SOF News

Looking for upcoming Special Operations community events this October? Here are notable SOF events happening across the community, including nonprofit fundraisers, networking events, and industry gatherings.

Story by Erin Thompson, USAICE (DVIDS). On Sept. 11, 2001, New York Fire Department (FDNY) Fire Marshal Ronald P. Bucca gave his life while responding to the attacks on the World Trade Center. At the time, Bucca was also an Army reservist serving as operations chief of the 3413th Military Intelligence (MI) Detachment out of Fort Totten (Queens), New York. Ron Bucca was not on a path to the Intelligence Community until a near-fatal fall in 1986 changed his course.

Homeland Security Today and Narrative Strategies are hosting the first-ever Narrative Strategy Symposium on Wednesday, September 30, in Arlington, Virginia. This gathering will bring together leaders from government, academia, industry, the military, and the homeland security community to explore one of the defining challenges the United States is facing today.

By Oleksandr Sukhobrus, Opinion Contributor. At the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian propaganda painted a beautiful and idyllic picture of a future Russia for its citizens, one that would magically emerge after Russia’s victory over Ukraine and a parade of Russian troops on Ukraine’s main street in Kyiv, Khreshchatyk.

By Derik Crotts, Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Health Affairs. The U.S. special operations forces community is actively tackling the invisible threat of repeated blast overpressure to protect warfighters’ brain health without compromising combat readiness. This is important since, in just six months of initial entry training, a SOF soldier will fire thousands of small arms rounds, employ hundreds of flash-bang devices, and conduct dozens of explosive breaches.

By Jillian Butler. Every morning, future Navy SEALs enter the Pacific Ocean off Coronado to prepare for some of America’s most dangerous military missions. Increasingly, they are also entering waters contaminated by millions of gallons of untreated sewage flowing north from Mexico, exposing them to a growing health and training hazard. The Tijuana River sewage crisis is often described as an environmental disaster.

Story by Staff Sgt. Liseth Espinel Cuervo, 10th SFG(A). Command Sgt. Maj. Istvan Mezei, former senior enlisted leader of 4th Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), receives the 2026 Frederick Award as the U.S. Army Special Forces Noncommissioned Officer of the Year during a ceremony hosted by the First Special Service Force Association in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, Aug. 22, 2026. The association celebrated its 79th anniversary from Aug. 19 to 22.

Curated news, analysis, and commentary on special operations, intelligence, irregular warfare, national defense, and global conflicts. Photo / Image: U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 2d Marine Regiment (3/2), 2d Marine Division, provide security during Exercise Raven 2-21 in Nashville, Tenn., May 22, 2021. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl.

Updates on drones including latest technology and use in conflicts around the world. An executive summary, key events, and curated articles. Image: GAX 3D and EDDA laptop is integrated with a CUAS turret for defense against drone swarms. (photo by Spotter Global) More than 200 attendees met at the JITF-401 second summit to discuss the progress on the drone front. The JITF-401 recently held a summit to discuss the first year’s progress and the path ahead.

As a previous uniformed member of staff with 1003 (Leighton Buzzard) Air Training Corps (now known as  Royal Air Force Cadets) one of the most rewarding aspects of my aims was designing progressive training that stretched cadets beyond routine parade-ground and classroom work, and which may be have encouraged them to set their future towards a Special Forces career.