TRAINING
SF Advanced Mountain Ops School
FORT BRAGG, NC - The Special Forces Advanced Mountain Operations School, based out of Fort Carson, Colo., is filling its classes of the Special Forces Senior Mountaineering Course throughout the summer of 2012. The school trains special-operations personnel to survive in and move through mountainous ... FULL STORY
Surviving SERE
CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, NM – To say that the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Specialists at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., are mere instructors doesn't begin to give them sufficient kudos for the skills, tactics and mission-essential tools they instill in aircrew members in the 27th Special Operations Wing. ... FULL STORY
MARSOC Marines Get Immersed in Training
KEY WEST, FL — Sixty-nine Marines hit the beaches at the Ranger Amphibious Assault Course during the second phase of the Marine Corps Special Operations Command’s Individual Training Course in Key West, Fla., March 19 - 30. This is just one of the many courses these Marines must complete in ... FULL STORY
Recon Marines Conduct Pre-dive Training
CAMP SCHWAB, Okinawa — Most Marines would think swimming all day would be a relaxing way to spend their time. Some may prefer to be drenched in water from a pool rather than drenched in sweat, after a training session. After a grueling two-week training package consisting of open-water swims with gear, ... FULL STORY
US, ROK Navy SEALs Train to Counteract Threats
JINHAE, Korea – Two days before a weather front sopped the southern tip of the peninsula, Navy SEALs from both the U.S. and the Republic of Korea teamed up to conduct visit, board, search and seizure drills on a Korean Navy ship in Jinhae Harbor. Sailing in calm seas and ... FULL STORY
Force Reconnaissance Marines Conduct VBSS
USNS MATTHEW C. PERRY, At Sea — Looking down the electronic optics on his rifle, yet keenly aware of the sights and sounds surrounding him, the Marine moved with the rest of his squad like a wolf in a pack across the deck of the ship. Swiftly infiltrating the confines of the ... FULL STORY
USAFSOS Courses Craft Diplomatic Warriors
HURLBURT FIELD, FL – An instructor lit a Molotov cocktail and threw it at his target to illustrate the type of explosion this cheap, homemade weapon produces. Audience members could feel the heat produced by the massive fireball that swallowed the test site. Lt. Col. Dan Wilson, chief of the irregular ... FULL STORY
Exercise Promotes US-Guyana Spec Ops Capabilities
WASHINGTON, DC – A special operations exercise under way in Guyana is enhancing capabilities of both U.S. and Guyanese special operators and ensuring they have a foundation to respond together in the event of a common threat. Exercise Fused Response kicked off March 1 and continues through March 9, bringing together ... FULL STORY
Djiboutian Special Forces, US Share Language Skills
KARABTI SAN, Djibouti – Djiboutian and U.S. Army soldiers participated in a language class led by Civil Affairs Team 4902 here Feb. 1. The class was part of an ongoing program between the Djiboutian special forces and CAT 4902, 490th Civil Affairs Battalion, Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa, ... FULL STORY
Pathfinders ‘Get the Goods’
MOPTI, Mali – U.S. service members traveled to Africa to meet with troops from six partner nations who are sharing their knowledge of aerial resupply and recovery of as part of exercise Atlas Accord 12 in Mali. Members of the 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne) conducted pathfinder training to ... FULL STORY
2nd Recon Marines Take to the Water
CAMP LEJEUNE, NC — A team of Marines, donned in diving gear, sits on the edge of the pier. Feet dangling, they stare out into the murky water, safety checks done and masks strapped on, the Marines give the “OK” signal. With a forward roll and a splash the dive begins. This was the ... FULL STORY
Swift, Silent and Deadly: 2nd Recon Bn
CAMP LEJEUNE, NC — Hanging high in the cloudless sky the sun shines brightly as a UH-1Y Huey takes to the air. Within moments the chopper reaches an altitude of 1500 feet and the Marines on board get the ready command. The jump master yells, “Go!” and with a solid tap on ... FULL STORY
Force Recon Builds Trust, Camaraderie During PHIBLEX
BASA AIRBASE, Republic of the Philippines — Marines with Force Reconnaissance Platoon, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, built trust between themselves and their Philippine Marine counterparts during the Amphibious Landing Exercise, Oct. 25.The Marines of both nations participated in a bilateral parachute exercises, consisting of low level static line operations as well as free-fall operations.“It was ... FULL STORY
NSW SBT Trains with Chilean SOF
VIÑA DEL MAR, Chile – With more than 2,500 miles of shoreline, Chile accounts for a large portion of South America’s western coastline. With such a large area to secure, it can certainly be challenging at times. With this in mind, Chilean military officials welcomed a group of American special operations ... FULL STORY
Marines Train with 1st SFG
TORII STATION, Japan – Marines with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262 supported a training exercise with their brothers-in-arms from the U.S. Army’s 1st Special Forces Group on Torii Station Aug. 31. Soldiers with 1st Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group, conducted fast-rope drills using Marine CH-46E Sea Knight helicopters operated by ... FULL STORY
Recon Marines Sharpen At-Sea Skills
OKINAWA, Japan — A team of force reconnaissance Marines stack up beside the door of a concrete building here, but in their minds this is a hatch along a passageway in a ship at sea. Silent signals move them quickly through the entryway in a fluid search for targets. The Marines of Force Reconnaissance ... FULL STORY
2nd Recon Conducts Helo Casting
CAMP LEJEUNE, NC — Marines and sailors from 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division and Force Reconnaissance Company, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, conducted helicopter casting operations aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., June 14, 2011. The purpose of the exercise was to familiarize the Marines on exiting a moving CH-53 ... FULL STORY
3rd Recon Tackles Diving Supervisor's Course
CAMP SCHWAB, Okinawa, Japan – Marines with 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, qualified in the Diving Supervisor Course off the northeast coast of Camp Schwab June 7. The course trains the candidates to become diving supervisors for Marine Corps reconnaissance battalions. Once qualified, they are capable ... FULL STORY
3rd MSOB Marines Conduct HAHO Training
WENDOVER, UT – Twelve Marines with 3rd Marine Special Operations Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command recently graduated a 12-day Double-Bag Static Line parachute course. After completing 13 jumps – 10 during the day, and three at night – they received their qualification in DBSL parachuting and earned their ... FULL STORY
MARSOC JTACs Reinforce Skills
FALLON, NV – The essence of a 14-man Marine Special Operations Team is its ability to function independently in austere environments, often far from friendly lines and support infrastructure. So perhaps one of the most critical assets for an MSOT is the Joint Terminal Attack Controller – a Marine who serves ... FULL STORY
SpecWar Sniper: One Shot, One Kill
WASHINGTON, DC – Sniper instructors tell their students that their duties should come as second nature, especially when it comes to taking another man’s life. If you asked Navy SEAL Lt. j.g. Michael Sandino, an Iraq war veteran and sniper, if he thought he was a killer or assassin, he would scoff at the idea. ... FULL STORY
Force Recon Takes on Dynamic Assault
CAMP HANSEN, Japan – Reconnaissance Marines are conducting marksmanship training drills as part of the Dynamic Assault Course taught by the Special Operations Training Group on Camp Hansen’s Range 16 April 25 to May 27. The Marines, with Force Reconnaissance Platoon, Force Company, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, III Marine Expeditionary Force, ... FULL STORY
Special Operators Take on MFF School
YUMA, AZ – Exit an aircraft from up to 17,000 feet in the air. Spend 60 seconds barreling toward the Arizona desert at 120 miles per hour. Then, once you’re about 4,000 feet above the ground, open your own parachute and ... FULL STORY
EW-11: Joint Training for Joint Ops
HURLBURT FIELD, FL – A joint service and interagency exercise using both "live" and "virtual" forces concluded here Friday. Emerald Warrior concentrates on integrated tactics and multi-service command and control, as well as leverages lessons from Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom to provide trained and ready forces to combatant commanders. "Emerald Warrior ... FULL STORY
Stressful Conditions Set Tone for Ranger School
FORT BENNING, GA – If you can survive 61 days of some of the Army's most intense, rigorous training, you earn the right to wear the Ranger tab. But Ranger School isn't about just surviving - it's about succeeding and leading your team despite struggles and stresses the instructors use to ... FULL STORY
GEN III ECWCS
The multi-layered insulating system of the Generation III Extended Cold Weather Clothing System (GEN III ECWCS) allows the wearer to adapt to varying mission requirements and environmental conditions. ... FULL STORY
