Despite the Army’s top commander’s claims to the contrary, the protests that have rocked Iran, continue in more than a dozen cities across the country as anti-government protesters fill the streets.
The commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps, Major Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari went so far to say to Iran’s official Fars News Agency that any people who took part in the protests were guilty of sedition.
“Now we can say that it is the day when the 1396 sedition ended,” the general said, in reference to the current year in the Persian calendar.
His remarks coincided with reports that elite IRGC troops had been deployed to at least three provinces to put down the rallies that have swept Iran since last week — featuring calls by some protesters for the ouster of the nation’s government.
There were also reports Wednesday that the IRGC action coincided with with a wave of counter-demonstrations that saw large pro-regime rallies held in several cities. The Associated Press reported that tens of thousands of government supporters were taking to the streets across the nation.
The government in Iran stage pro-government rallies in an attempt to calm the country amid country-wide protests (Fars News video clip)
The government tried its hand again with organizing pro-government protests in several cities as well. The Tehran government earlier tried to play off the protests by claiming that they were pro-government rallies in the Fars News.
Reports were leaking out via social media of many citizens being killed and wounded by government troops trying to quell the protests. There were over 20 citizens killed so far during the unrest.
To read the entire article from The Washington Times, click here:
Beginning on Monday, January 1, transgender individuals are now allowed to join the U.S. military, after the Pentagon was forced to comply with a federal court ruling issued last month. During the summer, President Trump went to Twitter to declare that transgender individuals would not be allowed in the military “in any capacity” because of the high medical costs and disruption of the normal deployment schedule.
In December, the Pentagon began preparing how to let transgender individuals join the military, using court-ordered guidelines issued by former Defense Secretary Ash Carter in 2016 when he lifted the ban on transgender service members in the military.
The Pentagon’s compliance on Monday only applies to allowing transgender individuals seeking to join the military. Separate court actions have temporarily halted the implementation of the ban on current transgender service members set to take place this spring.
Chief Pentagon spokesperson Dana White told ABC News on Friday that the panel of experts established by Defense Secretary James Mattis will continue and provide a recommendation to the secretary, who will then report to the president by March 23 when an implementation plan is supposed to go into effect.
Under the guidelines effective Monday, applicants will be allowed to join the military if a medical provider certifies they have been stable without “clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning” for 18 months.
Also included in the guidelines, a licensed medical provider must certify that the candidate for military service has completed all medical treatment associated with gender transition, has been stable in the preferred gender for 18 months, and if presently receiving cross-sex hormone therapy post-gender transition, the individual has been stable on such hormones for 18 months.”
To read the entire article from ABC News, click here:
President Donald Trump conducted a teleconference with troops deployed which was supposed to be a Christmas greeting but it turned into a cheerleading video with the President telling the troops how well they have been doing in the war on terrorism as well as thanking the families of the troops. To top it off, the president said, “We’re winning.”
Military representatives on the call included Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Paul Goossen in Qatar, Marine Colonel Christopher Gideons in Kuwait, Navy Commander Timothy LaBenz aboard the USS Sampson in 5th Fleet OPS Underway, Coast Guard Captain Matthew Wadleigh in Guantanamo Bay and Army Colonel Charles Lombardo in Kuwait, according to a White House pool report.
The call came a few days after Vice President Pence made a surprise visit to Afghanistan to meet with U.S. troops and Afghan leaders. He told soldiers that “victory is closer than ever before.”
Trump is spending Christmas at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. He wished soldiers a “very, very merry Christmas,” adding that the country is saying “Merry Christmas, again, very, very proudly.”
Trump specifically praised the Coast Guard for its work following hurricanes in Florida, Texas and Puerto Rico.
“What a job you’ve done. The Coast Guard saved thousands and thousands of lives, almost it’s unbelievable when I look at the charts, I saw the number of lives you saved,” he said.
The president then took a question and answer session from the troops that was private as the press was not allowed to attend or see the back and forth.
