75th Ranger Regiment

Mission Accomplished 2 for US SOF? No Easy Answers in Syria

President Trump ruffled quite a few feathers both here in the United States and abroad when he tweeted out a few days ago that our troops were being pulled out of Syria. The President said, “We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency,” which he said during the Presidential campaign of 2016 that he would pull us out of there once elected.

We currently have about 2000 troops, mostly Special Operations forces in Syria. They were initially sent there in 2015 by then-President Obama as the civil war in Syria reached a point where the Islamic State (ISIS) had taken advantage of the chaos and carved out a huge swath of Syrian territory as their own, calling it a “caliphate.”

Now the civil war is approaching its 8th year. ISIS is on the run definitely, now controlling just 1 percent of the territory they possessed a few years ago. They are locked into a small enclave around the town of Hanin where they have endured airstrikes from coalition partners.

Part of Trump’s reasoning is that he doesn’t want to help the Syrians (not a US friend in the region), stabilize their own country. While true, the situation remains much deeper than that. There are so many other players involved, it is an extremely fluid situation. Number 1 on the US agenda should be the Kurds.

The Kurds (Syrian Democratic Forces, SDF) were the Americans’ best allies inside the country. The U.S. Special Operations Forces inside Syria have provided training, advising and equipment to fight ISIS and they’ve (with massive US air support) made significant gains against the ISIS forces there. The SOF troops are the only buffer between the Kurds and the Turkish forces that have invaded from the north.

A rapid pullout of U.S. forces sends a bad message to any would-be ally in the region. The French, who worked with the Kurds in Iraq several years ago during the first Gulf War have said that they’ll step up and take the place of our SOF with the Kurdish people.

The Turks, while still technically a member of NATO are growing increasingly anti-West in their sentiments. They pushed into northern Syria because they feel that the Kurds are terrorists. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has promised to launch a new offensive against the U.S.’s Kurdish allies unless the U.S. promises to cut off aid to them.

The Turks have supported non-Kurdish Syrian opposition groups, such as the Free Syrian Army (FSA) since the civil war began. Their biggest worry remains that gains made by Kurds in Syria would embolden the Kurdish population in Turkey to seek independence. Turkey has already launched two operations to help Syrian rebels capture territory from ISIS and the Kurds. And they are threatening more.

Russia has been a longtime Syrian and Assad ally. They provided the regime with air support, as well as troops on the ground. President Putin is trying to keep his biggest foothold in the region and at the same time spread their influence in the region.

The Russian air support which initially targeted ISIS has now spread to targeting other resistance groups including the FSA of Kurdish forces. This past winter a group of Russian mercenaries and Syrian troops attacked a joint US-Kurdish base in a “mistaken” operation and were decimated by airstrikes.

The Iranians, intent on spreading their influence in the region began by offering military advisory assistance to the Assad regime. But now they have several thousand troops in the area and are building bases close to the border with Israel, which they are also doing in Lebanon. The U.S. believes, and rightfully so, that the Iranians are preparing for a long-term presence in Syria. Tehran has spent $16 billion in the area to destabilize the countries of Syria, Yemen as well as Iraq.

So with the President calling for a United States withdrawal in the country, there is definite pushback even among his own administration and political party, calling it a big mistake. Back in June, the President floated around a plan for an all-Arab army to replace the U.S. in a meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah.

Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis warned against a premature withdrawal that bought some time for those in the administration that wanted to remain. However, with the news that the U.S. is indeed pulling out, Mattis announced he was retiring in February. Obviously, the reasoning behind the timing of Mattis’ retirement was in protest over this latest flap. In his letter of resignation, Mattis said that the President had a right to a Defense Secretary “whose views are better aligned with yours” on policy.

Now Brett McGurk, the U.S. envoy for the global coalition to defeat Islamic State (ISIS), has resigned as well. McGurk was an Obama administration appointee and was due to leave in February but his letter of resignation states that his last day will be Dec. 31.

McGurk in December 11 press conference called the idea of leaving Syria too soon reckless and added that the “enduring defeat of a group like (ISIS) this means you can’t just defeat their physical space and then leave.”

