Almost a year after the first patient was confirmed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the Ebola virus has finally jumped across the border into Uganda. Earlier this week, at least two people in Uganda died from Ebola. Investigators believe… [Read more…]
It’s happened: Ebola spreads to neighboring countries
Almost a year after the first patient was confirmed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the Ebola virus has finally jumped across the border into Uganda. Earlier this week, at least two people in Uganda died from Ebola. Investigators believe they had recently traveled to the DRC, however, according to a report from Al Jazeera, medical detectives working on the … [Read more…]
Iranian mines almost sink two tankers as US Navy responds
During the early morning hours of June 13th, two tankers came under attack as they traversed the Gulf of Oman. The Norwegian-owned M/T Altair and the Japanese-owned M/T Kokuka Courageous were damaged by what appears to be Iranian limpet mines. The discovery of Iranian mines in international waters has raised tensions in the area. According to U.S. Central Command … [Read more…]
The Marine Corps just launched two non-spec ops train and advise units
In an attempt to stay relevant in the Foreign Internal Defense (FID) arena, the Marine Corps activated two new units to represent it. On June 7, Marine Corps Advisor Companies (MCAC) Alpha and Bravo were established in a ceremony that took place at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington D.C. The two new outfits, which belong to Marine Forces Reserve, are the first batch of … [Read more…]
Woman mistakes aircraft’s emergency exit for lavatory — plane evacuated as a result
A woman who was looking for the restroom mistakenly opened the aircraft's emergency exit while the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane was still sitting on the runway. According to a report from Gulf News, Flight PK 702 from Manchester to Islamabad was evacuated after the incident, causing a seven-hour delay. The carrier said it was investigating the incident … [Read more…]
Australian newspaper raided after publishing stories about war crimes and government surveillance
The Australian Federal Police raided Australia's ABC news offices earlier this month, as well as the home of journalist Annika Smethurst. When searching the offices, they had a search warrant with two specifics names on it, journalists Sam Clark and Daniel Oakes. Clark and Oakes published a piece called “The Afghan Files” in 2017, based largely on military documents that were … [Read more…]
Recon Challenge 2019: Sweat, blood, and pain for a noble cause
On May 16, active-duty and veteran U.S. Marines from units stationed around the globe gathered in Camp Pendleton, California, to participate in the annual Recon Challenge. The Recon Challenge is an endurance event that takes participants through numerous tests inspired by the Reconnaissance Marine training and operational history. There is, for example, a grueling 30-mile ruck … [Read more…]
Indian special operations struggles to embrace the spirit of jointness
One of the big takeaways from the disastrous 1980 attempt to rescue American hostages held in Iran was that U.S. special operations units needed to work in a joint environment. Units need to coordinate and train together to develop their capabilities and ensure they function smoothly when deployed to combat. This is a lesson that we've passed on to partner forces as well. For … [Read more…]
Deep structural reforms: Naval Special Warfare adapts to stay relevant
As the Department of Defense prepares for future conflicts and contingencies, its elite units are following suit. In an interview with Special Forces Outlook magazine, Rear Adm. Collin Green, commander of Naval Special Warfare Command (NSWC), outlined the future of the SEAL Teams and how they are preparing to combat future threats. The top Navy SEAL delineates that a … [Read more…]
How an Android app is helping commandos call Close Air Support faster
An integral component of modern U.S. battlefield superiority is air power. More specifically, the ability to call in effective and timely close air support (CAS) provides ground troops with a crucial advantage over their opponents, whether these are Taliban fighters in the mountains of Afghanistan, ISIS terrorists in the deserts of Iraq, or Russian mercenaries in the plains of … [Read more…]
Is the US military indirectly supporting war crimes?
Are the U.S. government and military indirectly supporting war crimes? Yes, according to the non-profit Human Rights Watch (HRW). Recently, the HRW released a report documenting war crimes committed by the Egyptian military and the Islamic State (ISIS) in North Sinai. The report accuses both warring parties of committing crimes against humanity. Although this is something to … [Read more…]
Cruise ship goes rogue, smashes smaller vessel and dock in Venice
On Sunday the MSC Opera, a cruise ship owned by MSC Cruises, smashed into a dock and a smaller vessel in Venice, Italy. At least four people were injured during the accident, which has caused MSC to cancel several upcoming port calls to the city. A video from the incident was captured by a passenger onboard the Opera and was uploaded to YouTube shortly … [Read more…]
Combat tracking: NZ Special Air Service operators showcase their bushcraft mastery
In previous months, two New Zealand soldiers deployed to Malawi, Africa, to teach British Army units the secrets of bushcraft and anti-poaching. According to the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF), one of the soldiers was from the New Zealand Special Air Service (NZSAS), and the other from the 1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (RNZIR). New Zealand troops are … [Read more…]