Special Operations Forces

SOF Selection PT Preparation 4.27.2017

A Chest and triceps workout in the gym to include some dips and kip ups followed by another 5-miler with the ruck. Remember to stay hydrated 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) over varied terrain, note your time

Stretch well after completion

Oldest Merrill’s Marauder MG Milton Pitcher Dies at 100

The oldest surviving member of the famed Merrill’s Marauders has passed away at the age of 100. Major General (retired) Milton Pitcher died on Easter Sunday at his home in Virginia.

During World War II he served as a communications officer in the famed unit during their battles in the Chinese/Burma theater against the Japanese.
Following his service in the China, Burma India Theater, Pilcher served as an assistant signal officer with the Second Army in Tennessee, and in the Office of the Chief Signal Officer in the Pentagon until relieved from active duty in 1946. Pilcher served in the U.S. Army Reserve as a USAR School Director and then as a member and later commander of the 352nd Civil Affairs Command located at Georgetown University from 1946 to 1968.
He was in the Executive Office of the President of the United States for 11 years, from 1949 to 1960.
He was promoted to brigadier general in 1966. He was appointed Deputy Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Military Operations, Department of the Army, and promoted to major general in 1968. Pilcher was appointed commander of the 310th Field Army Support Command, Washington, DC in 1972 and served until retirement in 1974.
His decorations include the Legion of Merit, and recognition as a Distinguished Member of the U.S. Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment, and the Civil Affairs Corps Regiment. He received the AUSA award for distinguished service in 1995.

The Marauders, officially known as the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), was a United States Army long-range, special operations, jungle warfare unit, which fought in the South-East Asian theater of World War II, or China-Burma-India Theater (CBI).

They were famous for the 100 km (62 miles) trek through the mountainous jungle along with Chinese troops to capture Myitkyina airfield before disease brought the unit to its knees. Their distinctive unit crest is now worn by the Ranger Regiment.

To read the entire article from the USSOCOM, click here:

Photo courtesy DOD

Under Trump, Use of Contractors in War Zone Diminishing

Despite the wars in the Middle East showing no signs of slowing down, what is beginning to wane is the US government’s reliance on contractors to help. The Defense Department is using thousands of fewer military contractors in the early days of the Trump administration than at the end of the Obama presidency.

With the draw-down in the military, many in the Pentagon want the jobs to go to active duty soldiers, sailors, airmen or Marines as the feeling is, the use of contractors undercuts the military.

Whether or not the numbers stay low under a Trump administration remains to be seen. At least early in his presidency, he’s been much less restrictive about deploying conventional troops to the fray and then recently deployed 400 more Rangers and Marines to Syria where 1000 contractors now work along with 1000 Special Operations Forces.

More than 42,000 private contractors, including translators, administrators as well as security personnel, are currently operating in the U.S. Central Command area of operations, down from 45,500 in the waning days of the Obama administration, according to the latest quarterly report released this week. The bulk – almost 25,000 – are in Afghanistan compared to more than 26,000 in January, amid roughly 8,500 American troops there.
About 3,800 contractors are in Iraq contributing to the ongoing war against the Islamic State group, 200 more than in the last report, working with the roughly 5,000 uniformed personnel there.
The remaining 13,500, down from 16,000, are in other undisclosed locations in the Middle East, likely on major facilities the U.S. uses such as al-Udeid air base in Qatar from which it launches some of its heavier aircraft for operations in the region.

However, while the number of logistical support contractors has dropped in Afghanistan, the number of security contractors has risen from 3400 to 4000 since January.

In Syria, some security contractors protecting logistical support members double as intelligence gathers for US government agencies, lending support where they may not have as much manpower. Some members of Congress want to see that stopped.

To read the entire article from the US News and World Report, click here:

Photo courtesy The Economist

Rucking Tips, Hitting the Hills and Getting the Fit Right

We’ve been getting more messages and questions about rucking and as a result, I have got out on the trail with a 45-pound rucksack myself a lot more than usual which has been fun.

We’ve posted some tips based on our experience that we feel will be of good value to you. I don’t claim to know it all, but after many years in SF, these tips and techniques worked for me and hopefully, they’ll work for you as well.

Your weight should be packed up high between the shoulder blades. If your ruck has radio pouch up high, that is where the sandbag or weight plates belongs. I prefer sandbags because it will mold to your pack and back and doesn’t have any sharp edges that can rub you on a ruck.

