Army 2018 – Russia has just held its largest arms fair and conference at Park Patriot, located to the west of Moscow and whilst members of their SOF were not very conspicuous, they could be seen if you knew where to look. The event, titled International Military-Technical Forum < Army 2018 > took place 21-26 August, 2018.

Park Patriot exhibition and conference centre covers some 200,000 square metres, and contained some 1,209 international and national organisations and companies, who were exhibiting some 18,523 items. On display were combat helicopters, drones and both Radar and weapon systems (including strategic missiles). Equipment could also be inspected at close quarters, along with weapons, some of which were available to fire on an adjacent firing range.

Over 300 military vehicles, landing-craft and some 506 armoured vehicles were also on static display, of which many took part in live fire tactical demonstrations held on the adjacent Alabino Military Training Grounds or nearby Komsomolskoe lakes. Military aircraft and helicopters were also either on static display or demonstrated at the nearby Kubinka Russian Air Force Base.

The week-long event – Army 2018 – was attended by some 550,000 international and national visitors and media, who were hosted in seven national pavilions hosted by Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Slovakia, South Africa and China. China also provided the “21st August” aerobatic team, who demonstrated their Chinese Air Force J-10 multirole fighter.

Amongst this vast array of Russian military personnel were also members of the Russian Special Forces. However, tracking them down was harder as many wore civilian clothing. But their equipment was easier to locate and inspect.

I guess that if many were asked to name a Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) or Counterterrorism Unit, they would probably name their elite “Alpha” unit. They came to light in the 1993 Nord-Ost theatre siege. However, they do not deal with the majority of terrorism incidents in Russia. That responsibility falls to the “Spetsial’nyy Otryad Bystrogo Reagirovaniya” (SOBR) or “Special Squad Rapid Reaction Teams”, who handle most armed incidents in Russia, ranging from suspected terrorists held up in houses to domestic-violence standoffs.

In 1980 the Special Purpose Police Unit (OMON) was formed under the authority of the “Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation” (MVD). This was considered the true predecessor of Russia’s current SOBR teams. However, the role of this team is considered distant to that of the OMON teams.

After being renamed the “Special Rapid Response Unit” (OMSN) in 2002, then OSN in 2011, the name finally reverted to SOBR in 2012. Control of the SOBR units was then transferred to the new Russian Rosguard, known sometimes as the Russian National Guard, from the MVD in 2016, along with the OMON. This effectively deprived the MVD of any real counter-terror or paramilitary operational capabilities. Nevertheless, as of 2016, SOBR was believed to contain some of eighty-seven detachments containing approximately 5,200 staff.

In 2013 the Russian Military established its own special unit called “Special Operations Command” and known by the Russian acronym “KSSO”. This 2000-man strong unit is reported to be still a work in progress, but continues to build up its capabilities. This unit is part of a much larger community of special designation forces in Russia, known as Spetsnaz. These units are embedded in Russia’s land, naval, infantry and airborne brigades, and are believed to contain some 9,000 to 10,500 staff. They and other special operations units are attached to intelligence agencies such as the “Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation”, or FSB.

In March 2013 a Special Operations Centre was created for the Russian Ministry of Defence and located in Kubinka. It is staffed by some 500 professional soldiers and adjacent to Kubinka Air Base.

Whilst attending the arms fare and Kubinka Air Base, I regret not having time to take a closer look at one of the centres resident units – Kubinka-2. They specialize in Counter-Terrorism and their “Operators” (Onepatop) have adopted the nickname “The Sunflowers”. Their main mission is Counter-Terrorism and therefore incorporates hostage rescue, elimination of terrorist cells and intelligence gathering of terrorist threats. They also take part in close protection of VIPs and are specialists in unconventional warfare.

However, like Arnold Schwarzenegger promised – “I’ll be back.

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Photo: Russian All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) by Pat Carty. All other images from the official website of “Army 2018”.

Author: Pat Carty is a NATO accredited journalist who covers military news, events, operations, and exercises; including special operations forces. He is a contributor to SOF News as well as several other military defense publications.

]]> 8094 https://sof.news/casualties/ssg-matthew-pucino-memorial-foundation/ Mon, 10 Sep 2018 05:00:07 +0000 http://www.sof.news/?p=8066 The SSG Matthew Pucino Memorial Foundation, Ltd provides for the emotional and physical needs of combat wounded soldiers and their families and to the families of the fallen. Matthew Pucino died at the age of 34 in November 2009 in [...]]]>

The SSG Matthew Pucino Memorial Foundation, Ltd provides for the emotional and physical needs of combat wounded soldiers and their families and to the families of the fallen.