“Nobody is saying that they are going to disappear. Nobody is that naive,” he said. “So we want to stay on the ground and make sure that stability can be maintained in these areas.”

McGurk led the way for the secret talks with Iran where the Iranians released prisoners in return for boatloads of cash.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. called the Trump decision to leave Syria early an “Obama-like decision”. He added, “I don’t know what they’ve done, but this is chaos.”

There have been many positive results because of the albeit smaller but very effective U.S. Special Operations presence in Syria. ISIS has been largely destroyed and removed from nearly all of the areas that they controlled. The northeastern portion of Syria has been stabilized. The Iranian attempt at expansion has been blocked and the Russians have also have been checked as they are no longer the only power brokers in Syria.

What will probably happen now is that the country will again become destabilized as the Turks and their proxies will do their own bidding in the north? They’ve already been accused of massive human rights abuses in Syria and no one believes that will cease without the coalition there. The Kurds? They will bear the brunt of our leaving. The Kurds wanted their own autonomous mini-state within Syria. No one believed that would ever happen. But when the Turks bullied Trump and the U.S. into withdrawing, it is an ominous sign that worse times may yet lay ahead of our allies there.

Some of our troops will remain across the border in Iraq but any incursions into Syria now for our Special Operations Forces would be fraught with peril. Will any other members of the administration be able to talk the President out of an early withdrawal? That will bear watching.

Photo of US Special Operations Forces: DOD

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 7, Day 2

Some good pretest work for the Upper Body Round Robin (UBRR) with many of the exercises that will be tested. Always go for perfect form when doing the pushups, it will be an area that is always looked at hard during the PT tests in Selection.

After the exercises, a three-mile run, the standard is 24 minutes, we’ll look to do better than that. Mark the time in your workout logbook. Then go and enjoy your Christmas Eve… (Feast of the Seven Fishes for you Sicilian types)

Training:

More preparation for the UBRR

2 x 1-minute Pushups

2 x 1-minute Sit-ups

2 x 1-minute, Crunches

2 x 1-minute, V-ups

2 x Dips as many as possible to muscle failure (no time limit)

2 x Pullups as many as possible or to muscle failure (no time limit)

3-mile run (24-minutes maximum)

Stretch well after completion

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 7, Day 1

It is time for our Sunday morning ruck march. We’ll do a six-mile course today over varied terrain, aim for a time better than the standard of 90 minutes. Do a quick warmup of pushups and sit-ups before heading out.

Stretch well both before and after the ruck march. Remember to drink plenty of water and stay hydrated out there. And wear your second pair of boots today.

Training:

Warm up

2 x 20 Pushups

2 x 20 Sit-ups

6-mile rucksack march over varied terrain, 90 minutes maximum. And mark your times in your workout log book. If your feet are hurting after completion, then that second pair of boots may need more break-in time. Don’t wait for Selection to get that done.

Stretch well after completion

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 6, Day 7

Back to the gym on Saturday for some shoulders and back work as the ground dries out from that monsoon yesterday. The towel pull-ups are for those who don’t have access to climbing ropes. We’ll finish off today by running some speed (sprints) work for cardio.

Ensure you stay hydrated and drink plenty of water, stay in the habit. Log your numbers down in the workout notebook

Training:

More Preparation for the UBRR:

3 x 10 Lat Pulldowns, rear

3 x 10 Barbell Dead Lift

3 x 10 Wide Grip Pull-ups

3 x 10 Towel Pull-ups

3 x 10 Seated Rows

3 x 10 Seated Bent-Over Delt Raise

3 x 10 Dumbbell Shoulder Press

3 x 10 Arnold Dumbbell Press

4 x 25-meter Shuttle Run

10 x 50-meter sprints

Stretch well after completion

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 6, Day 6

Friday morning at the gym means that it is Leg Day our favorite day of the week. Start off with some Squats – front, dumbbell goblet, and barbell. After the weighted sled push, and some lunges mixed in there as well, we’ll finish off with a 4-mile run.

The leg training is very important as it will help your strength and endurance during the ruck marches and will prepare you for life in the operational units where the rucks and gear get heavier.