To read the entire article from The Hill click here:
Two advocacy groups, Protect Our Defenders and the Connecticut Veterans Legal Center are suing the U.S. military for records pertaining to sexual assault and the military justice system.
The groups filed suit with the Federal Court in Connecticut against the Department of Defense as well as the Department of Homeland Security “to release records related to gender disparities within the military justice system and the military record correction boards’ handling of cases involving sexual assault and harassment.”
The groups have filed multiple Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Requests with the various military services and the U.S. Coast Guard for information pertaining to sexual assault and the military justice system, but they argue the services’ responses to those requests are often “insufficient” or incomplete.
“The military has resisted efforts to end the epidemic of sexual assault and retaliation within its ranks, despite years of Congressional attention and reform,” Col. Don Christensen (USAF-Ret.), president of Protect Our Defenders, said in a press release. “Service members, Members of Congress, and the public deserve to know if the military unlawfully discriminates against female service members and survivors of sexual assault.”
The records requested by Protect Our Defenders and the Connecticut Veterans Legal Center are separate from the sexual assault data released publicly by the Department of Defense, Christensen told ABC News.
Last month, the Department of Defense published the number of sexual assault reports made at U.S. military installations around the world for fiscal years 2013 through 2016.
In May, the department released their annual sexual assault report which estimated that the number of sexual assaults decreased 26.6 percent between 2014 and 2016, from 20,300 in 2014 to 14,900 last year.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut), a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs and Armed Services Committees, spoke in favor of the suit stating that the victims of sexual assault are often being re-victimized by the system and are owed justice.
To read the entire article from ABC News click here:
For the troops deployed overseas in Afghanistan, they are getting treated to a little bit of Hollywood magic ahead of the rest of the world. “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” which is already one of the year’s most anticipated films doesn’t open until Friday, but some service members are getting an advanced screening of the movie this week.
The special screenings follow similar events for previous entries into the Star Wars canon in 2015 and 2016.
The latest entry in the popular film series will make its debut on overseas military installations thanks to a partnership between the Army & Air Force Exchange Service and Walt Disney Studios, officials said. The film will be shown in at least six countries, including Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria.
“The Last Jedi” will premiere on Dec. 14 in Baghdad, Iraq; Bagram, Afghanistan; Azraq, Jordan; and Camp Beuhring, Kuwait, according to AAFES. Additional showings will follow through Christmas Day at various locations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Syria and the United Arab Emirates.
“We are thrilled to give service members a chance to see ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ a full day ahead of its U.S. release,” said U.S. Army Col. Scott McFarland, Exchange Europe and Southwest Asia Region Commander. “Our Middle East screenings of ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ and ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ in 2015 and 2016 were very well received. We are excited to once again be able to offer a much-needed break from the harsh day-to-day reality these service members face while on deployment.”
Some of the troops will be getting a special challenge coin of the Millennium Falcon as well. DOD officials refused to answer FOIA requests from certain media members asking if it was a conspiracy to hide Chewbacca while he was on leave in Afghanistan and it not counting against the current troop strength.
To read the entire article from The Fayetteville Observer, click here:
As we age and get a little older, finding the perfect Christmas gift gets harder and harder. Especially for those of us who have served in the military. Our tastes get simpler and we are easier to please as we have grown to appreciate the smaller things in life.
Personally, I just enjoy being with my family and if I get to see any old friends, sitting around a fireplace inside or a nice fire pit outside with a nice cigar and a single malt is peeing in the tall cotton. Or sipping some fine French wine from that noted Tennessee establishment owned by a Mr. Jacques Daniels…
But many of our significant others struggle to find the perfect gift for us and want to make our holidays special. And many of our readers now are women, so for you women folk out there who are looking for the perfect gift for your military men? You’ve come to the right place. Here’s a list of some Christmas gifts that you can give the man who has or has done just about everything. First up are the more expensive ones but are definitely worth looking into, if you have the cash:
MiG-29: Supersonic Interceptor and Multirole Jet Fighter
Have you ever watched Top Gun and wondered what it would be like to be going toe-to-toe with MiG 29? Well, now you can do one even better. You can pilot the main aircraft of the old Soviet Union and the near equal to anything the US could put into the sky.