Matthew Pucino died at the age of 34 in November 2009 in Afghanistan while deployed with his Special Forces detachment. He joined the Army shortly after the terrorist attacks on September 2001. Upon completion of his initial training and graduation from the Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC) he was assigned to the 5th Special Forces Group based at Fort Campbell. While with 5th SFGA he deployed to Iraq twice on Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). He then left active duty and joined the 20th Special Forces Group (National Guard) and was assigned as an Intelligence Sergeant to an SF ‘A’ detachment. When not deployed or training with the 20th SFGA he worked as a contractor for NEK Advanced Securities Group and deployed to combat zones in support of DoD programs.

The SSG Matthew Pucino Memorial Foundation conducts a number of fund-raising events that benefit the foundation’s projects. These include an annual golf tournament, an annual motorcycle ride (see Blackbeard’s Ride), and special events like the Night of Excellence recently held in Boston, Massachusetts. The staff at SOF News is very familiar with the foundation – it is a class act and an organization worthy of your support!

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For more information:

Matthew Pucino Memorial Foundation
www.matthewpucinofoundation.org/

SSG Matthew Pucino Biography – USASOC Fallen Heroes
www.soc.mil/Memorial%20Wall/Bios/Pucino_Matthew.pdf

Photos: The top image used with the permission of the SSG Matthew Pucino Memorial Foundation. The second photo of SSG Pucino is from the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) Memorial Wall.

SOF News Update 20170301 – NVA Commandos in Vietnam War, SOLIC Symposium, Russia’s Delta Force, strategic CT failure, movie about Green Beret Bo Gritz, USMC’s new sniper rifle, National Geographic’s “Chain of Command” – 3rd SFGA in Niger, and SOF cameraman.

A Return to Writing. The holiday season has passed (quite a few weeks ago), vacations are over, and a long-term, intensive writing assignment is nearing completion. SOF News will now resume its (almost of daily posting of SOF related news) and the publishing and emailing of its weekly newsletter. Another big writing project looms ahead so . . . no promises. In the meantime – enjoy. If you have any news to share with the SOF community send it to staff@sof.news.

North Vietnamese Commandos. A LTCOL, Commandant of the Special Operations Training and Education Centre in Australia, writes about the activities of the NVA commandos that contributed to the overall broader strategic campaign of North Vietnam. Read “Special Operations for Strategic Effect: Vietnamese Communist employment of Commandos in War”, The Cove, February 27, 2018.

Operation Halyard. Read the story of one of the greatest rescue missions of American airmen conducted by a three-man OSS team dropped into Serbia during the Second World War. Hundreds of American and allied airmen were airlifted out of Yugoslavia and back into Allied control. Read “Operation Halyard, One of the Great Rescue Stories of WWII”, Special Operations.com, February 28, 2018.

SOLIC Symposium. The National Defense Industrial Association’s 29th annual SOLIC Symposium began on February 28th in Arlington, Virginia. One keynote speaker was Mark Mitchell – a career Green Beret officer – and currently the principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low intensity conflict. Read a news report of his comments in “Special Ops Must Be More Lethal, Effective, Efficient, DoD Official Says”, by Jim Garamone, DoD News, February 28, 2018.

Belguim Parachutist Dies in Yuma, Arizona. A member of the Belgian Special Operations Forces died during a training accident in Arizona. (Stars and Stripes, February 28, 2018).

Retired SF General Now Supports Veterans. Brigadier General (Ret) Don Bolduc has retired to the quiet life of New Hampshire after a long career of serving in the U.S. Army and in Special Forces. His last assignment prior to retirement was as commander of Special Operations Command Africa (SOCAfrica). But now he is on a new mission – providing support to veterans. Read “Bolduc: People Come  First”, The Laconia Daily Sun, March 1, 2018.

SOF Recruiting Problems. USSOCOM is facing a recruiting challenge that may force it to be more choosy about the missions it takes on in the future. “Pentagon Official: Recruiting Problems Could Alter Special Ops Mission”, Military.com, February 28, 2018.

Army Spouse of Year. A Gold Star Spouse and wife of a 1st Special Forces Soldier has been selected as the “Army Spouse of the Year“. (DVIDS, February 25, 2018).

7th SFGA Vet’s Wife Faces Deportation. The wife of a retired Green Beret is facing deportation to her native country of Honduras. She is caught in a ‘catch 22’ situation regarding her legal status. Read “Wife of 7th Special Forces Group vet faces deportation under tighter immigration rules”, Army Times, February 28, 2018.

