Tag Archives: Featured

by Jose Campos The bomb tech plunged into the water wearing his protective suit, then scrambled to free himself from the bulky gear while staying afloat. Across the pool, others struggled with the same task. It was a special kind of swim lesson for people whose next call could take …

We ate in Soviet mess halls and fired AK-47 rifles on their shooting range. by Rick Kiernan, The War Horse On Oct. 28, 1991, I settled into an hours-long commercial flight from Frankfurt, Germany, to Moscow. By year’s end, the iconic Soviet flag would fly over the Kremlin for the …

What happens when an ordinary day turns into a fight for survival? For those caught in a sudden attack, there may be little time to understand what is happening, much less decide what to do. The first few seconds can determine who lives, who dies, and who finds a way …

Along the remote U.S. southern border, Soldier of Fortune’s Heath Hansen has found tools of the trade, warnings, and objects whose purpose remains a mystery. Walk a smuggling route along the U.S.-Mexico line, and the trail itself starts to talk. Soldier of Fortune correspondent Heath Hansen has spent years in …

ANALYSIS by John “Wolf” Wagner Soldier of Fortune sent me to the Association of the United States Army’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C. this year. As expected, drones dominated the floor. Booths and briefings covered plenty else – soldier systems, logistics, next-generation platforms, and more. On drones, the through-line was …

At AUSA, Army leaders described how American forces and potential opponents are learning from current wars. by John “Wolf” Wagner American troops in the next conflict may face opponents who have learned firsthand how to fight the next war, Army commanders said.  “That’s one of the most pressing things that …

Drones began as a battlefield curiosity, and have become a staple of modern warfare. Here at Soldier of Fortune, we have spent years pushing past the headlines to bring readers deeper into what’s happening on the ground. What follows is a look at some of our findings, from the history …

by Jose Campos Before the term guerrilla warfare entered the American military lexicon, a wiry, cunning officer in the Carolina backcountry was already running the playbook. His name was Francis Marion – better known to the British as the Swamp Fox. From 1780 to 1782, Marion and his ragged militia bled the King’s …

by Friedrich Seiltgen  The young aviator never returned from Okinawa, but his bones found a home among the Navy’s Jolly Rogers. Ensign Jack Ernie was a pilot assigned to the original VF-17, the Jolly Rogers. The unit was legendary and ruled the skies above the Solomon Islands, with a Pacific …

A scientist is dead, workers were confined inside a Siberian anti-plague institute, and Washington is pressing Moscow for answers. by Stephen Caldwell Officials swept through the building, locking doors and placing workers in isolation. Inside the Siberian facility, lives froze in place. “They’re sleeping there, on the floor and on …