Phillip Walton was being held hostage in Niger and was also taken into Nigeria. Americas best teamed up to perform a successful rescue mission. However, once news broke out that Phillip Walton was safe a few key members were overlooked. CV-22B Ospreys and MC-130J Commando IIs, as well as KC-135R tankers made this all possible. An American was brought home ... Read More »
The Australian Defence Force has stated that there was substantial and credible evidence regarding the unlawful killing of 39 people by Australian SAS in Afghanistan. After the release of the report and credible evidence, what happens next? Task & Purpose delves into the questions everyone is asking, such as how much did their commanding officers know, or choose not to? ... Read More »
Defense Ministers from the EU and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell have analyzed and reported on the current situation in Mali and Libya. The Greek Foreign Minister also discussed the common want Greece has in that greater stability should be achieved in the Sahel area. Greece is now preparing to send a new SOF unit ... Read More »
The 23rd Special Headquarters Troops and the 3133rd Signal Service Company served in World War II and are known as a “Ghost Army.” The Ghost Army created false beach landing sites on D-Day and took casualties while creating a distraction and fake appearance of a larger force. The 23rd Headquarters, Special Troops used inflatable tanks and airplanes to create the ... Read More »
A seven-year-old boy has been rescued by Russian special forces after working with international agents. The boy was rescued in the village of Makarikha, which is east of Moscow and the suspect, a 26-year-old man, has been arrested. Medics have stated that the boy is in good health and appears unharmed. Russian SF carried out the rescue operation after US ... Read More »
After the report detailing evidence that at least 39 Afghan civilians and soldiers were murdered by SAS troops, Australian Defense Force chief Angus Campbell has stated that the soldiers should be required to wear helmet cameras. New South Wales Justice Paul Brereton, who made the report, also mentioned that mandatory cameras could act as a strong deterrent for dangerous behavior ... Read More »
Operation Kingpin took place 50 years ago and still stands as a stellar example of a well-planned and executed mission, despite the POWs being moved to a different location beforehand. In November of 1970, a team of almost 60 operators attempted to rescue prisoners of war from the Son Tay prison compound. Despite the prisoners having already been moved, the ... Read More »
Gen. Frank McKenzie has said that while the US has been in the Middle East fighting ISIS in Iraq and Syria, thousands of people’s lives have been displaced. The fight is not over until some sort of order and normalcy is brought into these people’s lives. One fear is that the children in these displaced homes see the destruction and become radicalized, causing the cycle of fighting to ... Read More »
The special operations family stretches beyond the military. While the Pentagon is most often thought of as having special operations the job description occurs in other places outside of the military. Business Insider lists the five other places you might find special operators. This includes hostage rescuers in the FBI and the Special Operations Group with the CIA. Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/the-top-5-non-military-us-special-operations-units-2020-11 Read More »
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense has announced that their defense forces took back control of the Dasht-e-Archi district, located in the Kunduz province. A late night operation was launched in the area which resulted in at least 37 dead Taliban militants while others fled. Airstrikes were also conducted that took out numerous fighters, and the MoD has stated that they will ... Read More »
SOFX The Crossroads of Special Operations