NSW and Army SOF Aviation Train with French. Naval Special Warfare units and U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command crews conducted interoperability training with a French amphibious assault ship in the Arabian Gulf in February 2018. See “U.S. and French forces participate in contingency training”, DVIDS, February 28, 2018.

Russia’s Delta Force. Russia is slowly building the capabilities of it’s 2,000-man strong KSSO – an organization similar to the U.S. Delta Force. The KSSO is a part of the much larger community of special designation forces in Russia – known as Spetsnaz. Read “Russia Has a 2,000 Strong ‘Delta Force’ That is Ready for War”, National Interest, February 28, 2018.

Strategic CT Failure? Alex Gallo, a senior associate with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and former Deputy Director and now Fellow with the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, says we need to innovate in our counterterrorism policy – failure to do so could make the “long war” truly the forever war. Read his article in “Strategic Counterterrorism Failure? Why We Continue Doing the Same Thing and Expecting Different Results”, Modern War Institute, March 1, 2018.

U.S. Navy SEAL Survival Handbook. This book provides information from basic camp craft and navigation to fear management and strategies for coping with any type of disaster. It has 150 color photographs and covers life-saving information on weapons, survival tools, finding water, wildlife for food, shelters, signaling, sea survival, and more. It is now available at the Navy SEAL Museum online shop.

Movie about Bo Gritz. One of the Army’s most decorated soldiers from the Vietnam conflict was LTC (ret) Bo Gritz. He is quite the personality that achieved even more fame after his retirement from the Army. He twice ran for President, engaged in private sector POW rescue missions into Laos, and was pictured on the cover of Soldier of Fortune Magazine. A movie has been published about Gritz that claims to accurately portray his career, exploits, and life. You can watch the movie trailer of Erase and Forget (January 2018) at the link below.
http://eraseandforget.com/trailers/

TV Special – SF in Niger. The 3rd Special Forces Group of Fort Bragg, NC was featured in National Geographic’s special entitled Chain of Command: Part 8, ‘Why We Fight’. The one-hour long program aired on Monday, February 26th. It was a moving program that depicted the deployment of a 3rd SFGA detachment on deployment to Niger and then – later the memorial service at the JFK Chapel on Ardennes Street, FBNC for four of the team members who died in an insurgent ambush in Niger. The program is available online at .
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/chain-of-command/videos/part-8-why-we-fight1/

USMC’s New Sniper Rifle? The Marines are interested in the M110A1 Semi-Automatic Sniper System (CSASS). Read “The Marine Corps May Finally Get a New Sniper Rifle – Just Not the One They Need”, Task and Purpose, February 22, 2018.

Interview of SOF Combat Cameraman. A combat cameraman is interviewed by Marty Skovlund, Jr. about his time as a young PFC assigned to Task Force in combat zones to film combat footage during missions. Watch this 7-minute interview of the combat photographer published on February 28, 2018.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1_eTOaj1lw

353rd SOG and Cobra Gold. The 353rd Special Operations Group has completed joint training with the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) that included low-level flights, military free fall, and other tactical exercises. (DVIDS, Feb 23, 2018).

Photo Credit: HALO jumpers awaiting the green light. Photo is from page 5 of ARSOF 2022, a USASOC pub.

Foreign Weapons Familiarization Course – Members of Chapter 54 of the Special Forces Association (SFA) recently attended a foreign weapons familiarization course in Ayer, Massachusetts – adjacent to the area of the former Fort Devens. Fort Devens was the installation that housed the 10th Special Forces Group prior to their move to Fort Carson, Colorado in the 1990s. The two-day event included instruction and range firing of a large number of foreign pistols, rifles, assault rifles, and machine guns.

The event, held at the Ayer Gun and Sportsman’s Club on 24-25 June 2017 (Saturday and Sunday), was hosted by Chapter 54. The instruction and range operations personnel was provided by Vinny A. Pestilli & Associates. The gun club was very hospitable providing the classroom, facilities and range. The gun club also put on a barbeque on Saturday night – to include ‘beverages’ (after range firing of course).

Favorable weather was a key factor for the forty-plus strong contingent of retired Special Forces Soldiers that took part in a fun and educational weekend at the gun club. Not everyone was old – as there were some SF off-spring in attendance – learning a little about what their Dad’s did in the Army. There was a three-man element from Company C, 1st Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group located in the western Massachusetts area as well.

