Tough Week for the Special Forces Regiment. One SF Soldier (7th SFGA) died during training at the Combat Dive Qualification Course (CDQC) at Key West, Florida. Two SF Soldiers (10th SFGA) died in Afghanistan conducting combat operations against the Taliban. In addition, three Special Forces members(5th SFGA) died in Jordan.

SOF News Update for 20161106 – Parachute jumps into combat, security contractors in the overseas traveling mode, technology and USSOCOM, SF Association HQs flooded by Hurricane Matthew, what is a “Quiet Professional”, The Drop (publication of the Special Forces Association), “Special Ops Leadership”, SF in Afghanistan, Intel (I&CI) training of non-U.S. persons, review of “Rogue Heroes”, defense contractors thriving, and more.

Stories about combat jumps. The West Point Center for Oral History interviewed four Army members (past and present) about their experiences during a parachute jump into a combat zone. The jumps took place in northern Iraq (2003), HALO jump into Afghanistan (2001), and Holland during Operation Market Garden (WWII). Watch the one-hour long video interview in “Video: Opening Shock: Four Combat Jump Veterans Tell Their Stories”, July 21, 2016.

Security Contractors and Overseas Travel. You know who they are. They wear there 5.11 trousers, a web belt, Merrill hiking shoes, Oakley sunglasses, and carry a Blackhawk 3-day pack. But don’t be that guy. Read Ed Thompson’s article on “How to Travel Grey”, LinkedIn Pulse, November 30, 2015.

Preparing for War. A Special Forces NCO writes about his deployment with an SFODA in Afghanistan in “Nothing Prepares You For War”, The War Horse, November 2, 2016.

USSOCOM and Technology. How can the United States Special Operations Command outfit partner forces working with U.S. SOF with commercially-available items or open source software? This is a challenge for SOFWERX – USSOCOM’s collaboration workshop. Read “USSOCOM Rapid Prototype Event Rodeo”, DVIDS, October 21, 2016.

“The Drop”. The Special Forces Association has a quarterly publication that is mailed out to its membership every three months. Some interesting tidbits about the SF community are enclosed. You can read past issues of The Drop at the link below:
www.specialforcesassociation.org/the-drop-archive/

Lockheed going for $8B USSOCOM contract. The U.S. Special Operations Command Global Logistics Support Services contract is up for recompete. Lockheed Martin is putting in for it. Read more in “Lockheed aims to retain incumbency on $8B recompete”, Washington Technology, November 2, 2016.

Dangerous SOF Raids. Read a short history on the most dangerous special operations raids by We are the Mighty.

SOF Leadership and the World of Business. Gil Limonchik offers his perspectives on how commando techniques work in the business world. Read “Secrets of Special Ops Leadership”, LinkedIn Pulse, October 23, 2016.

Studying College Athletes to Help SOF Teams. An Air Force laboratory based at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio is studying the athletes (wrestlers, football players, etc.) to gain knowledge that will benefit special operations teams in action. Read more in “Air Force applying study of OSU athletes to Special Forces”,  Daily Progress, October 30, 2016.

Fat? Stoned? Tattoed? The military has a job for you. The Pentagon is looking for tech-savy talent for its ranks and it is lowering standards to recruit the new generation of American youth. Read “Overweight, tattooed, stoned? The Pentagon may still want you”, Los Angeles Times, November 3, 2016.

New Pub on Intel & CI Training of Foreigners. The Department of Defense has issued a new instruction that outlines policy and assigns responsibilities for the training of non-US persons in intelligence and CI. Read DoD Instruction 3305.12, Intelligence and Counterintelligence (I&CI) Training of Non-U.S. Persons, October 14, 2016.

3rd SFGA Rigger Dies. A parachute rigger from the 3rd Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg, NC died from injuries suffered when struck by a vehicle while conducting physical training on Fort Bragg. Read more in “Fort Bragg soldier dies after being hit by vehicle”, Fayetteville Observer, November 1, 2016.

Book Review – “Rogue Heroes”. Max Boot provides a review of a book about the British Special Air Service (SAS) during World War II. Read “The Story of the SAS, Britain’s First Special Operations Unit”, The New York Times, November 2, 2016.

AFSOC and South Korean SOF. U.S. Air Force aircraft from the 353rd Special Operations Group (based at Kadena Air Base) and U.S. and South Korean Special Forces recently took part in an exercise in South Korea. (The Japan Times, November 5, 2016).

Defense Contractors Doing Well. “Sales are up, earnings are strong, and the guidance to shareholders is for positive trends in coming quarters.” Despite the Pentagon’s decreased demand for weapons systems the defense industry is doing okay. Read a news report by Loren Thompson in Forbes, October 31, 2016.

SFA Association HQs Damaged. Hurricane Matthew caused extensive damage to the Special Forces Association compound in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Read more in “Matthew’s floodwaters wipe out Special Forces Association records, artifacts”, Fayetteville Observer, November 1, 2016.

What is a “Quiet Professional”? The buzz word has been around the Special Forces community for about twenty years (maybe a little more). It is about being superb at your job without telling everyone about it (SEALs: please take note). Read more in “What Does it Mean to Be a Quiet Professional”, LinkedIn Pulse, October 4, 2016.