SOF News

Story by Special Operations Association of America (SOAA). When Athena Ives, Ph.D., first watched “Lioness,” a Taylor Sheridan television program that depicts women enlisted by the CIA to take on covert operations in the Global War on Terror (GWOT), she thought back to her own time in the U.S. Marine Corps’ Lioness Program.

By Shaun A. Chittick. Iran and Iraq were at war with each other from 1980-1989. During the chaos following the Iranian Revolution in 1979, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein saw opportunity and invaded Iran, initiating a violent nine-year conflict. This war quickly spread from land to sea and involved attacks on each other’s oil tankers in the Persian Gulf using both missiles and mine warfare.

Curated news, analysis, and commentary on special operations, intelligence, irregular warfare, national defense, and global conflicts. Photo / Image: U.S. Air Force independent duty medical technicians from the 352d Special Operations Wing perform critical on-site care to a simulated casualty during high-stress casualty evacuation training October 28, 2026 at RAF Feltwell, UK. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt.

Updates on drones including latest technology and use in conflicts around the world. An executive summary, key events, and curated articles. Image: Col. Mark Hamilton,1st Special Operations Wing commander, operates an MQ-9 Reaper simulator at Hurlburt Field, Florida, Sept. 17, 2026. Maintaining active flying status keeps commanders connected to the aircraft, Airmen and operational demands of the units they lead.

Curated news, analysis, and commentary on special operations, intelligence, irregular warfare, national defense, and global conflicts.

Two years ago, Jerry Jenkins was in the room at the Spookstock auction during SOF Week, watching the bids climb on a custom piece he created. The custom V-42 dagger had a Damascus blade, a hand guard made from World Trade Center steel, and sand from Iran in the handle. When the bidding stopped, it had raised $75,000 for the organization. Not bad for a hobby he picked up in his garage so he’d have something to do after he retired from the Army.

Curated news, analysis, and commentary on special operations, intelligence, irregular warfare, national defense, and global conflicts. Photo / Image: Sailors assigned to the aircraft carrier USS George Washington conduct a search-and-rescue exercise in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations on October 17, 2026. The George Washington is supporting maritime security and stability in the Middle East.

By Jessica L. Walton. In 2025, American porn star Whitney Wright visited Afghanistan, where she posed for photographs with Taliban fighters, held an AK-47, and toured Band-e Amir National Park. She documented her travels on Instagram, sharing glimpses of Kabul and Herat, including historic architecture, bustling streets, and local markets. One small detail Wright left out of her travelogue: Afghan women had been banned from visiting Band-e Amir since 2023.

Treatment built to correct distorted thinking doesn’t have a way to tell the difference between guilt that’s wrong and guilt that’s right. By Matt Ikenoyama A Ranger fires through a doorway and kills someone he never meant to kill. He followed the rules of engagement. He did what the moment demanded. He is also now convinced he is a murderer. Send him to standard PTSD treatment and the protocol has a category ready for what he’s carrying: distorted cognition, or a distorted reading.

Story by Taha Khan. An AFT score and the promotion points it earns are two different numbers. Since replacing the ACFT on June 1, 2025, the Army Fitness Test has used five events worth up to 500 points altogether. Soldiers preparing a promotion packet first need to check their results against the AFT scoring tables. Once the total is correct, they can work out how many promotion points that test is worth.