The Mikoyan MiG-29 (Микоян МиГ-29) is the embodiment of a Russian military aircraft. The interceptor and multirole fighter-bomber MiG-29 uniquely combines unbelievable maneuverability with great speed. The first MiG-29 airframes were delivered to the Soviet Air Force in 1983. The MiG-29 Fulcrum was exported to numerous countries: Until today, more than 1,500 aircraft in various versions of the air superiority fighter MiG-29 were built. A word to the wise, this won’t be cheap but you can sign up here:
Fly a Helicopter:
Most of us veterans, especially those who were in Special Operations had a lot of time in helicopters… as passengers but the vast majority of us never flew one or even had an opportunity to sit in the cockpit, unlike some of the VSTOL aircraft that supported us. Now you can buy your significant other some flight time in a helicopter.
From the Cloud9Flight website: Take the controls of a Robinson R44 helicopter with an FAA-certified instructor by your side. You’ll start out with 30 minutes of pre-flight ground school, learning helicopter safety and how a helicopter flies. Next, it’s time to climb onboard and prepare for an experience you’ll never forget. During your 30 minutes of flight time, you’ll get the chance to take the controls and enjoy the unique sensation of flying a helicopter. Experience hovering, take-off, landing, rearward and sideways flight.
Drive A NASCAR Racer:
Out in the beautiful Pocono Mountains is a NASCAR track where the Nascar racing buff can take one of those ground-based rockets around a track at 160 mph+. I’m one of the few people who lived down South and who wasn’t a big racing fan, but still, admit that I’d love to take one of those babies around the track at speeds that would put you in jail on the street.
For the main event, the owners of the NASCAR experience will strap you into a 600-horsepower NASCAR style stock car. Then you’re off for the drive of your life, traveling up to 160mph around NASCAR’s famous 2.5-mile Pocono Raceway.
The next few gift ideas are much more affordable and are still great ideas for the military man in your life.
Personalized Swiss Army Knife:
Nearly every Special Operations veteran owns a multitool, either a Swiss Army knife, a Leatherman, one of the Gerber multitools or possibly one of each. But having a personalized one is a nice thoughtful gift that will stand the test of time.
It can be customized on the front and/or back with your man’s name as well as even your initials or a team number or unit designation, leave it up to your imagination. Of course, it goes without saying that this is an excellent quality tool as it is an authentic Victorinox Swiss Army Knife. It comes with 15 tools in one and is still small enough to easily fit in the pocket of jeans or a coat.
Is the man of the house, (like here) someone who grills 365 days a year, regardless of the weather? Even in the harshest of New England’s winters, the first thing that gets shoveled out when it snows is our grill. If so, a nice personalized cutting board to prepare your food is a nice touch for the “grill master” of the manse.
These cutting boards are made of handcrafted of pressed bamboo in a natural tone with a natural hand rubbed olive oil finish making each personalization vary just a bit in color. What is nice about Bamboo is that it absorbs very little moisture, it won’t shrink or swell and is actually harder than most hardwoods, making it a superior material for cutting boards. It will last a long time and be a nice touch for those outdoor parties.
North Face eTip Gloves:
If your guy always has his phone or tablet in his hand, this is a great gift so that he can continue to use his phone without having to take off his gloves. And if you live in a cold weather environment, then you know what a pain in the fourth point of contact that can be. The North Face is the manufacturer of some great products, their quality is well-known in the industry.
The eTip Glove allows on-the-go connectivity with their touch-screen compatible, four-way stretch fleece glove. Full palm conductivity allows you to use your touchscreen devices without removing your gloves and exposing your hands in cold conditions.
