SOF News
Special Tactics Airmen at NTC. Airmen from the 21st Special Tactics Squadron based at Pope Army Airfield (FBNC) recent took part in an exercise at the National Training Center (NTC) at Fort Irwin, California with teams from the 3rd Special Forces Group. (Air Force Special Tactics, Oct 2, 2018).
Recon Marine’s Manpower Crisis. There are several factors contributing to the Corps’ ability to sustain its reconnaissance force in the future. See “Recon shortage: Why these elite Marines are facing a manpower crisis”, Marine Corps Times, October 8, 2018.
Lawsuit Stemming from ND at SOF Base in Afghanistan. A weapons mishap on Camp Alpha in Afghanistan resulted in a medical evacuation of a 2nd LT to Landstuhl and a lawsuit 18 months later. A Marine veteran and Triple Canopy employee is the subject of the court action. Read “Army officer files suit after getting shot by Bagram contractor”, Stars and Stripes, October 8, 2018.
Military News
Golden Hour? A big rule during the Iraq and Afghanistan conflict (except for the first few years) enforced by DoD and the military leadership was the adherence to the Golden Hour. In brief, this required the ability to provide a US service member surgical treatment for a wound or injury sustained in a war zone. Even special operations forces were required to abide with this rule – although they did forward deploy small surgical teams to meet the requirement. Future wars with adversaries that have advanced weapons, the ability to disrupt communications, and that can contest airspace will not reflect the favorable conditions for the golden hour that we now enjoy. The military medical corps will need to revolutionize golden hour care as the US military prepares to fight new adversaries in a different type of conflict. Read “How Long Can the U.S. Military’s Golden Hour Last?”, War on the Rocks, October 8, 2018.
Army’s New PT Test. If you can’t cut it . . . hit the road. The Army’s new six-event ACFT is a lot tougher and Army personnel are going to have to work harder to pass it. See “Army Chief: Pass New Combat Fitness Test or ‘Hit the Road'”, Military.com, October 8, 2018. (See video below on ACFT).
Afghanistan
Afghanistan – Time to Go? Charles Pena, a senior fellow with Defense Priorities, says it is time to recognize that the threat in Afghanistan doesn’t warrant a continued U.S. military presence. Read “We Can’t Win – and Don’t have To Win in Afghanistan”, Real Clear Defense, October 9, 2018.
New Afghan Strategy Needed. David Craig summarizes an argument that we need to come up with a better plan for Afghanistan after honestly assessing the the threats we face from hostile nations and transnational terrorist groups. Read “Afghanistan: We Must Decide on New War Strategy”, Real Clear Politics, October 9, 2018.
“And as the Taliban slowly regains control of much of Afghanistan, while elements of al-Qaeda and Islamic State are increasing their footprint, it’s long past time for U.S. leaders to alter their approach.”
Commentary
New CT Strategy. Daniel Byman comments on the White House’s new CT strategy – he finds some good and bad in the document. Read “Takeaways from the Trump administration’s new counterterrorism strategy”, Brookings, October 5, 2018.
Videos
Under the Hood: NZSAS Battle Training Facility, NZ Defence Force, September 26, 2018. (3 mins). The New Zealand Special Air Service operators are a highly-trained component of the NZ SOF. This video provides a behind-the-scenes look at the training environment – including the purpose-built Battle Training Facility.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=funfIwBPCyo
How to Prepare for the Army Combat Fitness Test, U.S. Army, October 7, 2018. Beginning October 2020, the U.S. Army will transition from the Army Physical Fitness Test, or APFT, to the new Army Combat Fitness Test, or ACFT.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVx7EJFF8ew
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Photo: STS Airman at NTC coordinates fires. Photo by Staff Sgt Rose Gudx, USAF, Sep 2, 2018.
