Marine Exercise Plan, Army Special Forces Training Regimen, and Navy SEAL Workout

Do you want to get a lean body along with functional strength? Then look no further than a Marine exercise workout, Army Special Forces fitness regimen, and / or Navy SEAL training program. Think about this, these individuals maintain the best, most functional figures in the world.not simply because they would like to stand out on the beach, but because their survival could possibly rely on it. As you’ll find out, each one of these workout plans is specific but you can find general themes throughout.

To begin with, i want to make it clear that I’ve never been in the military services. So in the event you’re looking for specifics of making it through training and / or complete health and fitness assessments, I’d recommend highly looking into Stew Smith’s instruction manuals. Stew is a previous Navy SEAL and also expert to the military’s web-site and read many of his advised workouts.

Marine Exercise Plan
Marines must take the USMC exercise and fitness test every 6 months. The preliminary strength test consists of pull-ups, sit-ups, and also a 1.5 mile run. A closing health test features a higher required volume of pull-ups and also sit ups plus a 3 mile run. While these kind of physical exercises independently might not appear challenging to experienced exercisers, they feature a simple method of developing a functional physique.

Obviously, the true “fun” part in regards to a Marine exercise plan could be the physical exercising encountered during basic training. Training is carried out daily and includes stretching, the “daily dozen,” required runs, as well as long-distance marches. The “daily dozen” incorporates 3 sets of 15 reps for each of the next physical exercises: side-startle hops, bends & thrusts, rowing exercise, side benders, leg lifts, toe touches, mountain climbing, trunk twisters, push-ups, bend and reach, body twists, and squat benders. I’ve also seen the edited version of the daily dozen referred to as daily 16. It’s a program that has warm-ups, conditioning, in addition to cool-down routines.

Army Special Forces Exercise Plan
Army Special Forces exercising is made up of jogging, swimming, bicycling, and plyometrics put together with body weight exercises which include push-ups, pullups, along with core training. Because Army Rangers and Green Berets are an elite team, Stew Smith suggests attempting to succeed in the Army fitness and health test by performing a 2 mile run within 12-14 min, 100 crunches within two min and 100 push-ups in 2 minutes.

Navy SEAL Training Program
The Navy SEAL exercise workout is a lot like the special forces workout routine. Known as BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition School), Navy SEAL workout contains a large dose of jogging, pushups, crunches, pull ups, and swimming. Training begins with 3 days a week which include 2 mile runs, 4 sets of 15 push-ups, 4 sets of twenty sit ups, in addition to three sets of 3 pull-ups. Swimming for 15 minutes is carried out 4-5 times every week. By the conclusion of fifteen weeks of training, 4-6 miles of running is conducted 5 days a week, 3 days of lifting weights is completed including something like 20 sets of twenty push-ups, 20 sets of twenty-five sit-ups, 5 sets of a dozen pullups, 20 sets of fifteen dips, along with 4-5 days of swimming for 75 minutes. That surely doesn’t make much time to stay around and unwind!

Body weight Training
Summing all of it up, I feel that the difficult Marine exercise workout, Army Special Forces exercise program, and Navy SEAL workout program help create toned, functional bodies. The drawback is they demand a huge amount of exercise each day that they’re not really practical. As an alternative, try and carry out bodyweight exercising by yourself.

Whenever you would like to discover more about marine workout routines, come look at my blogging site where I deliver exercise and diet techniques to help you lose fat and get a lean physical appearance. Start getting back in marvelous condition immediately!

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Marine Workout Routine, Army Special Forces Workout Routine, and Navy SEAL Training Program

Do you wish to build a low stout body collectively with functional strength? Then take a look at a Marine training regimen, Army Special Forces exercise plot, or even Navy SEAL exercise program. Reckon about it, these individuals sustain among the better, most functional bodies around the world.not since they prefer to look excellent at the beach, but because their survival could quite possibly rely upon it. As you’ll observe, all of these exercises is somewhat different but there are really basic themes right through.

To start with, let me inform you that I’ve never experienced the real military. So in the event you’re interested in more knowledge about how to make it owing to boot camp or even pass physical fitness assessments, I’d advise checking out Stew Smith’s training guides. Stew is an ex – Navy SEAL and consultant to the military’s web site and you may go owing to a number of his advisable routines.

Marine Workout Routine

Marines are required to take the USMC health and fitness examination every half a year. The first strength test involves pullups, sit ups, and a 1.5 mile run. A final exercise and fitness test has a higher expected number of pullups along with sit-ups as well as a 3 mile run. While these exercises on their own might not exactly sound hard to seasoned exercisers, they provide a fundamental way of building a functional body.

Naturally, the right “fun” part of a Marine workout routine is the physical instruction experienced right through basic training. Training is done every day and contains stretching, the “daily dozen,” required runs, along with long-distance marches. The “daily dozen” consists of 3 sets of 15 repetitions for each of the following physical exercises: side-startle hops, bends & thrusts, rowing exercise, side benders, leg lifts, toe touches, mountain climbing, trunk twisters, push-ups, bend and reach, body twists, and squat benders. I’ve additionally observed a modified variation of the daily dozen referred to as the daily 16. It’s a plot which includes warm-ups, conditioning, and cool-down exercises.