Christmas Gifts For Deployed Significant Others
If your significant other is going to be on deployment during the holidays it is always a trying time for the families back in the states as well as the troops far from home. Being away from home at Christmas is probably the toughest of all holidays. One of the best gifts for any deployed military person is a care package packed with all of their favorite things as well as essential items.Here are some ideas of items to include in your Christmas gift care package for your loved one: Favorite snacks and candy Coffee Picture of you two together and ones of family Favorite homemade Christmas cookies Energy bars Protein powder drinks Baby wipes Mouthwash and toothpaste Lip balm
Be sure to check out packing restrictions such as size and weight before you go to mail your box. Also, remember that your box is going to be moved around quite a bit and it will take at least 10-14 days to get to your soldier. Pack carefully and try to cushion items as best as possible.
SOFREP Crate Club:
Of course, you can’t mention Christmas gifts without mentioning our own SOFREP Crate Club. The best in tactical gear that is hand-picked, tested and approved by our own Special Operations veterans.
There are plenty of options to pick and choose from and you’ll get some of the best gear that is out there on the market today.
Iranian state-run media is reporting that five Iranian Shrine Defenders, including two high-ranking commanders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), were killed in the fighting in Syria.
Iran’s state-run Fars news agency said that Khairollah Samadi, an IRGC commander in charge of a unit in Syria, was among the dead.
The name Shrine Defenders is what Tehran calls its fighters stationed in Syria. It claims that forces are to protect the Zeinab Shrine, a Shi’ite holy site near Damascus.
Since 2011, Iran has been a major backer of the Syrian regime in its war against anti-Assad groups across the country and it organized a multinational army that also allegedly includes fighters from Lebanon and Iraq.
Some Iranian government-sponsored media outlets have also released video footage that shows fighters from Lebanese Hezbollah and Iranian-sponsored Iraqi Popular Mobilized Forces (PMF) helping the Syrian Army in their operation in the recently liberated Syrian town of Abu Kamal.
Some Iranian media outlets have released a video showing Iranian commander General Qassem Soleimani greeted by victorious soldiers in Abu Kamal.
“With the liberation of Abu Kamal, we secured the region from IS and other foreigners,” said Qasim Muslih, a commander with PMF. “No matter if you call it Shia Crescent, or whatever you want to name it, we have a fortified bloc here.”
Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior adviser to Iranian leader Ali Khamenei said that their forces will join Syrian troops soon to capture the city of Raqqa, somehow ignoring the fact that the city is already largely cleared by US-led peshmerga troops, which the Assad government characterized as “illegal invaders.”
To read the entire article from Voice of America News, click here:
Jim “Smokey” West has a great evening in store for us in New York City on December 8. We just spoke to him this week and you’re going to love it.At one of our favorite places (a bar) Jim will demonstrate and teach (with audience members participating) skills to help you win a street fight—or any other confrontation you’re in at close distances.
The world today is a dangerous, unpredictable place. We know a lot of you guys train, practice concealed carry and generally prepare yourselves for whatever comes next. This is the perfect event to add to your prep. Sometimes the fight comes to you, and if all you have is your bare hands to protect yourself and your family—you’ll want Jim’s knowledge in your head so you can come out on top.
Sign up now. Space is limited. For $49 you’ll get first-rate knowledge and advice from a proven fighter—and share an evening with your fellow Crate Club members.
To sign up, first Join the Crate Club and then click on the following RSVP button to secure your spot.
***I had the pleasure of serving with Jim West in the 7th Special Forces Group and he’s the real deal. I would encourage all of our readers to attend if you are serious about honing your skills. – SB***
For many of us, Thanksgiving Day is a day of feasting on turkey, all of the sides and lots of good sweets and pies that throw our diets out the window for a few days. And for many more that includes watching copious amounts of football.
Families gather around the television, or up here in New England, go to the early morning high school Thanksgiving Day games and then go home to eat and watch more football in the afternoon between feasts. But many folks are on the non-football kick right now. So if you’re one of those or are relaxing at home this weekend when the women folk all rush out to do those ridiculous “Black Friday” sales, there is no better time to pop in a DVD and watch a good action film.
