury Post, August 2, 2016.