Army Special Forces Workout Routine

Army Special Forces training features running, swimming, cycling, and also plyometrics combined with bodyweight exercises including pushups, pull ups, and core training. Because Army Rangers and also Green Berets are an elite group, Stew Smith proposes aiming to outrival in the Army physical fitness test by completing a 2 mile run in 12-14 minutes, one hundred sit ups in two min and also one hundred push-ups in 2 min.

Navy SEAL Exercise Program

The Navy SEAL training regimen is comparable to the special forces exercise workout. Known as BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition School), Navy SEAL training includes a hefty dose of running, push-ups, sit-ups, pullups, in addition to swimming. Training starts off with three days each week that contain two mile runs, four sets of fifteen pushups, 4 sets of twenty crunches, and also three sets of three pull ups. Swimming for fifteen minutes is completed 4-5 days weekly. By the end of fifteen weeks of training, 4-6 miles of running is done 5 days each week, three days of weight training is done which includes twenty sets of twenty pushups, twenty sets of twenty five crunches, five sets of twelve pull-ups, twenty sets of fifteen dips, as well as 4-5 days of swimming for seventy five min. That certainly doesn’t give much time to sit around and relax!

Body weight Exercising

Summing everything up, I in person believe that the arduous Marine exercise routine, Army Special Forces exercise routine, along with Navy SEAL workout help develop low stout, helpful physiques. The flaw is they require so much exercise on a daily basis that they’re certainly not practical. Very, make an try to perform bodyweight training on your own.

In the event that you’d like to learn more about a Navy SEAL workout, come read my website where I provide diet and exercise methods to allow you to burn stout and obtain a toned appearance. Start getting in awesome affect right now!

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Money Has Its Limitations

While people are critical to the success of special operations (commandos and such), money helps a lot. Since 2001, SOCOM (the American Special Operations Command) has gotten a lot more money. Annual SOCOM spending has gone from $2.6 billion in 2001 to $9.8 billion this year), but not a lot more people have been added. Since September 11, 2001, SOCOM has nearly doubled its size, to a current strength of 60,000 troops. This includes many support specialists, as well as the Special Forces, Rangers, SEALs and Marine Corps and Air Force operators. Currently, 10,000 of these commando type troops are in Iraq and Afghanistan. Sounds good, doesn't it? But there's a major problem brewing; burnout. While most of the increased money has gone to buying better equipment, replacing worn out stuff and providing better training, getting new people has been much more difficult.

Not surprisingly, 60 percent of SOCOMs current troops signed up after September 11, 2001. But an increasing number are leaving the military, despite reenlistment bonuses of up to $150,000. The problem here is overwork. While the number of SOCOM personnel has doubled, the number overseas at any time has quadrupled. Many SOCOM personnel are spending more than half their time overseas, usually in a combat zone. There, Special Forces troops take the lead in intelligence gathering and capturing or killing key terrorists. It's mentally and physically exhausting work. Unlike past wars, these troops can remain in touch with families back home, for better or worse. While it's been a long war, most SOCOM operators realize that it could easily go on for another decade. Thus SOCOM has learned to say "no" more often, otherwise the expansion will go into reverse as many more exhausted operators leave the service.

Trying to recruit replacements is a solution that won't work. The U.S. Army's effort to recruit another 2,300 operators (as members of the Special Forces are called) has been a hard slog. Qualified candidates are out there, but it's hard to convince them to endure the additional effort, stress and danger to become a Special Forces operator (or a SEAL, Ranger, Pararescue Jumper). Even with higher pay ($10,000 or more additional a year) and high reenlistment bonuses (adding about $10,000 more a year), it's hard to find the men who can meet the high standards, and are willing to put up with the large amount of time spent overseas.

Recruiting and training more operators is a time consuming process, as it takes about three years to get a Special Forces recruit up to a basic level of competence. It takes another few years in the field before such men are ready for anything serious. At least half of those recruited, are lost (quit, wash out) before they reach their full capability. Recruiting to expand the number of operators began right after September 11, 2001. Soon, SOCOM was told to increase its strength by 43 percent, and do it by 2013.

Casualties are less of an issue that you might think, for such dangerous work. SOCOM casualties have been lower than in infantry or marine units. The big issue has always been overwork. Combat operations wear troops out. Elite men like SOCOM operators can handle more than your average infantryman, but they have their limits as well. Moreover, most Special Forces operators are married and have families. Being away from the wife and kids for extended periods often causes more stress. Keep the operators out there for too long at a time and you'll lose them to resignations, retirement or, rarely, combat fatigue. It's not just the equipment that is being worn out.

Because the Special Forces troops are the product of an exacting screening and training process, they are in big demand by intelligence agencies as well. Special Forces operators who retired or quit in the last decade have been sought out and offered opportunities to get back in the business. If not with one of the five active duty groups, then with training operations, or to work with the intelligence agencies.

Most Americans tend to forget that the U.S. Special Forces are a unique organization in military, and intelligence, history. No other nation has anything like the Special Forces, and never has. While other nations have some operators skilled in understanding foreign cultures, the idea of training thousands of troops to very high standards, then having them study foreign languages and cultures, is unique to the Special Forces. The war on terror is the kind of war Special Forces are perfectly suited to dealing with. But now that this unique kind of war is under way, we find that those soldiers uniquely suited to fighting it are in short supply. This is largely because Special Forces set high standards, and has resisted all attempts to lower those standards. One hard lesson the Special Forces has learned in the past sixty years is that lowering standards just increases the chances of failure, and getting your people killed.

