The Ground Truth: An Operator’s Day On Capitol Hill

This week the Special Operations Association of America (SOAA) met with ten members of Congress to discuss the relevance of Special Operations as well as the importance of having a…

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What Happened at HKIA

Introduction When Americans watched in shock as Afghans overran the airfield at Hamid Karzai International Airport, now infamously known as HKIA, evacuation efforts by SOAA were already well underway. BLUF:…

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The Return of the Best Ranger Competition
National Guard soldiers 1st Lt. Christian Briggs, left, and Spc. Jerry Marksbury navigate the Malvesti obstacle course, the second event in the Army's grueling three-day Best Ranger Competition on Friday, April 16, 2021 at Fort Benning, Ga. (Photo by: Corey Dickstein/Stars and Stripes)

The Return of the Best Ranger Competition

This past April, 52 teams of Ranger School graduates returned to Fort Benning, Georgia to compete in a series of extreme physical and mental challenges for a chance to be…

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What it Takes to Join Delta Force
US Army 10th Mountain Division soldiers at a Delta Force recruitment meeting in Iraq, August 23, 2007. (Photo by: US Army/Christina McCann)

What it Takes to Join Delta Force

Making it as a member of Delta Force, the Army’s special-mission unit for counter-terrorism and hostage rescues, is no easy feat. With an attrition rate hovering at 90% on average,…

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Green Beret Uses Storytelling to Cope with the Invisible Wounds of War
"Last Out: Elegy of a Green Beret" (Photo courtesy "Last Out")

Green Beret Uses Storytelling to Cope with the Invisible Wounds of War

Retired Green Beret-turned playwright, Scott Mann, uses the art of storytelling to cope with the invisible wounds of combat and the struggles that come with returning to civilian life. Scott…

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Origins of the Term “Special Operator”
A 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) (7 SFG (A)) Green Beret High Altitude Low Opening(HALO) jump master looks for the drop zone before jumping off the ramp of a U.S. Air Force AC-130 during a HALO freefall jump. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Steven Young)

Origins of the Term “Special Operator”

Ever wonder how the term Special Operator came to be? According to the U.S. Army Special Operations Command History Office, the term can be first traced back to the Green…

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The Newest Army Weapon
The small arms stabilization system on display as part of the Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit at the 2019 Special Operations Forces Industry Conference in Tampa, Florida. (EPNAC via National Defense Magazine)

The Newest Army Weapon

As part of their Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW), the Army is working on a new piece of technology designed to control a soldier's aim, using a stabilized barrel. Currently…

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