On this particular practical exercise I used the waist strap on my rucksack, that way, the weight rides on your hips and you can loosen your shoulder straps a tad so that the weight isn’t all on them.

While saying that, I got some emails about using bricks…yes, of course, you can use them, and for the purposes of my last few rucks, I put a load of bricks in my ruck that should get you up to weight. Most of the bricks in ruck weighed between 5-6 pounds so they do take up quite a bit of room.

We covered boots in a couple of our earlier articles. I have several pairs that I take on hikes depending upon the conditions. For the purposes of this practical exercise, I wore my heavier duty Merrell Sawtooth boots. This course has quite a few rocks and rocky outcrops at the top and bottom of the loop so those boots are a perfect fit.

Part of the trail I used goes near or next to a road that is heavily traveled, especially on the weekend. A word to the wise, walk facing traffic, it is much safer and if you’re carrying a green rucksack next to a wooded area, a driver may not see you. Be safe.

The closed loop trail in “Purgatory” gives plenty of varied terrain so it was up and down some steep hills. I took my SFAS Cadre walking stick (The staff of Ra) on the course. But unlike Mr. Jones’ medallion, mine has a large snapping turtle skull attached. It makes for good conversation on the trail.

It does help with your balance, takes a bit of stress off your knees and hips on the upside of slopes as well as crossing scree. If you take a break to enjoy the view, (not recommended for Selection candidates) it will serve as a leaning post. And last but not least, it makes a heckuva deterrent for that one angry dog that seems to always show up when you are in the middle of the woods.

I’ve had this one for a long time, and I fashioned a 40mm practice grenade cap on the bottom to keep it from wearing out. However, it did get stuck between two rocks at the very end of the trail and I had to back over a boulder to retrieve it. And you can see it on the video. So much for being cool…

Again when it comes to increasing speed, I don’t recommend that you run with a rucksack on your back while in training. It puts way too much stress on your knees. There will be times on steep downhill, you can pick up a shuffle for a few steps but as for running a distance with a rucksack while prepping for selection…DON’T.

From our last article on rucking, “They’ll be times in your selection course or the qualification course that you’ll have to make up time or want to pick your pace, especially on the downhill slopes. At those times, you’re going to have to do what you must,” Learn to increase your speed without running. Running with a ruck will hurt your knees and back…take it from the guy with two arthritic knees and an arthritic back to boot.

Lengthen out your stride and generate power with your legs and your speed will come naturally without resorting to running. But in the course…do what you must, to pass.

The standard is a 15-minute mile pace to pass the courses, you should be aiming to go lower than that. Our pace was a bit slower due to the rocky terrain out there and the steeper hills, many of which you won’t find during the selection courses in the US.

Water and hydration are very important as we keep harping on in every piece. On this morning, it was cool to start, but by the time we were beginning our third loop on the trail, it had warmed up significantly and right after the final video segment, I peeled off my light jacket and was pretty sweaty. I drank quite a bit on the trail, more than I thought by the time I was done. Stay hydrated and stay the course.

One questioner asked if you can incorporate rucking with land navigation practice…Absolutely! In your training for selection, getting used to rucking where ever you go is great practice. It will build up your endurance while getting you used to carrying your ruck everywhere.

If anyone else has any questions, feel free to send them along to [email protected] or at my Twitter page @SteveB7SFG and I’ll be glad to answer them and we may use it in our next video.

Photo courtesy of US Army

SOF Selection PT Preparation 4.26.2017

Shoulders and back day in the gym before heading off to do the SOF (Special Operations Forces) Triathlon. A run, a rucksack march, and a swim with fatigues and boots. If you can do all three of these things well, you will have most of the selection courses licked.

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 Dumbbell Side Raises

3 x 10 Dumbbell Front Raises

3 x 10 Dumbbell Arnold Press

3 x 8 Shoulder Shrugs

2-mile Run

3-mile Rucksack march (45lb minimum)

300-meter swim in fatigues and boots

Stretch well after completion

US Stepping Up Security Training Effort for Somalia

United States AFRICOM (Africa Command) Commander, Marine General Thomas Waldhauser stated via conference call in Germany that although the US is sending Somalia 40 personnel to help train the army there, it doesn’t signal a shift in strategy.

The US, along with other partner nations involved in helping the Somali army get off the ground all agree that it is time for the Somali army to stand on its own. However, the other organizations involved won’t be leaving for at least another year but will be there to help.