UBRR Training:

Continue to prep for the UBRR.

3 x Squat 20-15-12 reps (lighter weight)

3 x 10 Deadlifts

3 x 10 Barbell Squats

3 x 10 Dumbbell Lunges

3 x 10 Leg Extensions

3 x Weighted sled push of substitute Fireman’s Carry

4-mile run (32 minutes maximum)

Stretch well after completion

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 6, Day 5

Back to the gym on Thursday morning for a Chest and triceps workout to include some pushups, sit-ups. Then a 5-mile ruck march with 45-pounds minimum.

After some bitterly cold mornings around here, the weather is supposed to warm up a bit but still dress accordingly and despite the cold, remember to hydrate. And mark your progress down in your workout log book.

Training:

More Preparation for the UBRR:

3 x 12 Bench Press

3 x 10 Dumbbell Flies

3 x 10 Dumbbell Incline press

3 x 20 Pushups

3 x 10 Kip Ups

3 x 20 Sit-ups

3 x 20 Cable Push Downs (rope)

3 x 20 Dips or until muscle failure

5-mile rucksack march (45-pound minimum, 75-minutes minimum) over varied terrain, note your time

Stretch well after completion

Gym Exercises to Improve Your Rucking Skills

We’re always talking about rucking here…it is one of our favorite subjects, a constant source of worry for Special Operations candidates and still one of our favorite activities. Anyone can do it, everyone can improve at it and it is a good way to get outside and get some exercise, whether you are an aspiring SOF operator, someone just looking to get outside for some exercise or an old FOG like myself who still enjoys toting the ruck a few times a week.

Here at SpecialOperations.com we incorporate rucking a couple of times a week in our physical prep articles for the aspiring SOF candidates. Because rucking is the basis around nearly everything you’ll do in training. In Special Forces, especially during the Selection course, candidates will be required to carry around a rucksack in all activities other than when they conduct timed runs or when they are conducting the SF Obstacle Course (Nasty Nick).

Which brings us to today’s subject…our favorite, Rucking. We always say that the only way to get better at rucking is to do it. That is very true. However, there are some exercises you can do and incorporate into your workout routine that will definitely help build your body that will help in rucking.

As we all know, rucking puts a lot of stress on your shoulders, lower back region, and your knees. And that is with just a 45-lb ruck. Add in what you’ll be toting around as an operator and that number will jump exponentially.

Here are some exercises that you can work into your workouts if you aren’t doing these already. For those of you who follow along with SOF Physical Preparation PT workouts, you’ll recognize these. If you aren’t utilizing these, it is probably time to do so.

Barbell Squats:

As we’ve said here many times, squats are one of the best overall exercises for building strength, explosion, and overall fitness. It not only will help with your rucking but believe it or not, helps with your speed too.

The following techniques are all from Bodybuilding.com – A barbell squat is a push-type, compound exercise which works primarily your quadriceps, but also trains your glutes, hamstrings, and calves, as well as muscles in your lower back. The following table lists general information about barbell squats and the muscles that you use when performing barbell squats.

Begin with the barbell supported on top of the traps. The chest should be up and the head facing forward. Adopt a hip-width stance with the feet turned out as needed.
Descend by flexing the knees, refraining from moving the hips back as much as possible. This requires that the knees travel forward. Ensure that they stay aligned with the feet. The goal is to keep the torso as upright as possible.
Continue all the way down, keeping the weight on the front of the heel. At the moment the upper legs contact the lower legs reverse the motion, driving the weight upward.

Walking Lunge/Kettlebell Swing:

Although two different exercises, I’m including these together because I usually superset them and do them together. I will conduct a walking lunge across the gym floor and have a kettlebell at each end and do the swings before heading back.

One area where most ruckers who are either new to it or not good at it are weak is in the glutes. Both of these exercises work the glute area which is great for building the strength and stability for your lower body. If you’ve ever met a professional hockey player, especially a defenseman, they use their glutes in the push off for their skating, which is why many of them have huge glutes. If your rucking is weak, this could be an area to look at.

