Best of SOF

EL PARAISO AND THE WAR IN EL SALVADOR (1981–1983) by Charles H. Briscoe, PhD for SOC.mil From 1980–1993, the government of El Salvador, with U.S. assistance, waged a national counterinsurgency (COIN) campaign against guerrilla forces of the FMLN (Frente Farabundo Marti de Liberación Nacional). That COIN campaign was one of the …

By Dr. Martin Brass From the January 2008 issue of SOF In the last four of a five part series on the American merc who had the most impact of any American in the decade-long El Salvador war, SOF chronicled the adventures of Harry Claflin.   SOF launched Harry’s wild …

By Lewis Sorley From the April 2012 issue of SOF THEY GOT PLATITUDES Brigadier General Edwin Simmons, later the long-serving Chief of Marine Corps History, recalled a commanders’ conference convened by Westmoreland at Nha Trang. The room was filled with senior officers who had served in World War II and …

Mad Mike Hoare by Chris Hoare By Chris Hoare Author of Mad Mike Hoare  Fifty years ago, Stanleyville in the Congo was the scene of one of the most savage crimes of the last century, the cold-blooded massacre of hostages by the Simba rebels. Mercenary soldiers from 5 Commando under …

By Ian Maxwell Sterling From the December 2011 issue of SOF Things turn hi-tech for Karen rebels in Burma I have been up all night puking my guts out after downing a massive portion of lizard stew last night with Karen rebels in a jungle outpost. They had asked if …

“Death to Tyrants” By Dr. Martin Brass From the September 2007 issue of SOF SOF publisher, Lt. Col. USAR, (Ret) Robert K. Brown, who had fought the Communist aggressors during the Vietnam War, and his wild, colorful assortment of combat journalists, dubbed the SOF ‘Wild Bunch’ trotted around the globe, …

ABOUT BORN TO STORM Herman van Niekerk In training South African 5 Special Forces Commando  The Author: Herman van Niekerk is a highly decorated retired South African Special Forces Colonel. He left the military in 1999 after 27 years service and formed several of his own companies which specialized in security related training and …

by Harold Hutchison Eight Americans were killed and 22 others were wounded in the battle, which was one of the largest since American forces removed the Taliban from power in 2001. The American troops killed over 150 insurgents in the battle – a ratio of 18.75 to 1, and at …

The Terminal List. by Jack Carr Interview with former Navy SEAL Sniper and author, Jack Carr Tell us a little about your background.  From 1996 to 2016, I was in the military.  From a very early age I knew I wanted to serve my country in uniform and had my sights …