To expand our reach to make even more of an impact, HireSOF is looking for peer mentors to help support the current and future candidates.
If you have successfully transitioned from SOF active duty and have been working within your civilian career for at least 1 full year, and want to help others who are enduring this process, please reach out.
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. —
Air Force Special Operations Command, in collaboration with the United States Space Force Special Operations Element (USSFSOE), unveiled the 527th Space Aggressor Squadron full suite of capabilities for the first time during its annual Emerald Warrior exercise, underscoring the unique and invaluable role of USSF Guardians in advancing SOF Space integration.
Emerald Warrior is an AFSOC-sponsored combined joint exercise that provides realistic, relevant, high-end training to prepare special operations forces, conventional forces and international partners for the evolving strategic environment.
The USSFSOE coordinated Guardian support to deliver specialized space expertise, space-related intelligence and integration over the three-week exercise. As representatives of the newest service, the USSFSOE is responsible for space coordination and support to U.S. Special Operations Command.
“The United States Space Force Special Operations Element is strengthening the SOF-Space relationship by integrating our service capabilities into SOCOM exercises like Emerald Warrior,” said Maj. Jonathan Green, USSFSOE plans and programs chief. “These exercises and training opportunities provide Guardians and SOF personnel with much needed interoperability for future joint operations.”
Support for the exercise from the 527th SAS included joint personnel from the USAF, USMC and USSF.
During the exercise, they replicated satellite communication and GPS-based electromagnetic interference to emulate a contested, degraded, operationally limited environment prevalent in areas of operation around the world. This support provided operators the real-world experience that they require.
“Our team allows units to operate in a realistic radio frequency limited environment, providing commanders the benefit of preparing their units with the most effective training,” said U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Bryan Hernandez, 527th SAS mission commander.
“The relationship between the USSF and special operations is imperative as we address next-generation challenges related to great power competition,” said Green. “We will continue to integrate space capabilities and personnel with special operations to meet joint warfighter needs.”
By Maj Jessica Gross & 1st Lt. Cassandra Saphore, Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs
USSOCOM is sponsoring a VA study about PTSD and Brain Health, and they are seeking Operators, Enablers, Leadership/Command, Providers, Contractors, and GS Employees serving SOF.
Go here to start the survey: vhaordfedramp.gov1.qualtrics.com/
Hat tip to the Combat Control Foundation.
A warrior has to be a thinker. Lately, I’ve been sharing these types of things via our weekly newsletter and Instagram, but so much is being published that I think you should be reading that it’s seeping back into the website.
Rand Corporation recently completed a study entitled, “The US-China Rivalry In A New Medieval Age” which takes a look at the US-China rivalry in a whole new light. It’s worth considering, especially since I often bring up in conversations on the topic that I believe China remains a feudal state. I’m going to look at the larger, international situation through this medieval lens proffered by Rand. Deep thinking time.
Here is their synopsis:
We’ve entered an age of “neomedievalism.” This doesn’t mean the world is slipping back into an era of knights, castles, swords, and serfdom. But it does mean that some defining trends of the Middle Ages are reappearing today. Power and wealth are concentrated in the hands of an elite few. Governments are becoming weaker. And pervasive threats, such as pandemics and disasters, are increasing. In other words, the recent era of prosperity and national strength is regressing.
A 2023 RAND study looked at the implications this backslide could have for the U.S.-China rivalry. Our experts examined how the current era of neomedievalism may affect the intensifying competition between China and the United States—and a potential U.S.-China conflict.
The researchers concluded that, in a neomedieval era, neither the United States nor China can afford total war. Thus, both Washington and Beijing will face pressure to avoid escalation, likely leading to a long-running, low-intensity state of conflict with the possibility of intermittent clashes.
Accepting the reality of a neomedieval era is key to developing effective strategies for U.S.-China competition. “Decisionmakers need to adopt a neomedieval mindset,” says Timothy Heath, who led the RAND study. In fact, he says, leaders should be skeptical of any recommendations that refer to the Cold War or the world wars to explain U.S.-China dynamics. The world doesn’t work that way anymore.
read more at www.rand.org/pubs/articles/2024/the-us-china-rivalry-in-a-new-medieval-age.
ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —
The Department of the Air Force selected Beale Air Force Base, California, as the home of a new Battle Management Control Squadron.