The lunges can be done with just body weight or with dumbbells. I use light ones (25-lbs) but you can adjust accordingly. Lunges-

Begin standing with your feet shoulder width apart and your hands on your hips.
Step forward with one leg, flexing the knees to drop your hips. Descend until your rear knee nearly touches the ground. Your posture should remain upright, and your front knee should stay above the front foot.
Drive through the heel of your lead foot and extend both knees to raise yourself back up.
Step forward with your rear foot, repeating the lunge on the opposite leg.

Kettlebell swings-

Start tall, with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width. Hold a kettlebell between your legs with your chest up and shoulders back.
Initiate the swing by bending your hips and knees while bringing the kettlebell back and down. Keep your back neutral, like you’re performing a Romanian deadlift.
Use your hips to drive the kettlebell forward and up explosively. Clench your butt and abs, and don’t let your back extend backward too much.
Actively pull the kettlebell back down to begin another rep.

Tip: Keep your head and chest up, and control the kettlebell so you don’t lose your stance and positioning. Maintain a flat back throughout the movement, and focus on driving with your legs and core.

Deadlifts:

One of the harder exercises to do (form wise) are deadlifts. There are so many ways to do them (and injure yourself) incorrectly. It seems that of all of the exercises you’ll see people doing in a gym, the Deadlift is one that is often done with the worst form.

But it is a great one for building overall strength and explosion. I’d recommend that you do it with a trainer at least at first until you get the technique down if you’re not familiar with them.

Your feet should be spaced hip-width apart with your grip just outside your legs.
Use an overhand grip.
Your back should be flat—neutral spine—from start to finish.
Your shoulders should be back and down.
The bar should remain in contact with your legs for the entire range of motion.
Your hips and knees should move together to transfer the bar from the ground to an upper-thigh, locked position.

Shoulder Shrugs:

If you’ve ever toted a heavy ( I mean a really heavy ruck) when you finally do take it off, after a few seconds, it feels like your shoulders, and traps were springing back forward and a surge of soreness came it. It always helps to build some shoulder muscle in there to help stabilize everything.

Stand erect with a dumbbell on each hand (palms facing your torso), arms extended on the sides.
Lift the dumbbells by elevating the shoulders as high as possible while you exhale. Hold the contraction at the top for a second. Tip: The arms should remain extended at all times. Refrain from using the biceps to help lift the dumbbells. Only the shoulders should be moving up and down.
Lower the dumbbells back to the original position.
Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Variations: You can perform this exercise with bands, barbells or cables. You can also use a single handle and work one side at a time.

So, if you are experiencing any issues with rucking, these exercises can and do help. Use them to build up your body to increase your strength and explosion and to minimize as much as possible the wear and tear on your joints.

I use these in my workouts with my trainer at least three times a week but I always check in with Bodybuilding.com for any of the latest updates on the exercises.

Photos: DOD, Bodybuilding.com

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 6, Day 4

Happy Hump Day, it is back and shoulders day at the gym. Then a 5-miler rucksack march. Ensure that your second pair of boots are well broken in and wear them today.

Remember to stay hydrated while on the march, especially so now that there is a heatwave blanketing the East Coast and mark your progress in the workout log book.

Training:

More Preparation for the UBRR:

3 x 12 Lat Pulldowns, behind the neck (go as heavy as possible)

3 x 12 Lat Pulldowns, front

3 x 10 Deadlift

3 x 10 Dumbbell Side Raises

3 x 10 Dumbbell Front Raises

3 x 10 Dumbbell Arnold Press

3 x 8 Shoulder Shrugs

5-mile Rucksack march (45-lb minimum, 75-minutes maximum)

Stretch well after completion

SOF Truths With a Twist, Good Leaders Can’t Be Mass Produced

Opinion: Our Special Operations Command has been in the news these days for much of the wrong reasons. And with the number of questions we’ve gotten asking about the different Selection courses for SOF with an increasing number from potential officers, I felt it was time to address an issue.