Meanwhile, the SOCOM program to expand its Special Forces units has slogged forward. By 2013, the Special Forces will have 300 ODAs (Operational Detachment A, or “A" Teams), compared to the 180 they had on September 11, 2001. The army would like to add more ODAs to the two reserve Special Forces Groups (the 19th and 20th), which would increase the number of A Teams to 420, but money has not yet been provided for that.

In the past two years, SOCOM has been shifting forces from Iraq (where it had 5,500 personnel three years ago) to Afghanistan (where it had 3,000 troops three years ago). The ratio is now being reversed, with 7,000 in Afghanistan and under 3,000 in Iraq. Most American allies have moved all their commando forces from Iraq to Afghanistan, where they not only do what they were trained for, but also train Afghans for special operations tasks. This has already been done in Iraq, where it worked quite well. The SOCOM troops in Iraq and Afghanistan account for about 80 percent of American special operations forces overseas. The rest are in places like Colombia, the Philippines and Djibouti (adjacent to Somalia).

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‘Fire-and-forget’ LCITS technology to combat small swarming boat attacks

At the 63rd annual Naval Helicopter Association (NHA) Symposium in San Diego last week the Office of Naval Research (ONR) unveiled a new weapons technology designed to give helicopters, such as the MH-60 and the AH-1 Cobra, the ability to combat the threat of a small boat swarm. The Low-Cost Imaging Terminal Seeker (LCITS) system equips existing unguided Hydra-70, 2.75-inch rockets with a low-cost guidance capability that allows pilots to essentially "fire-and-forget," thereby allowing them to engage multiple, fast attack seaborne targets in a shorter period.

Unlike laser-designated weapons, the LCITS system provides pilots with the ability to respond faster to threats by relieving them of the responsibility of guiding the weapon to the target while it is in flight. The system comprises three main components; the algorithms that calculate targeting and transfer alignment data; a digital smart launcher that transmits targeting data to the weapon; and the LCITS weapon itself.

Once the target is designated by the helicopter's forward-looking infrared (FLIR) sensor, targeting data including position, size, velocity and contrast are passed through the digital smart launcher to the guided rocket. The rocket then calculates an inertial guidance point and flies to where it will acquire the target with its imaging infrared seeker. This is not a hot-spot detector but a low-cost focal plane array that feeds an image to on-board algorithms that separate the target from the background. The infrared seeker then guides the rocket to hone in on the center of the target.

The ONR says the LCITS system will potentially reduce the target engagement timeline to less than 15 seconds, thereby allowing pilots to increase the number of targets they can engage within a short period of time. This will give naval forces a cost effective tactical advantage over small swarming boats and allow them to be engaged before they can get close to their target.

"The LCITs program is considered 'low cost' because it is an augmentation or upgrade to a pre-existing 2.75-inch rocket system," said Michael Deitchman, director of ONR's Naval Air Warfare and Weapons Department. "Instead of relying on costly parts, sensors and guidance systems, it relies on the aircraft systems to provide the targeting information."

The system is the result of a collaborative effort between the ONR and partners including South Korea, DARPA, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and the Navy International Program Office.

A final demonstration of the LCITS technology took place on May 1, 2010, when an LCITS rocket fired from an AH-1 Cobra helicopter scored a direct hit on a moving maritime target that represented a small boat threat. The technology is now undergoing further testing as part of the Medusa Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD), with the goal of integrating the rocket onto the MH-60 aircraft platform.

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India's own Special Forces to counter insurgents, terror

NEW DELHI: It was set up as a specialised training camp in the hills of Uttarakhand around two years ago with a mission to establish a force to take on Maoists and other insurgents. With government sanction given last month, the school is now set to take on special tasks in counter-terror operations as well. 

The Counter-Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) was a self-funded training camp until it was formally sanctioned by Home Minister P. Chidambaram May 6, 2011, for the exceptional and state-of-the-art training it was providing. Located at an altitude of 6,350 feet in Mahidanda, in the heart of the tough Himalayan terrains, it is also one of the highest training camps in the country, according to the ITBP. "The school was established visualising sensitive internal security duties. The government sanction is a proud achievement for us. It recognises our state-of-the-art training syllabus," ITBP public relations officer Deepak Pandey told IANS. 

A mountain trained force, the ITBP is deployed from the Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Diphu La in Arunachal Pradesh covering 3,488 km manning border outposts at altitudes ranging from 9,000 to 18,500 feet in the western, central and eastern sectors of the India-China border. The force has its presence in a number of states, including Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and northeastern states that include Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh which is claimed by the Chinese. 

Most of the personnel are professionally trained mountaineers and skiers and have been carrying out numerous rescue and relief operations in the Himalayas. According to the ITBP, the school primarily focusses on professionally training the new entrants in the force as well as orienting serving personnel deployed in various areas to handle counter-insurgency and jungle warfare operations. 

"However, if the need arose, the grueling and modern training session is sufficient to enable the trained commandos to tackle terror strikes or carry out special operations with absolute elan," said Pandey. The comprehensive training includes handling of special equipment, rock craft, unarmed combat, special operations in rural and urban environment and guerrilla warfare. "We also provide 'night training' to give candidates practice under real life situations. 