The new mission will add 140 military authorizations at Beale AFB over the next few years with personnel expected to begin arriving in summer 2025.
This is a vital step in the Department of the Air Force’s battle management modernization as the department desires to perform this function for multiple theaters simultaneously from a location outside the theater(s) of operations.
The BMCS will integrate with the Common Mission Control Center at Beale AFB and perform battle management of manned and unmanned new and legacy aircraft and allow greater collaboration between information systems.
The CMCC’s mission is to present integrated and fused multi-domain intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data to decision makers by using artificial intelligence and machine learning to reduce human task load. It manages command and control productivity, shortens the task execution chain and reduces human-intensive communications.
Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
Rheinmetall House in Bristol, UK, the newly acquired Vehicle Systems International (VSI) headquarters, has been officially opened by Andy Start, Chief Executive Officer of Defence Equipment & Support.
As Rheinmetall’s first divisional headquarters to be located outside of Germany, the VSI headquarters will focus on UK, North American and Asia-Pacific markets, providing global customers with more individualised support and promoting and enhancing wider international collaboration. It will continue to establish comprehensive, sovereign capability with commitment to the UK’s Land Industrial Strategy and to drive export from UK. Building on our investments in the UK, Rheinmetall House includes a Collaboration and Innovation Centre (CIC) – a unique capability to promote collaboration and innovation to achieve the battlefield of the future, enabling experimentation with technology across Rheinmetall, with customers, SME’s, academia and our current and future supply chain.
The CIC provides an area dedicated to developing concepts that can be realised in the Systems Integration Lab, pulling products and technology together to integrate into platforms. This approach to Digital Engineering will reduce development time and risk, enabling technology to reach the soldier faster.
Rheinmetall House adds to Rheinmetall’s locations across the UK, including London, Telford, Newcastle, Bovington and the Isle of Wight and further building UK capability, IP and enhancing our investment in UK prosperity. In addition to being the VSI HQ, Rheinmetall House brings together all of Rheinmetall’s expertise in weapons and munitions, technical publications, tactical and logistics vehicles as well as our joint venture RBSL.
During the launch event, guests from across the customer base and industry were invited to explore the Collaboration and Innovation Centre. On display was the BRIDGE future mission module, a digital twin for the Boxer module, demonstrating how SMEs, partners, and customers are exploring future mission requirements in both physical and digital engineering domains.
Attendees also had the chance to explore the Caracal Light Mobility Vehicle; enabled for experimentation with Electronic Architectures, a Mission Master; to experiment with remote piloting and combat pairing, and a Luna NG; with potential for linking to Land platforms to provide airborne ISTAR capability. All are enabled for development in the CIC to support the battlefield of the future.
Rheinmetall House offers an established base for our UK operations, to continue working with our customer, both current and future, and will provide opportunities for key stakeholders to engage and collaborate closely with the Vehicle Systems International division.
JACKSONVILLE, Florida – Safariland®, a brand of The Safariland Group, a leading global provider of safety products designed for the public safety, military, professional and outdoor markets and one of Cadre Holdings, Inc.’s (NYSE: CDRE) (“Cadre”) key brands, is excited to announce the release of new fits for the redesigned, RDS compatible IWB IncogX® holster. The IncogX, developed in partnership with Haley Strategic Partners, now accommodates the Smith & Wesson Shield, Shield+, Shield EZ, and M&P models.
“We are thrilled to provide Safariland and Haley Strategic customers with new fits for their favorite firearms,” said Tim Drnec, VP of Marketing for Safariland. “The IncogX, with its advanced features and exceptional versatility, ensures that users can carry their Smith & Wesson handguns confidently and comfortably.”
Key features of the IncogX include:
• 3 sizes of Concealment Enhancing Clip strut shims
• Micro and full-size red-dot compatibility
• Microfiber suede-wrapped Boltaron body
• Optional magazine caddy with tension adjustment
• Over-the-belt polymer clips
• Passive trigger guard and ejection port retention
The IncogX features an improved clip strut design combining functionality and customized concealment shims. These shims, available in three different sizes (1/8 “, 1/4″, and 3/8”), can be effortlessly installed or removed without the need for any tools. This allows users to fine-tune their concealed carry experience according to their preferences.
The new IncogX Holster fits the Smith & Wesson Shield, Shield+, Shield EZ, and M&P models and is now available for purchase. To learn more, visit safariland.com.
