SPECIAL OPERATIONS NEWS
MARSOC Graduates Newest Special Operators
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. – As U.S. and NATO forces, including up to 10,000 Marines, start an accelerated troop withdrawal from Afghanistan as early as next fall, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command knows that the withdrawal does not include them for now – in fact, MARSOC continues to grow and ... FULL STORY
Night Stalkers Earn Broken Wing Award
FORT CAMPBELL, KY – Three pilots assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) received the Broken Wing Award, Dec. 12. Chief Warrant Officer 3 Stephen Love, Richard Nielsen and Bryan Young were presented the award from the U.S. Army Safety Center for their skill, judgment and ... FULL STORY
Force Recon Marines Commandeer Ship During Drill
OKINAWA, JAPAN — A helicopter hovers 25-feet above the deck of the ship as combat rubber raiding craft simultaneously crash through the waves toward the hostile vessel. This was the scene as 30 Marines with Force Reconnaissance Platoon took part in a visit, board, search and seizure exercise aboard the USNS Dahl off ... FULL STORY
USSOCOM Artist Designs Vietnam Memorial
TAMPA, FL – A new Vietnam Memorial was dedicated on Veterans Day in Hillsborough County near Tampa, Fla., and the expansive memorial and its surrounding grounds were based on concepts and sketches by USSOCOM artist Tim Lawn.“I learned through a co-worker that Hillsborough County was going to build a Vietnam Memorial ... FULL STORY
Pararescueman Receives Bronze Star Medal with Valor
RANDOLPH AFB, TX – While engaged in operations against enemy forces near Arghandab Province July 12, 2010, an Airman risked his life to medevac three U.S. Soldiers injured by improvised explosive devices, saving their lives. Tech. Sgt. Luis Garcia, a pararescueman assigned to the 342nd Training Squadron, distinguished himself as ... FULL STORY
Afghan Special Forces Discover IED Facility
HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Afghan National Army special forces, partnered with coalition special operations forces, located and captured an enemy improvised explosive device facility in Malozai village, Sangin district, Nov. 20. ANASF and SOF received a tip about the facility’s location from the Afghan Local Police while conducting a security ... FULL STORY
What's So Civil About War, Anyway?
FORT BRAGG, NC - Civil Affairs qualification training sends students to win friends and solve problems in war-torn Pineland. It’s 8 a.m. and Mark Long’s day is already off to a bad start. He’s a full-time Red Cross employee managing relief efforts within the ... FULL STORY
'Horse Soldier' Dedicated Near Ground Zero
NEW YORK, NY – More than 10 years ago, Capt. Will Summers, a former Special Forces team sergeant for the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), linked up and operated with members of the Afghan Northern Alliance just weeks after the 9/11 attacks. A decade later Special Operations Forces ... FULL STORY
WWII Survivor Receives Purple Heart
FORT WALTON BEACH, FL – Nearly 70 years later and after trekking 60 miles over unforgiving terrain on what would infamously become known as the Bataan Death March, retired Tech. Sgt. Pete Loss is receiving the Purple Heart for the hell he endured as a prisoner of war in the Pacific ... FULL STORY
Special Tactics Students Clear Two Tons of Debris
HURLBURT FIELD, FL – Divers brought 20-foot logs, rusty chain link fencing and buckets full of cement to the surface during a Hurlburt Marina cleanup Saturday. Students from the Air Force Special Operations Command Special Tactics Training Squadron and members of the Hurlburt Dive Club cleared the Marina waters of almost ... FULL STORY
Senior Green Beret Retires After 37 Years
MacDill AFB, FL – Lt. Gen. David P. Fridovich, U. S. Special Operations Command deputy commander retired Nov. 14, after more than 37 years of service in a ceremony at the Davis Conference Center, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.Presiding over the ceremony were retired Adm. Eric T. Olson, former USSOCOM ... FULL STORY
USASOC Names 2011 Medics of the Year
FORT BRAGG, NC – The United States Army Special Operations announced the names of this year's Medic of the Year awardees, Nov. 10. The distinguished recipients are: Sgt. 1st Class David Costa A Co, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) Special Forces Medic Sgt. 1st Class Robert Foley A Co, 98th Civil Affairs ... FULL STORY
Son Tay Raid Veteran Mentors MISO Soldiers
FORT BRAGG, NC - About two dozen Soldiers listen quietly, the silence only broken occasionally by the sound of laughter as retired Command Sgt. Maj. Joseph Lupyak relays his stories of service in Korea and Vietnam. Many of the stories that Lupyak relayed to the Soldiers came from his ... FULL STORY