The US contingent will train the Somali logistical units to help create better supply networks for the fledgling military.

“Our goal from the United States’ perspective, in conjunction with our partners who are there doing the training, is that the Somali National Security Forces will be prepared to provide for their own security sometime in the 2020/21 timeframe when the next series of elections go,” Waldhauser said. “We all have to pull together to make sure that we’re very effective and efficient in the training now.”
Ambassador Francisco Madeira, the civilian head of AMISOM, said the AU intends to begin drawing down its forces in 2018.
“We were not intending to stay there forever,” he said. “Somalia is for the Somalis. We, like all other Africans, we have our own countries.”
“We are in solidarity with the Somali people, we need to support Somali people. We have interests to have a stable Somalia,” Madeira said. “But surely, the Somalis, the country, can only be best defended by the Somalis themselves, who understand better their dynamics, their reality and their priorities and their objectives.”
In early April, President Mohamed announced that he would offer amnesty to members of al-Shabab who renounce extremism and agree to undergo demobilization and reintegration training. Mohamed declared war on all extremists who rejected the offer.

The Somali military is trying to rid itself of the al-Shabab terrorist organization that hides in plain sight among the civilian populace. That makes their job more difficult but not impossible. They’ll use sophisticated means to identify them by intelligence gathering and aerial surveillance.

To read the entire article from the Voice of America, click here:

Photo courtesy Voice of America

USSOCOM Elects Seven New Operators to their Hall of Honor

USSOCOM recently honored seven special operators by inducting them into the USSOCOM Hall of Honor located at MacDill, AFB on April 18^th.

They all received medals from U.S. Army Gen. Raymond A. Thomas III, USSOCOM commander, and Sgt. Maj. Patrick McCauley, USSOCOM command sergeant major. Their respective names may not ring a bell for anyone who isn’t familiar with Special Operations but their bios reveal a veritable “Who’s Who” for the individual services.

The award recognizes individuals who have served with distinction within the special operations forces community. This year’s inductees were U.S. Army Lt. Col. Herbert Avedon, U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Bruce Brandewie, U.S. Army Capt. Wade Y. Ishimoto, U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Harry McCommons, U.S. Army Master Sgt. Michael A. Pelaez, U.S. Army Col. Christopher E. St. John, and U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Joseph R. Ulatoski
“There is no better example of valor and professional excellence for today’s SOF than the seven honorees with us today,” said Thomas. “Their actions, spirit and example serve as an inspiration for the seventy thousand of us who serve in United States Special Operations Command and especially the eight thousand who are forward deployed in over eighty countries right now.”
The seven newest inductees will join an elite group of 55 other special operations warriors who have been inducted into the Commando Hall of Honor since its inception in 2010. Past inductees come from all four branches of service and have served in every conflict since World War II.
“It’s very humbling and I am very honored to receive this award,” said Ulatoski. “Receiving this award has made me think back to all of those people I have served with, those are the people who are really responsible for me receiving this award.”

The seven operators or commandos as the headquarters said in their article, have had service spread out from World War II, Korea, Vietnam right up until the present day operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and a hundred places in-between.

To read the entire article from the USSOCOM, click here:

Photo courtesy USSOCOM

Special Operations Forces Standards Must Remain High

The Special Operations community is always under the spotlight even though they themselves would rather remain in the shadows as the “Quiet Professionals” but because of their nature, the public and the government are fascinated by them.

As a result, too many times, people in government with no operational experience, nor any idea what it takes to operate in a Special Operations environment, read up a bit and become instant experts. They then try to get involved with the training and assessment with Special Operations troops. This usually doesn’t end well.

Recently there was a story out of the UK that some in the government wanted to abolish the reserve SAS regiments, the 21^st and 23^rd as their training standards were different than the active component (22^nd SAS) and that their role was ill-defined. Two candidates died of heat-related injuries on a ruck march in the Brecon Beacons. Don’t think for a minute that this wasn’t a talking point in Washington also. One thing in the favor of the US is that all training for SOF units be it, active or reserve component is done to the same standard in the same schools.

This week a report was issued that the Special Operations Forces (SOF) “The Role of Special Operations Forces in Global Competition,” where the focus of the SOF should be in preparing for the next conflict rather than just fighting in the current ones on-going. In it, the SOF community may have to be expanded to meet future requirements.