For Thanksgiving Day weekend this year, I’d recommend a new film that came out this year about a real event that went down 37 years ago.
“6 Days” is about the takeover of the Iranian Embassy in London in 1980. Six men burst into the Embassy and took 26 people hostage. The world was already watching the American hostage saga going on in Tehran but the situation in London unfolded on television, including the dramatic takedown during Operation Nimrod by the British SAS (Special Air Service), on live television.
6 Days takes place from April 30 – May 5, 1980. Margaret Thatcher is still a new Prime Minister in England and although we don’t see or hear from her until the final moments in the film, her trademark iron will is pushed down to the smaller government operatives who were actively involved in the siege of the Embassy.
The Director, Toa Fraser isn’t crafting an intricate character development story here. He’s telling this story in the context of a docudrama. If you’re looking for a ton of CGI with over the top explosions and a storyline that takes a lot of liberties with the actual events, then 6 Days probably isn’t for you. It is as realistic and gritty as the Real McCoy.
The film is told from several different perspectives. It begins with scenes inside the embassy and what the filmmakers perceive to be (since this part of the story really isn’t known) discussions between the terrorist leader, Salim (Ben Turner), and his fellow terrorists as well as the interaction between the terrorists and the hostages.
Police negotiator Max Vernon (Mark Strong) wants to negotiate this without any bloodshed although you know that isn’t going to happen. Strong is one of my favorite actors and always puts on a compelling performance. He’s excellent as always and the scenes with him are among the best in the film.
But the protagonist of the film is Rusty Firmin, the SAS team leader played expertly by Jamie Bell. The SAS men spend the entire six days getting ready and preparing for the call to enter. As Firmin himself stated in his book, he just wanted to hear from his Squadron Commander the words “Go! Go! Go!
And from the press perspective, the filmmakers have added the reporter Kate Adie who was played by Abbie Cornish. Her scenes seem a little stiff and forced despite her being a witness to what was to unfold in front of our eyes.
The best part of the film’s finale-setting action sequence is the tense back and forth between conversations between Strong and Turner. As the negotiations get tense, the filmmakers cut back to Firmin and his SAS men preparing to breach.
Once the terrorists kill a hostage and toss him out on the street, the SAS are called in and with the results that one would expect from, at that time, the best counter-terrorism unit in the world. Firmin and his men do a tightly choreographed dance of death that took all of 17 minutes to neutralize the threat and move the hostages out.
6 Days isn’t the typical action film but it is true to life docudrama that stuck to the facts and told the story straight. It isn’t a “big picture” kind of film. It doesn’t tell the politics of the situation and what the character’s motivation was. It is a down-in-the-dirt first-person perspective of the people involved at the lowest level
It is a worthwhile film and for those of you who are fans of the SAS, you won’t be disappointed. Put this one in the DVD this weekend and you won’t be disappointed.
Rusty Firmin who was a team leader for the SAS on Operation Nimrod, sat down with SOFREP.com’s Jack Murphy back in June and spoke about the actual operation and his being involved with the film. His interview can be found here:
Three service members working for the White House Communications Agency have been reassigned from their jobs and could lose their security clearances amid an investigation into alleged improper contact with foreign women during President Trump’s tour through Asia earlier this month, according to a report on Tuesday.
The Washington Post first reported the story. The three military members could receive administrative punishment or a court-martial in addition to possibly having their security clearances suspended or revoked if an investigation finds them guilty.
Trump spent nearly two weeks in Asia, visiting numerous foreign leaders.
The White House Communications Agency provides the president, vice president, Secret Service members, and others with secure communications.
Personnel in posts with high-level security clearances are supposed to report interactions with foreigners so as to not compromise national security.
The incident apparently occurred in Vietnam where the three military members broke curfew and had “improper contact” with foreign women.
In August, military members of Vice President Pence’s communications team were reassigned after trying to bring women back to their hotel in Panama.
In the words of the best safety brief ever… “Flies spread disease men, keep yours closed.”
To read the entire article from The Washington Examiner, click here:
