With the withdrawal of the U.S.-led coalition from Afghanistan, the all-important training of Afghan commandos, who are the backbone of the Afghan military's fight against the Taliban, was a question mark. However, this has now been resolved, as it was announced that the Afghan commandos will train in Turkey. The first Afghan troops were airlifted to Turkey on Wednesday to … [Read more...] about NATO Shifts Training of Afghan Commandos to Turkey
With the imminent withdrawal of the U.S.-led coalition from Afghanistan, U.S and NATO officials have approached Qatar with requests for a base for the training of Afghan special operations commandos. "We are holding talks to earmark a base in Qatar to create an exclusive training ground for senior members of the Afghan forces," said a senior security official of the … [Read more...] about NATO Asks Qatar to Host Training for Afghan Commandos
I’ve recently returned from Peru with the non-profit foundation, Team 5. Team 5 Foundation is comprised of Special Operations medical practitioners, survival experts and civilian ultra-athletes. The five person team ventures to the most extreme, overlooked and remote locations in the world to provide medical assistance. While the primary mission of Team 5 is humanitarian in … [Read more...] about Ranger Medic, Doc Jenkins on training Peruvian Commandos
The M16 rifle accompanied the US military when they entered the thick jungles and joined the warfare operations of the Vietnam War. What followed was its more compact, Cold War-era brother called the CAR-15 rifle, which Pentagon provided to the US Army Green Berets and US Navy SEALs commandos that later became one of the top modern special forces weapons for good reasons. M16, … [Read more...] about CAR-15: The Colt Commando Rifle
During the Normandy Landings, there were some people who stood out from the waves of troops that rushed onto the beaches to take down the Germans, like Lovat and Piper Bill. Unbeknownst to many, these remarkable people were also accompanied that day by bicycle troops who took the lead and scouted ahead. These were the highly trained, multilingual Jews known as the X Troop. Some … [Read more...] about X Troop: The Secret Unit of Jewish Commandos in WWII
(Editor's Note: This article was written by Navy Petty Officer First Class Benjamin Kittleson for the Defence Visual Information Distribution Service. The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.) CORONADO, Calif. – The sun is still below the horizon as the ocean breeze blows on a chilly winter morning … [Read more...] about ‘More than just a job,’ Female Instructors at Pre-BUDs Training
Ah, the good ole' basic training days when the drill sergeant would yell in your face for infractions you didn't even know you had committed. While boot camp is an invaluable experience for any servicemember nobody ever wants to do it a second time. Neither did Monte Gould, who really had no choice but to repeat the experience with the Army's Basic Training Course at the tender … [Read more...] about The Oldest Person to Graduate From The Army’s Current Basic Training Program Was A 59 Year Old
The Snow Leopard Commando Unit is an elite military unit of the People's Liberation Army specializing in mountain combat. They are trained to operate in the snow-covered terrain of the Tibetan-Qinghai Plateau, which is mostly inhabited by ethnic Tibetans and belongs to China. How did this elite unit come about? Here, are 10 things you might not know about … [Read more...] about 10 Things to Know About the Secret Chinese Snow Leopard Commando Unit
August marked the 79th anniversary of the first special operations raid directly supported by submarines. Decades later, submarine special operations have become a staple of the Navy SEAL Teams and one of the U.S. military's most valuable capabilities. The First Underwater Commandos In August 1942, U.S. Marine Raiders conducted the first amphibious … [Read more...] about Submarine-Launched Commando Raids Are As Hard As Always, Navy SEALs Say
The lighting speed of the Taliban conquest of Afghanistan caught the U.S. and its allies ill-prepared. The resulting evacuation was marred by confusion, mistakes, and tragedy. But not all went wrong. U.S. and coalition forces managed to get roughly 115,000 people out of the country, including U.S. citizens, third-country nationals, and vulnerable Afghans and their … [Read more...] about The Final Scramble Out of Kabul Required Skills Only Commandos Have, Special-Ops Veterans Say
The Royal Marine Commandos are 356-years-old. The Commandos are Britain's amphibious light infantry force. They are organized in the 3 Commando Brigade, which is composed of 40 and 45 Commandos with about 700 Marines each — 42 Commando was also part of the Brigade but recently underwent a reorganization and it’s now focused on maritime counter-terrorism and … [Read more...] about Royal Marines Commandos, a Unit Older Than the United States
Read part I here. The Rescue Operation Begins Just before the C-130s took off from Lod airport, Shimon Peres came to the airfield. He shook a few hands and answered the concerns of the individual commanders regarding the Cabinet's approval of the mission. Yoni came up to him, shook his hand, and reiterated that their plan was "tip-top." The C-130s left Lod in five-minute … [Read more...] about Operation Thunderbolt: Israeli Commandos Strike at Entebbe