An increasing number of Special Operations troops that I know, both NCO and officer feel that there is a disconnect within the command. That senior level officers and NCOs are more interested in punching their ticket and engaging in a mode of CYA than they are about their troops. I’m not going to argue the merits of whether that feeling is justified or not. But if the troops feel that way, then it is a reality that the various commands have to address, for the long-term health of the force.

So to our aspiring SOF officers out there, the best piece of advice the rest of us in the force can give to you all before you embark on your own path is two-fold. If you want to be a Special Operations officer, A.) Be a good one and B.) Don’t forget A. when you rise to positions of higher authority and responsibility.

We all know the “SOF Truths” that General Baratto came up way back in the day…(my era), Jeez that makes me feel old(er). In 1988, BG Baratto added the “truths” to the new SOF imperatives which were a two-sided coin in recruiting, training and fielding the new SOF command. The newest command SOCOM was created just a year before in 1987 and the truths were a brainchild who fit perfectly into the SOF command. General Wayne Downing who took over SOCOM shortly after that totally embraced it.

But the third of the “truths” SOF Can’t be Mass Produced can be applied to our leadership as well. And that is where we’re at today. Good (SOF) Leaders Can’t Be Mass Produced. Let’s face it, unlike the ideals that our forefathers wrote in the Constitution, all men are NOT created equal. Especially when it comes to military leadership. It is one of those things that we wish weren’t true but it is.

Wouldn’t it be outstanding that at the end of every SFQC, that every officer who walks across the stage and pins on a tab would be the next Bob Howard? Well, we all know that isn’t happening. The best leaders always seem to beget the best leaders. Why is that? Because leadership training is time-consuming, very labor intensive and requires a ton of training and experience. And most importantly command influence.

While SOF training is not a cookie-cutter approach to training operators, the courses are designed to spot, recruit, select, assess and train the next group of operators for the individual units. But the flexibility that is allowed inside the training is imperative to training all of the operators. That includes leaders.

Unlike our conventional brothers and sisters, while the leader is in command, in SOF, the leader serves the team and not the other way around. The team supports the leader to the utmost of their ability to accomplish the mission.

Leadership, especially good leadership is an art. It requires the effective leader to be at times a diplomat, a psychologist, a taskmaster and above all a good listener. The best leaders know when it is time to be all of those. Some are born into it and take to it like a duck to water. With others, it takes time and experience. Some, unfortunately, will never “get it”.

SOF troops are by and large the take charge, Type-A personalities. Knowing how to navigate the potential minefield of huge egos that permeate the atmosphere is never an easy one. That’s why it is best to be direct, transparent and most of all be consistent. One of my favorite leaders had a reputation as somewhat of a hard case. His statement was frequently “I may be an asshole, I know it, but most importantly, YOU know it, and at least you know I’m a consistent asshole!”

The best SOF leaders are all mentors. They are always training the next operator to take over their job when the time is right. Which is why they mentor their operators to lead. The time to learn how to be a successful leader is not on the day you assume the mantle of command. That is a disaster waiting to happen.

I was personally blessed to serve with and alongside some of the most outstanding Special Forces officers this country has produced. The excellent by far outweigh the few so-so commanders. I still contact several of the former Captains who became Colonels to bounce off ideas and questions even today.

That is the kind of leader you should all aspire to be when choosing SOF as a career choice. Be the kind of guy everyone around wants to emulate, not the guy who only has his eye on making Flag Rank.

Soapbox rant over, Screw it, let’s go rucking…DOL

Photo: DOD

Special Operations Forces Selection PT Preparation Week 6, Day 3

Tuesday is Leg Day at the gym, our favorite (sometimes), but we’ll begin with pull-ups. The squats and lunges build up the strength in your lower body for carrying a rucksack, which is the bread and butter of SOF. Then a four-mile run in under 32 minutes.

UBRR Training:

Continue to prep for the UBRR

3 x Pullups 10 reps

3 x Deadlifts 10 reps

3 x Front Squat 20-15-12 reps (lighter weight)

3 x Goblet Squats 20-15-12 reps (lighter weight)

4 x Sled push heavier weight

3 x 10 reps Dumbbell Lunges

3 x 20 Side planks

4-Mile run (32-minutes maximum)

Stretch well after completion