It is one of our most significant aspects of training," Pandey said. Besides preparing the junior cadre for varying situations, the school gives key emphasis on physical and mental conditioning, developing reflexes and enhancing quick and effective firing skills. Higher ranked officers are also trained here, said Pandey. The syllabus and the course module differ according to seniority. "The school constantly reviews the course outline to include all possible training methodologies. The idea is to make the training realistic and updated as far as future operations are concerned," said Pandey.

 The tremendous success the camp has received in just two years is a major source of encouragement for the ITBP - especially the response and positive feedback from the various police forces that trained here. Around 60 personnel from the Meghalaya Police were trained here last year for a period of one month followed by around 50 personnel from Uttarakhand. 

Haryana Police received special commando training here, Pandey said. "Recently we concluded a training camp for the Railway Protection Force ( RPF )). It was a month-long course where 58 security personnel were trained," said Pandey. Maoist insurgency has spread in recent years to rural central and eastern India, such as Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar. 

Rebel attacks have claimed over 10,000 lives, including those of civilians and security personnel, in the last five years. Out of a total of 10,268 casualties between 2005 and May 2010, 2,372 deaths have been reported in 2009 as against 1,769 in 2008 and 1,737 in 2007, according to an official report.

2nd Recon Second to None in Afghanistan

PATROL BASE ALCATRAZ, Afghanistan – Swift, silent, deadly -- those three words rest on the spear of 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion’s insignia.

The Marines of Bravo Company, 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division (Forward), have lived up to these words executing numerous missions and providing detailed intelligence for the units they have supported in the past six months.

“Our primary mission has been to just disrupt the insurgents’ flow of operations and provide reconnaissance for our infantry units,” explained Cpl. Collin Stookey, a native of Littleton, Colo., and a heavy machine gunner with the unit. “I think we’ve been able to successfully do that and more.”

Take Cpl. Kyle Godderidge, for instance. Earlier this year, the Smithfield, Utah, native with the unit was in a forward position in enemy territory when he and the Marines with him were suddenly engaged by the enemy using rocket propelled grenades and small arms fire.

The Marines were quick to return fire. Godderidge’s team began firing rounds with a MK-19 40 mm machine gun at the two enemy firing positions until a round jammed in the weapon. The Marine exposed himself to enemy fire while removing the round to clear the weapon.

His actions helped the team successfully counter the enemy’s attack by getting the weapon back in the fight. The Marine has also been wounded twice in combat and chose to continue fighting.

“You go out into unfamiliar territory and it’s kind of sketchy, but such an adrenaline rush at the same time,” explained Cpl. Steven Malachowski, a recon Marine with the unit and a Durand, Mich., native. “We’re all professionals out here and we do what’s needed to get the job done.”

This is just one example of the countless heroic actions these Marines have performed since arriving in November 2010.

Captain Adam Brochetti, the platoon leader for 3rd Platoon and a Surf City, N.C., resident, stated his Marines also conducted more than 100 mounted and dismounted patrols as a part of Operation Nemesis Sweep. The operation lasted more than two months and focused on ensuring units and local residents could travel safely on Route 611, a newly build road through a portion of Helmand province.

Their efforts in a one-day operation called Operation Havoc Rain were also significant when they conducted a series of missions to destroy several enemy river crossing sites along the Helmand River. On one of these missions, the platoon conducted a 2.5-mile foot movement with full protective gear and ruck packs weighing more than 100 pounds. Their goal was to rig explosives to a major crossing site under the cover of darkness. They were able to effectively destroy the entire crossing system of bridges and two small boats used by insurgents.

“The missions and the deployment as a whole have been a little different than I had originally anticipated,” said Cpl. Jebediah Stevens, a point man with the unit and Buffalo, N.Y., native. “We had heard a lot of things from (1st Recon Battalion), and our missions have been nothing less than successful.”

The battalion’s 2nd Platoon helped conduct nearly 60 days of observation and surveillance in hostile territory during the deployment. They also successfully conducted many raids and destroyed two main enemy crossing points along the Helmand River.

First Lt. Ryan Marty, the platoon commander for 2nd Platoon, explained it wasn’t all just “hooking and jabbing” for these Marines. His platoon also attempted to build rapport with key village leaders in the area.

Because of the relationship building with the local populace and the efforts of the Marines, they were able to reduce enemy attacks on 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, and 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, by 60 percent.

“I feel like what we’ve done out here has made a huge difference for the (local residents) and our neighboring units,” said Cpl. Thomas Gifford from Mesa, Ariz., and a point man with the unit. “Leaving this place, I know me and the rest of my team did our best and it definitely paid off.”

Editor’s note: 2nd Marine Division (Forward) serves as the ground combat element of Regional Command (Southwest) and works in partnership with the Afghan National Security Force and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations. The unit is dedicated to securing the Afghan people, defeating insurgent forces, and enabling ANSF assumption of security responsibilities within its area of operations in order to support the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance.