Both developments ultimately lead to one question, “Should the standards for SOF be lowered to meet the new challenges?” And the answer to that is a resounding No.

By their very nature, the mission of SOF is extremely challenging and the job gets tougher, not easier when the individual troops find themselves in the operational SOF environment. The individual units must identify, develop, and provide the necessary training to produce troops that can operate in their environments.

Although their standards are generally similar throughout in looking for troops that have an extreme sense of self-reliance and the ability to function with or without supervision, there are differences in each. The US Army Special Forces Selection course is one conducted with both officers and enlisted candidates together. The focus is on the mental aspect as well as the physical.

The Rangers conduct a different assessment process and the officers and senior NCOs go thru a different course than the junior enlisted troops. Because in their environment, the roles will be very different than say as a member of an A-team.

The Navy SEALs BUDS course gets physically demanding with an increased focus on the candidates becoming more comfortable in the water. While the core values of each are basically the same, each unit has dedicated its selection criteria on what their units will need to be able to perform.

As we’ve seen in the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and now Syria, the standards of the SOF need to remain high. In fact, if anything they need to be even higher. As the demands increase and the tools of the trade become even sharper, the standards for becoming an SOF member should never be lowered.

In the past decade and a half since 9/11 Counter Terrorism (CT) and Counter Insurgency (COIN) have received the bulk of the focus of SOF tasking while Unconventional Warfare (UW) skills haven’t used as much.

As the conventional or “Big Army” is standing up brigades of soldiers to conduct security assistance training missions, that traditionally have been done by SOF units, this will ease the burden of SOF units. But if history is any indicator, they’ll attempt to begin blending in missions that traditionally have been done by SOF units in the FID realm.

We were witnessed to this in 1991 when Army Brigades were conducting security assistance training missions, someone in the Pentagon said that the brigades were “more cost-effective” than SF units conducting FID and that the Big Army should become the point for those type missions.

That myth was dispelled quickly when members of Congress and the Armed Services Committee came to Ft. Bragg and were given the “dog and pony” show of what an A-team can do in the FID environment.

So while the mission priorities will change with the environment and the political climate, the core values of SOF units never will. And despite whether the need to expand the SOF community comes to fruition or not, one thing should never change. The standards by which we identify, assess and train our Special Operations Force warriors should never be lowered.

Photo courtesy DOD

SOF Selection PT Preparation 4.25.2017

How is everyone feeling after the UBRR practice test of yesterday? Today is back to the gym to work on pull-ups and rope climbing preparation with the towel pullups for those without rope access as well as Leg Day. Go heavier with the sled push to build up lower body explosion. Continue to prep for the UBRR.

Training:

3 x Pullups 10 reps

3 x Towel pullups

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

Stretch well after completion

Why Rucking Is Becoming More Popular with the Civilian Populace

Special Operations Forces are all the rage these days, from the recent films of “Lone Survivor” and “Zero Dark Thirty” in which Navy SEALs are the protagonists as well as “Black Hawk Down” where the Delta Force operators are, America can’t get enough.

So, if you aren’t going to enlist in the Armed Forces and actually become an operator, now the new rage is working out like one. And nothing builds character more than toting that rucksack around the woods and building up endurance and muscle by toting the pain pill. So everywhere you turn now the benefits of rucking are being touted as a healthy alternative to just plain old running.

Rucking is a way to exercise in a highly efficient manner, as it targets several key areas of fitness at the same time. You can transform your body with rucking in many ways, including:
building up your muscles, particularly your shoulders, core, and back
shedding fat as you burn three times as many calories as you could walking without the backpack and get the same benefits of running and jogging (with less risk of injury)
improving your overall posture as you strengthen your back muscles
relieving and preventing back pain
strengthening your hip and posture stability, making you less injury prone in general
Rucking effectively allows you to combine aerobic training and strength training while slicing your workout to a fraction of the time. The more you go rucking, the more you can notice its impact on the rest of your health. Your posture as you sit at your office desk is better. Your stamina is improved during your other workouts. Your pesky back pain decreases or vanishes entirely. Rucking provides lasting benefits affecting many areas of your health.

While we agree wholeheartedly that rucking is a great exercise (see our video tomorrow), it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. And of course, I can’t wait to bump into another guy on the trail who is “just like Special Ops” because he rucks a few times a week. Heavens help us, we’ve gone mainstream.

To read the entire article from American Grit, click here:

Photo courtesy US Army