Syrian president Bashar Assad has a large supply of chemical weapons in the form of vehicles filled with chlorine gas and sarin nerve agents. President Obama signed an agreement in 2013 that was supposed to see Syria dispose of these weapons, with help from Russia. However, this arsenal of chemical weapons is still in use. Despite Obama signing a deal ... Read More »
Even though the first confirmed case of the coronavirus in the U.S. happened after the New Year, many are wondering if it was here sooner. Numerous people have come forward claiming they had a respiratory illness in December or January, but their flu tests came back negative. Now some experts believe the virus reached the U.S. at the beginning of ... Read More »
An allowance will become available for military families who are forced to isolate and quarantine, and who are separated from their loved ones due to the coronavirus. A cash allowance will also be available for troops who are quarantined after being exposed to the virus. Known as Hardship Duty Pay-Restriction of Movement, those who are unable to isolate at home ... Read More »
As the coronavirus continues to spread, normally crowded cities bursting with tourism look like a ghost town as everyone goes into quarantine. In the U.S. many military exercises, include recruitment training, have been shut down and put on hold until the pandemic is over. This has led many to wonder how the military can remain prepared and ready to go ... Read More »
Former FBI agent Robert Levinson disappeared in 2007 while on Kish. He was in Iran for the CIA working as a private investigator when he was kidnapped by Iranian security forces. Levinson’s family has now released that they received information from U.S. officials stating he was dead. “It is impossible to describe our pain. Our family will spend the rest ... Read More »
Motorcycles have been used throughout the military more than people realize. During the first World War, the U.S. was using Harley Davidson bikes both overseas and on the border of Mexico. Sometimes they were also used alongside a mounted cavalry unit during the Border War. The U.S. then shipped over 80,000 motorcycles to Europe for use by their militaries, including ... Read More »
In October of 2019 Maj. Gen. Roger Cloutier Jr. didn’t have the authority to grant a combat patch. He also realized that there hadn’t been a major instance of those in special operations assigned to AFRICOM receiving them. However, attacks against troops were on the rise, and a recent attack repelled by U.S. forces made Cloutier realize it was time ... Read More »
The Mint 400 is the oldest and most well-known off-road race in the U.S. Taking place in Nevada, racers compete with custom built vehicles designed for the challenging terrain. This year Green Berets from the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) raced with their Ground Mobility Vehicle 1.1s. The active duty personnel modified military vehicles to meet the challenge and participate ... Read More »
While everyone is being affected by the coronavirus pandemic, health care workers are getting hit especially hard. Over the past several weeks societal norms are slowly beginning to slip away as we see more empty grocery stores, closings, and layoffs. Without a vaccine or solid cure, the only way to combat the virus is through social distancing measures. As the ... Read More »
Anheuser-Busch has a reputation for using their breweries to make and give out bottled waters during a natural disaster. Now, during a pandemic, they are handing out hand sanitizer. Anheuser-Busch has also said they will use one of their facilities in Brazil to manufacture hand sanitizer for hospitals. Numerous other breweries and distilleries across the globe are using their sites ... Read More »
The identity of advanced hackers who attempted to get into the WHO is still unknown. Hack attempts against the agency have been on the rise since the novel coronavirus has continued to spread. Alexander Urbelis, a cybersecurity expert and attorney, said he was alerted to suspicious activity when a group of hackers were attempting to copy the WHO’s internal email ... Read More »
The Marines have chosen to get rid of all of their tanks, most of their tube artillery, and a large amount of aviation units. These will be replaced with more long-range rocket artillery and anti-ship missiles in order to prepare for possible island hopping in the South Pacific. The service has identified China as a pacing threat and wants to ... Read More »
With the coronavirus continuing to spread, it is important to be prepared ahead of time. While there is no guarantee that you or a loved one will not contract the virus, making sure your family is ready can help put nerves at ease and assist you if someone does become ill. First, make sure everyone is well connected with phone ... Read More »
The Air Force Special Operations Command has deleted a tweet posted to Twitter about COVID-19 and apologized for any insensitivity. The tweet read “Know what else has CV that isn’t #COVID19? #CV22uesday!” along with a photo of the aircraft. Many users responded stating that the post had poor taste and that the virus wasn’t something to joke about. AFSOC director ... Read More »
A civilian working at the U.S. Special Operations Command has tested positive for the coronavirus, making it the first case in SOCOM headquarters. This is also the third case to be reported at MacDill Air Force Base. Officials have announced that the worker tested positive on the 21st but had not been at work since the 13th. Those who had close ... Read More »
SOFX The Crossroads of Special Operations