Although many in the group of retired Green Berets had fired most of the weapons before (especially if they were a former SF weapons man) it probably had been quite a few years since they had handled a tripod-mounted, belt-fed PKM Machine Gun. It was a sight seeing some of the 80-year-old plus ex-SF dudes throw their canes to the ground and pick up the Thompson submachine gun to put some rounds downrange. There was plenty of ammo and quite a few ‘ceasefires’ had to be called to set up new targets.

Vincent Pestilli, President of the Eleven Bravo Training Company located in Brownfield, Maine, provided the numerous instructors and range safety personnel to ensure there were enough firing positions to cycle the participants through all the weapons. There were over 30 different weapons fired on the range. In addition, there were over 70 weapons on display. All the weapons were provided by Vincent as well as the ammunition.

The morning sessions were classroom instruction in a very nice facility of the Ayer Gun and Sportsman’s Club that covered the history, description, and mechanical function (to include hands-on weapons breakdown) of the various weapons. The instruction started off with a presentation of the Russian weapons (AK 47, AK 74, AK 100, SKS Carbine, Mosin Nagant 1944 Carbine, SVD Sniper Rifle, RPK and RPD Light Machine Guns, Soviet PPSH 41 Submachine Gun, and PKM Machine Gun (belt-fed).

Later instruction covered other foreign weapons such as the H&K family of weapons, Israeli Galil SMG and UZI, NATO weapons, sniper rifles, and various tactical machine guns. Some of the more interesting weapons on display and fired on the range included the Thompson Submachine gun and the H&K Briefcase SMG. These weapons prompted a bit of camera action capturing men in poses looking very dangerous despite getting on in years!

Vincent and his group of very knowledgeable instructors travel across the United States and overseas providing foreign weapons familiarization, instruction, and range firing opportunities to various law enforcement agencies and military units from all service components. His courses are custom-tailored to the organization and can be anywhere from one-day to several weeks long. His firm specializes in Russian and NATO weapon systems.

This was the 3rd Annual Foreign Weapons Familiarization Course held by Chapter 54 and plans are to continue the very popular event. There was a nominal charge to attend with proceeds covering the cost of the weekend range firing and the profits going to the Chapter 54 college scholarship fund. This was the first year that I attended the range firing event and I will certainly sign up for next year’s event as well. Chapter 54 of the Special Forces Association is based in the Massachusetts area with members that come from across all of New England. Visit the Chapter 54 SFA website for more information.

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John Friberg, the author of this article, was a SF weapons man in the early years of his Army career. While attending the Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC) in the early 1970s he went through the Special Forces Weapons Course. He was one of eight students in the months-long class and enjoyed an instructor to student ratio of 3 to 1. Many, many, many long hours were spent on the range trying to expend all the ammo for countless types of U.S. and foreign weapons (light and heavy) allocated to that class cycle accompanied by lots of hands-on training cleaning guns and mortars in the weapons pool on Fort Bragg later in the day.

Upon graduating from the “Q” course he was assigned to a SF ODA and immediately came under the protective umbrella of a senior detachment Weapons Man (a two-tour Vietnam vet with time in CCN). The senior constantly quizzed him on the cyclic rate of fire for obsolete and obsure weapons like the Finnish Suomi KP/-31 or how to train up the team on the “Australian Peel” in a reaction to ambush from the front on a live fire range. Eventually John escaped the harassing fire of the Senior Weapons Sergeant and found comfort in the relative safety of the Detachment Intelligence Sergeant position after graduating from the O&I course (when it was hard).

Blackbeard’s Ride 2017 – The Matthew A. Pucino Foundation, LTD provides for the physical and emotional needs of combat wounded Soldiers and their families. The foundation runs a number of events in New England and across the country to raise funds for its activities. One of these events is the annual Blackbeard’s Ride – a motorcycle ride that helps to keep the name and memory of Matthew Pucino alive and raises funds for a worthy cause. [1]

Matt Pucino was a Special Forces Soldier who lost his life at age 34 during a combat tour in Afghanistan in 2009 while deployed with his Special Forces team. He was serving with Company B, 2nd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), a National Guard SF unit based in Glen Arm, Maryland. Matt was serving on his third deployment in support of the Global War on Terror. During a previous tour in Iraq he was serving with the 5th Special Forces Group based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. [2]

Ride Events. The motorcycle ride took place on Saturday, July 8th in eastern Massachusetts. It began on Main Street in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts and ended at the Plymouth, Massachusetts Veterans for Foreign Wars (VFW). Activities included a BBQ, entertainment, and raffles. This was the 7th Annual Blackbeard’s Motorcycle Ride.