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U.S. Special Forces of Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan)

Members of a Special Forces ODA, Afghanistan, late 2001 working with members of the Northern Alliance. Note the SOFLAM laser designator mounted on a tripod. SF ODAs used the SOFLAM to devestating effect during the campaign against the Taliban. From outside of the range of the enemy's weapons, a skilled Special Forces soldier or AFSOC Combat Controller can call down accurate strikes from aircraft high overhead. (Photo by U.S. Army) Hi-res

Please note: These guys on the ground were heroes. They did a great job during the initial stage of OEF, only supported by warriors of the Northern Alliance and also by U.S. CAS (close air support), later also supported by A-10's from Ahmed Al Jaber AB, Kuwait (followed by a short deployment to Pakistan and finally into A'stan for Bagram AB).

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British, German and American soldiers take to the skies together

The week-long Exercise Pegasus Reply, hosted by Woodbridge-based 9 Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers, has seen British, German and American soldiers join forces for two parachute jumps to share experiences and working practices.

Members of 23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault) parachute onto the Stanford Training Area with their American and German counterparts
[Picture: Stuart Bingham, Crown Copyright/MOD 2011]

The training was the third in a series of similar multinational exercises, with Luftlandepionerkompanie 270 (Lpk 270) hosting the previous two at their base in Seedorf, northern Germany. American soldiers from 321 Special Tactics Squadron (321 STS), based at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, also took part.


The troops dropped onto the STANTA training area in Norfolk, with soldiers jumping from a British C-130J Hercules aircraft using British parachutes on Wednesday of last week and from an American MC-130H Combat Talon II using American parachutes on Thursday.


By doing the jumps, 9 Parachute Squadron and Lpk 270 soldiers earned their American parachute wings, and the German and American soldiers earned their British parachute wings.


German and American troops were also given familiarisation training on British Army weaponry and engineering equipment, and briefings on 23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault)'s diving team and counter-IED practices, and visited the Imperial War Museum Duxford.
Major John Clark, Officer Commanding 9 Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers, said:

"The multinational aspect is very important to military operations nowadays and we have strong links to our US, German and French counterparts. We have done a number of similar exercises, which are designed to develop co-operation, share our skills and experiences and build the bonds of friendship.

Airborne Royal Engineers and their German counterparts take part in a parachute jump from a US C-130 aircraft over RAF Sculthorpe's drop zone near Fakenham in Norfolk
[Picture: Graham Harrison, Crown Copyright/MOD 2011]

"For my squadron, which is just back from six months in Afghanistan, this is about refreshing our parachute skills as 16 Air Assault Brigade moves back to the contingency role. Our junior sappers will go away with a renewed sense of confidence and will feel better trained and prepared, as well as having experience of how different countries' armies operate and some fun."

Oberleutnant Jan Gulden, from Lpk 270, said:

"We are here to strengthen the partnership that has grown between our units. This exercise is a great chance to share information and a great experience to earn each other's parachute wings.
"My company's role is exactly the same as 9 Parachute Squadron, but we all have different ways of doing the same job and it is worthwhile to learn each other's methods."

Lieutenant Colonel Rex Saukkonen, from 321 STS, said:

"This is a fantastic opportunity to bring forces together in training, in the way that we are working together on operations in Afghanistan. It's about sharing and building on the airborne spirit we all have - we're all ready to go anywhere, anytime and by any means."

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Head of Special Forces Aims to Change Army Doctrine

Key Leader at the Army’s Special Warfare Center and School wants Special Forces to return to original mission

The stereotype that the Special Forces are just designed for killing does not rest well with Maj. Gen. Bennet Sacolick.

Sacolick is head of the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg. In an interview last month with military.com, he is making it a priority to clear up misperceptions about Special Forces by proposing changes to Army doctrine.

"It was absolutely so apparent that he had no idea what SF guys do," Sacolick said, referring to a civilian professional who spoke off the cuff about the Special Forces as a whole. "The fact is, we're the only force specifically trained and educated to train and work with indigenous forces. Not hunting them down and killing them, but working with them to build partner capacity."

Thanks to many movies, the average person might have the impression that since the 9/11 conflict, the sole purpose of the Special Forces is to snag high-value targets and confront terrorists and insurgent leaders in lightning raids at any cost.

"I hate analogies like the pointy end of the spear. We're not designed to hunt people down and kill them," Sacolick said. "We have that capability and we have forces that specialize in that. But ultimately what we do that nobody else does is work with our indigenous partner nations."

Sacolick is no stranger to the special operations community. He hopes to transform the image of the Special Forces by getting back to basics by proposing change to the Army’s doctrine.

"Somehow over the last 10 years we maybe became a little too disengaged with the Army," Sacolick said. "So now we are reengaging with the Army . . . and talking about [what we do] outside the battlefield."

During the past decade, the Army has gone from deploying Special Forces to 91 countries to around 45 today. Sacolick conveyed he would like it to drop further. 

"I have a generation of young men who are about to assume command of Special Forces battalions that know nothing but Iraq and Afghanistan," Sacolick said. "We're going to have to retrain a whole generation of officers."

"I'm pretty comfortable that once we get relief from Iraq and Afghanistan . . . we'll start sending these guys out to [other] countries and they'll pick up that mission again," Sacolick said.

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Big Army Getting Special Forces Capability

                        

Big Army is about to join its Special Operations brethren in being able to fingerprint or optically scan a suspect on the battlefield and positively identify them within minutes. The capability, called SEEK II, comes in a 3 lb. box with a camera and a fingerprint pad made by Crossmatch Technologies.