CSAF Presents AF Cross, Silver Star at Hurlburt
HURLBURT FIELD, FL – Two Air Force Special Operations Command combat controllers were presented military decorations here Oct. 27 by the Air Force Chief of Staff for exhibiting extraordinary heroism in combat. Staff Sgt. Robert Gutierrez Jr. was presented the Air Force Cross and Tech. Sgt. Ismael Villegas was ... FULL STORY
Commemorating the service of Special Forces
FORT BRAGG, NC – The U.S. Army Special Forces Command (Airborne) will hold its commemorative President John F. Kennedy Wreath Laying Ceremony, Thursday, Nov. 17, at 10:10 a.m. at the JFK grave site at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va. More than 50 years ago President ... FULL STORY
Special Ops to Counter Lord's Resistance Army
WASHINGTON, DC — US President Barack Obama has authorized the deployment of 100 combat-equipped forces to Africa to help regional forces fight the notorious Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and its leader, Joseph Kony.Obama notified Congress of his actions on October 14, 2011, as required by the War Powers Resolution of 1973, ... FULL STORY
ANA Commandos and ANAF Strengthen Capabilities
HERAT PROVINCE, Afghanistan – For the first time, Afghan National Army commandos partnered with the Afghan National Air Force to conduct joint operations training outside a coalition forces camp in Herat province, Oct. 29. The purpose of the training between the ANAF and the Afghan National Army’s 2nd Company, 9th ... FULL STORY
Afghan Aviation Supports Independent Commando Op
PARWAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Members of 1st Commando Kandak conducted clearing operations with support from Afghan aviation in Qal’eh Jala Village, Bagram district, Oct. 28. The clearing operation was conducted to inhibit the insurgents’ freedom of movement and disrupt their influence over the local population. In addition to being an ... FULL STORY
5th SFG Voted Top Language Program by USSOCOM
FORT CAMPBELL, KY – The 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) was recently chosen as the 2011 United States Special Operations Command top Command Language Program during a Language & Cultural Seminar at Fort Walton Beach, Fla., Aug. 30, 2011. The 5th SFG (A) has received the award ... FULL STORY
US Army SOF Killed in Combat
FORT BRAGG, NC —Two U.S. Army Rangers and one Cultural Support Team member were killed in action Oct. 22, during combat operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Killed were: 1st Lt. Ashley White, 24, was assigned to the 230th Brigade Support Battalion, 30th Heavy Brigade ... FULL STORY
Small Sacrifice, Honoring the Ultimate Sacrifice
COLUMBUS, TX – A team of 18 special tactics have one objective in mind: honor the fallen. The team began an 812-mile march from Medina Annex, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas to Hurlburt Field, Fla., to commemorate 17 fallen comrades. As they marched out at 5 a.m. in the darkness, carrying 50-pound ... FULL STORY
MARSOC Sergeant Major Change Over
CAMP LEJEUNE, NC - Sgt. Maj. Richard W. Ashton relinquished his post as sergeant major of U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command to Sgt. Maj. Thomas F. Hall during a ceremony at MARSOC headquarters aboard Camp Lejeune, Sept. 30. Ashton, whose comprehensive career spans more than three decades, was ... FULL STORY
US Army Ranger Killed in Afghanistan
FORT BRAGG, NC — A U.S. Army Ranger was killed in action Oct. 8, during combat operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Spc. Ricardo Cerros Jr., 24, was assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. Cerros was killed by direct fire from enemy ... FULL STORY
Farewell, Founding Air Commando
ARLINGTON, VA – Airmen gathered here Oct. 3 to render a final salute to retired Maj. Gen. John Alison as he was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. "We have lost a great American, a dear friend, and a committed and loving family man," Air Force Chief of Staff ... FULL STORY
MARSOC Reflects on 9/11, GWOT
FORT BRAGG, NC – As Americans across the country paused to remember and reflect on lives lost on 9/11, a small group of Marines from U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command carried out their own unique commemoration. Joining several Army Rangers and an assortment of firefighters and policemen from across ... FULL STORY
CoSNS
The AN/PVS-30 Clip-on Sniper Night Sight (CoSNS) is a lightweight, in-line weapon-mounted sight used in conjunction with the day optic sight on the M110 SASS and the XM2010 ... FULL STORY