About the Foundation. The Matthew A. Pucino Foundation, LTD is a tax-exempt and tax-deductible 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. The foundation has assisted with travel to and from the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, provided for rehabilitation needs, traumatic brain injuries, and depression. The foundation also supports the Green Beret Foundation and other veterans service organizations. [3]

Video of Blackbeard’s Ride 2017. Watch a three-minute long video of Blackbeard’s Ride 2017 posted on YouTube.com by the SSG Matthew Pucino Foundation.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZ5SzLbr9SI

Footnotes:

[1] Matthew A. Pucino Foundation, LTD
www.matthewpucinofoundation.org

[2] Read a biography of SSG Matt Pucino posted on United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) Fallen Heroes Memorial Page.
www.soc.mil/Memorial%20Wall/Bios/Pucino_Matthew.pdf

[2] Read more information about the Matthew A. Pucino Foundation.
www.matthewpucinofoundation.org/about-the-foundation/

Every year a group of U.S. Army Special Forces Soldiers conduct a Green Beret wreath laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia to honor the late President John F. Kennedy. Senior level defense officials and a representative of the Kennedy family also take part in the ceremony.

President Kennedy was a keen observer of modern day conflict (1950s – 1960s). He had a strong appreciation of how insurgencies had grown – whether anti-colonial (nationalistic) or communist (supported by the Soviet Union) in nature – to confront the interests and goals of the United States around the world. Much of the non-traditional conflict that the United States was faceing in this time period was a result of the competition between the United States and the Soviet Union -known as the “Cold War”.

To deal with these “national wars of liberation” that threatened U.S. interests and it’s allies President Kennedy set out to ensure that our military forces embraced the concept of Unconventional Warfare.  He ensured that elite units like the U.S. Army’s Special Forces and U.S. Navy SEALs received the support from their parent service in terms of resources, money, and equipment.

As President Kennedy was a huge supporter of the Special Forces community. Part of the legacy of the Green Berets can be attributed to JFK – which is why after all these years the SF community continues to honor this late president in the Green Beret wreath laying ceremony.

Read more in “John F. Kennedy Wreath Laying Ceremony 2016”, DVIDS, October 19, 2016.

A Special Forces charitable organization will be honoring US Special Forces members at the Green Beret Foundation Tribute in a fundraiser held in New York City on Wednesday, November 16, 2016. The proceeds will go toward supporting Green Berets and their families. The event provides an extraordinary networking opportunity to meet some amazing people.

The “key note” speaker will be Mike Waltz – a Green Beret with multiple combat tours. Mike is the president of Metis Solutions, an international strategic analysis, intelligence support, and training company. He has served in senior policy roles in the U.S. Government as well as authored a book entitled Warrior Diplomat – of which the net proceeds are donated to the Green Beret Foundation. Mike regularly provides commentary on counter-terrorism and foreign affairs for FOX News, CNN, BBC, PBS Frontline, and Voice of America.

The public is encouraged to purchase tickets for attendance or to make a donation to the Green Beret Foundation Tribute.

The 28th Annual SO/LIC Symposium & Exhibition will be held February 14-16, 2017 at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center. The event is hosted by the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA). SO/LIC, for those new to the SOF community is short for Special Operations / Low Intensity Conflict. The following text is an extract from the webpage by NDIA providing info on the Feb event.

“The complexity of modern global conflict will require the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) to engage in extensive joint, combined and interagency operations to achieve national military and strategic objectives.  USSOCOM must now leverage emerging and innovative technologies as never before to link and share information with allies, U.S. Intelligence community members and interagency law enforcement partners as well as an array of disparate players to rapidly understand and exploit adversaries’ weaknesses on the global commons.  No longer is conflict confined simply to the battlefield, it reaches instantaneously from the conflict zone to our board rooms, our communities, and even to our children’s play grounds.  To meet this threat, we require a new paradigm in which U.S. and international law enforcement, intelligence organizations, and Special Operations Forces (SOF) become one unified force; networked and connected as never before. As SOF become more lethal to the enemy, they must leverage and potentially add what may have been traditionally viewed as law enforcement techniques, tactics and procedures to their skill sets.  Achieving this demands American industry actively engage with the SOF and special law enforcement communities to anticipate their needs creating a collaborative inn

Our goal on the NDIA SO/LIC Board, through our annual symposium, is to stimulate and arbitrate this conversation leading to a closer and more collaborative relationship with USSOCOM.  We see the symposium not only an industry event, but a community event where current, former and future operators can meet with innovators to shape the ideas and technology of the future.  To do this we need an active, enrolled and collaborative community that shares ideas and concepts so we can create the tools that save lives and keep the global commons safe.

Learn more about the event at the from the NDIA webpage.