The Army has long relied on the Biometrics Automated Toolset (BAT) and Handheld Interagency Identity Detection Equipment (HIDE) biometric systems, which have been very successful at logging people into biometric databases, but at times have seen complaints from soldiers that have limited value in bright sunlight. But with SEEK II, which is under evaluation here at the Army’s Network Integration Evaluation exercise, soldiers on the ground will be able to fingerprint a suspect, and receive an answer back within five minutes whether or not the suspect is already in the system.

The Army is sending 54 handheld systems to Afghanistan in July, says Michael Piesen of the Army’s Communications-Electronics Research, Development, and Engineering Center, along with six vehicle-mounted, and four fixed-site networking boxes that allow the handhelds' 3G connectivity to the database. Soldiers can be up to 5 km away from the box and still connect. Special Operations forces have been using the SEEK II in the field for some time, Craig Archer, chief of the identity and intelligence branch of the U.S. Special Forces Command said recently, and have found that 40 percent of the suspects they scan in the field are already in the database.

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‘Mini-surge’ of U.S. Special Forces to hit Afghanistan

                     

A Navy SEAL communicates with teammates during recent immediate action drills that are a part of the SEALs pre-deployment training. John Scorza/Courtesy U.S. Navy

U.S. military leaders are working to replace some of the exiting American conventional forces from Afghanistan with a “mini-surge” of U.S. Special Forces, a measure to soothe commanders’ fears that the withdrawal of troops might put at risk military gains, according to the Times out of Australia.

Military sources told The Times that 16 special operations personnel are considered to be worth the equivalent of 100 conventional troops.

In June, President Obama announced plans towithdraw 10,000 U.S. troops from Afghanistan by the end of the year. The remainder of the surge troops, about 23,000, would be withdrawn in 2012, leaving about 70,000 troops in Afghanistan until 2014.

Defense analysts have said of late that the reduction of conventional troops likely will place a heavier burden on clandestine units, such as SEALs, and Army Rangers and Green Berets.

The Times reports there are more than 7,000 U.S. Special Forces in Afghanistan and about 3,000 in Iraq, with many of the latter expected to be moved to Afghanistan.

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It's Raining Commandos and Dogs

Special operations troops are enthusiastic users of military dogs, and train some of them to parachute with the troops into enemy territory. Special operations troops (often called "operators") are often used for reconnaissance mission in hostile territory, and the best way to get in is via parachute, at night. Dogs are often very useful on these recon missions, as the animals can detect people, explosives and other useful stuff better than any human of sensor.

The parachute training for the dogs is not that time-consuming. That's because the dog goes in strapped to the chest of one of the troops. Normally, the dogs don't seem to mind this at all, but a few practice jumps are made to make sure. Some of the dogs appear to enjoy the jumps, and all are ready to go to work once they reach the ground and are released from the chest harness. Some dogs have even made high altitude (10,000 meters) jumps. 

Over 600 military dogs are currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. The U.S. military has used specially trained dogs in all its wars in the last century. Dogs have been used by troops for thousands of years. Military dogs proved to be particularly useful with Arabs, who consider dogs somewhat "unclean" and particularly repugnant. American military dogs are kept pretty clean, but they are scary, and one military dog can control a lot of otherwise hostile Moslems, although the main use of the dogs is not crowd control, but detecting hidden explosives or people. That's what the dog sent on the bin Laden raid was apparently there for (to find explosive traps, or people trying to hide.)

SOCOM (Special Operations Command) includes U.S. Army Special Forces, U.S. Navy SEALs, as well as U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force operators. All are trained to use dogs. SOCOM has  developed special equipment for their military dogs. One of the more recent items was a special camera system that is incorporated into a vests often worn by their combat dogs. The camouflaged vest weighs 571 grams/20 ounces and the camera 314 grams/11 ounces. The dog handler has a handheld viewer/recorder with a 76mm/3 inch screen. 

The camera has night vision and the batteries on the camera and viewer last 30 minutes. The range of the camera/viewer data link is 1,000 meters in the open, or 200 meters if there are a lot of walls to go through. This enables operators to send their dog into a building or cave and see what the dog sees. The vests also include a small loudspeaker that enables the handlers to give their dog commands. These special dog vests cost about $22,000 each.

In the last decade, the United States military has used several thousand military dogs in combat zones. There has been a lot of new gear developed for the military dogs. Some of the new gear is just updates of existing stuff. For example, war dogs have long been equipped with non-armored vests. These vests are inexpensive (under $100) and just provided protection from the elements and a way to identify the dog. More recent vest designs come with many special features. 

Some vests have compartments on the inside for the insertion of cold packs (soft, flat plastic bags containing a chemical that, when activated, becomes very cool). Since dogs do not deal with heat as effectively as humans (dogs don’t sweat), and Iraq and Afghanistan can be very warm in Summer, the cold packs can prevent heat stroke. There are also attachments on the vest to enable the dog to be dropped by parachute, or hauled up via a rope. 

Vests now allow identifying badges to easily be added, and more of them have various grips for the handlers to pick up an injured dog. One vest design even has straps so that a handler can carry the dog on his back like a pack. The vests hinder the dogs' mobility a bit, especially when they are jumping. But the dogs have quickly adjusted. The armored vests, depending on the degree of protection, cost from $500-$1,000. Some handlers prefer unarmored vests, because they are lighter (about a pound/.5kg) than the armored vests (up to 3.5kg/7 pounds), and less constrictive.

Normally used for sniffing out explosives, crowd control and other police type work, the dogs are also trained to work while wearing custom made Kevlar body armor. These vests will protect the dogs from stab wounds, shell fragments and some bullets. While the heaviest Protective Vests weigh about 3.5 kg, for a 41 kg (90 pound) German Shepard, this is about the same burden as the 7.7 kg/17 pound vest worn by soldiers and marines. The expense of the vests is justified because of the value of the dogs. The dogs take over a year, and some $60,000, to train. So spending some money on life saving equipment for the dogs is a good investment.

There are currently over a thousand of these dogs in U.S. military service. During World War II, some 10,000 dogs were taken into military service, and in the Vietnam war, some 4,000 dogs were trained and sent overseas, where 281 were killed in combat. The marines used 327 dogs in the Pacific during World War II, and 29 died in battle. The marines found the dogs particularly useful for detecting Japanese troops, who were expert at camouflage, and setting up ambushes.

Until 2000, when the law was changed, military dogs were used until they were about ten years old, then killed. It was thought that the retired military dogs could not adapt to family life. But decades of police, and some military experience, with dogs living safely with their handlers and family members, finally caused the policy to be changed. Dog handlers had long urged that retired dogs be allowed to stay with their handlers, or be put up for adoption.

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USASOC Reveals FNH-USA Mk20 Plan

  

So a couple of you have asked about the status of the FNH-USA-built Mk20 Sniper Support Rifle in last week’s post and I thought I’d put out what I know and don’t know (which is a lot).

First off, I’ve pinged SOCOM for an official update, but I also wanted to share with you a slide I obtained that shows Army Special Operations Command’s plan for their sniper rifle inventory. All I’m doing at this point is reading tea leaves, but here goes.

According to the slide, USASOC plans to divest itself of the Mk11 (7.62)-Mk12 (5.56) rifles in their inventory beginning in the last quarter if this fiscal year (which is now). They will replace them with the Mk17 SCAR Heavy and the Mk20 SSR through Q3 of 2017.

Now, what’s confusing to me is that in paralell to the USASOC initiatives on the SCAR and SSR, the Army is also running its own M110 upgrade and is replacing all Mk11s with M110s. If the M4 is good enough for USASOC to cancel its Mk16 purchasing plans, then why isn’t the M110 and the newly modified M110 A1 good enough? Honest question, not being critical at all.

(Check it out after the jump!)

SOF Warrior - Sniper Rifle

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US Naval and Troop Movements Toward North Africa, Middle East Reported As Syrian Destabilization Escalates

Washington DC – US Special Forces units based at Fort Hood, Texas, have been told to prepare for deployment to Libya no later than July, according to a US military source. The Special Forces would then be followed in September or October by heavy armored units of the First Cavalry Division, currently located in Iraq and Afghanistan, along with other components of the US III Corps. This report was broadcast today on the Alex Jones radio program, and comes against the backdrop of escalating US destabilization operations against Syria and sharpening US condemnation of Damascus and its ally, Tehran.

Observers point out that US Special Forces have been in Libya since February. They also note that, while the Libyan destination is highly plausible, some of these units may also find themselves on the way to Yemen, Syria, or beyond.

Another anonymous military source speaking on the Alex Jones broadcast reported that US stocks of depleted uranium (DU) munitions are currently very low. This may be the reality behind outgoing Defense Secretary Gates’ complaint last week that NATO is “running out of bombs” in Libya, and similar remarks by French NATO General Stephane Abrial in Belgrade.

A source at US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that US forces are being lined up for new foreign missions, and added that his unit had recently processed two deceased US Army soldiers and three deceased US civilians, possibly mercenaries. The source attributed these cases to Libya, although US operations in Libya are widely thought to be controlled by the new US African Command (AFRICOM).

These reports should be taken together with the energetic protests from the Russian Foreign Ministry over the presence of the US Aegis cruiser Monterrey (a vessel with anti-ballistic missile capabilities) in the Black Sea, along with the arrival of the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan off the coast of Syria.

According to the Israeli site DebkaFile, which often reflects the views of the Mossad, “Western sources additonally report a build-up of ship-borne anti-missile missile strength in the Mediterranean basin. This huge concentration of naval missile interceptor units looks like preparations by Washington for the contingency of Iran, Syria and Hizballah letting loose with surface missiles against US and Israeli targets in the event of US military intervention to stop the anti-opposition slaughter underway in Syria. Moscow, Tehran and Damascus, in particular, are taking this exceptional spate of American military movements in and around the Mediterranean as realistically portending American intervention in Syria.” Debka also says that Hezbollah is in the process of moving some of its formidable missile assets from northern Lebanon to the central regions of that country, closer to Israel.”

The Obama administration is thus on a collision course with the Congress over the War Powers Act, which requires legislative approval of the Libyan war. If Obama continues to bomb Libya, or compounds his air assault with a ground invasion, he will be impeachment bait.

Source: Tarpley.net, June 15 2011

By: Webster G. Tarpley, Ph.D.

Six-hour fight disrupts Taliban meeting

An infantry soldier currently serving in Helmand province has written in his latest blog about a battle with insurgents that lasted six hours, disrupting an enemy shura.

Lance Corporal Roberts and one of his men look out over the Green Zone from the roof of a compound

[Picture: Crown Copyright/MOD 2011]

Lance Corporal Roberts is a Section Second-in-Command in 4 Platoon, B Company, 3rd Battalion The Mercian Regiment (3 MERCIAN). He is currently based at Check Point Attal on Route 601, the main road to Lashkar Gah. He has previously served in Iraq, but this is his first tour of Afghanistan.

Recently 4 Platoon have been involved in operations alongside multiples (half-platoons) from the Royals Scots Dragoon Guards (SCOTS DG) and 4th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland.

As the harvests draw to a close in Helmand, ISAF forces in Afghanistan have been witnessing a spike in insurgent hostilities, and this has been no less true of Lance Corporal Roberts' Area of Operations (AO).

In his blog, Lance Corporal Roberts explained that 4 Platoon have been continuing to push into new areas and take the fight to the insurgents in their own back yard, thus securing the AO and furthering the ongoing mission to provide security to the local population.

Lance Corporal Roberts explains what happened in one recent mission. He said:

"We were going about our daily routine of patrolling and, as is often the case, we received intelligence and an order from Battle Group Headquarters to conduct a strike operation onto an insurgent shura [meeting]."

A United States Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II in the skies over Afghanistan (stock image)

[Picture: Master Sergeant William Greer, US Air Force]

The shura involved up to 60 insurgents to the south of Check Point (CP) Yaklang, in an otherwise unpatrolled area. At 1000hrs Lance Corporal Roberts and his multiple departed and were dropped 4km short of their objective - the location of the shura:

"With temperatures reaching 47 degrees, and with 65kg of kit per man, the going was tough," Lance Corporal Roberts said.

"As we advanced on foot towards the objective, atmospherics changed with every step. I distinctly remember turning to the Boss, Lieutenant Cook, and saying 'being point man is the loneliest place on earth', to be greeted by a wry, knowing smile.

"As we pushed on, the insurgent scouting screen was out in force, watching our every step from 1.5 to 2km away, tracking and feeding back our movements. My team went firm on a built-up natural defence line, giving overwatch as another multiple pushed past."

From this position Lance Corporal Roberts and his team tracked five men taking up positions around the northern extremity of the shura, with one moving from man to man relaying last minute orders - indicating an insurgent team commander:

Lance Corporal Roberts

[Picture: Crown Copyright/MOD 2011]

"As is often the case we also saw families moving out of the area, knowing the likely outcome of this advance, as well as motorbikes sending messages and dropping men off around the area. Five minutes passed and we were on our feet, moving slowly but surely towards the objective.

"Amazingly, we made entry to the reported target building with no insurgents seen - those occupying the north of the target melting away into the surroundings.

"I moved my team onto a compound roof, utilising the height the roof offered to get a better view. From here I placed the sharpshooter, focusing on a compound cluster to our west, then having a Lance Corporal spotting for the general purpose machine guns covering the other directions as we faced a 360-degree threat.

"From this temporary bastion, the SCOTS DG pushed a multiple forward to the compounds to the west. It was then that we got positive identification on two insurgents with weapons. I radioed the SCOTS DG to get them to pull back as myself and the sharpshooter were in a position to suppress the insurgents with fire - but if the multiple pushed on, our field of view would be obscured and we would no longer be able to engage."

A British Army Air Corps Apache helicopter in flight (stock image)

[Picture: Graham Main, Crown Copyright/MOD 2006]

However, it was too late and the multiple was already in front of Lance Corporal Roberts and his team. The silence was broken by the inevitable crack and thump of the insurgents hastily-laid ambush roaring to life:

"As the exposed multiple dived for cover, the arcs opened once again, allowing me and the sharpshooter to both accurately suppress the insurgents."

The fighting continued for six more hours, with the insurgents occupying firing points to our north, south, east and west:

"We were effectively surrounded," said Lance Corporal Roberts.

But in the exchange of fire his multiple successfully suppressed the insurgents and prepared to return to their CP:

"As we prepared to extract, I witnessed the most amazing spectacle to date: two American A-10 tank busters doing a show-of-force, thundering flyby 50m overhead, giving the insurgents the fright of their lives and the lads at our location something to really cheer about.

Lance Corporal Roberts and his team take up a firing position over the wall of a compound

[Picture: Crown Copyright/MOD 2011]

"Finally, on our extraction, after calling for emergency close air support, we got an Apache on station overhead. Loaded with a 30mm gun and Hellfire missiles, it created a good incentive for any remaining insurgents - who had so effectively boxed us in all day - not to mess with us anymore."

Thanks to the hard work from all the men on the ground the mission was successful, the enemy shura was disrupted, and the troops had punched into the heart of insurgent territory, further diminishing their numbers:

"We extracted a casualty with a broken ankle (a lad who fell on the way out) and survived for a prolonged period with limited supplies and no chance of a resupply; a true testament to the professionalism and tenacious character of the British Army," Lance Corporal Roberts concluded.

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