15 May 2012
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Tampa, Fla. – The United States Special Operations Command is inviting the public to watch U.S. and international Special Operations Forces (SOF) demonstrate their combined combat capabilities outside the Tampa Convention Center next Wednesday, May 23 at 1 p.m.
15 May 2012
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Tampa, Fla. – The United States Special Operations Command will host U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton as keynote speaker for the International Special Operations Forces Week conference Gala Dinner at the Tampa Convention Center Wednesday, May 23.
11 May 2012
(FORT CAMPBELL, KY, May 10, 2012) – The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) will honor one of its own with the official compound naming ceremony in honor of former regimental commander, retired Gen. Bryan “Doug” Brown, May 14 at Fort Campbell, Ky.
9 May 2012
Colorado Springs, Colo. – Athletes with the U.S. Special Operations Command team took home eight medals during track, field and swimming events to close out this year’s Warrior Games. The joint service team doubled their awards over 2011 results, bringing home a total of 10 medals during competitions throughout the week.
2 May 2012
Colorado Springs, Colo. - Members of the U.S. Special Operations Command archery team beat out their U.S. Air Force rivals to take the bronze medal in the compound archery category May 2. The competition is just one of seven athletic events held during the Warrior Games, an annual wounded warrior competition taking place here this week.
1 May 2012
The joint U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Warrior Games team joined more than 200 other wounded warriors to kickoff the 2012 Warrior Games April 30. The opening ceremony was held at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., and featured speakers First Lady Michelle Obama and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey.
18 April 2012
Joint Special Operations Forces Senior Enlisted Academy class six graduates and instructors pose with their commencement speaker, the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff, Marine Sergeant Major Bryan Battaglia, after the class six graduation ceremony at the Davis Conference Center, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., March 16. Battaglia addressed JSOFSEA's sixth and most recent graduating class and personally handed out diplomas to each graduate. Photo by Army Staff Sgt. Sun Vega.
16 April 2012
April 25, 1980, was a defining moment for Special Operations as the tragic news of the failed Desert One mission became known that day. President Jimmy Carter announced a secret rescue mission for the Iranian hostages had failed; eight American servicemen were dead and several others were seriously injured.
4 April 2012
TAMPA, Fla. –Once a week, Army Sgt. Maj. Kent Dolasky wakes up extra early to pack his kids’ lunches and homework while his wife Lana cooks a bulk amount of scrambled eggs and pancakes. Dolasky brews a pot of coffee, then packs it in a thermos alongside large foil containers of the freshly-made pancakes and eggs, plus disposable plates, cups and forks, syrup, sugar and creamer. He puts these items in a box and heads out the door for work.
13 March 2012
After more than 10 years of combat operations, Special Operations servicemembers and their families are feeling the strains and pressures of multiple deployments and busy training schedules. To ensure everyone within the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has the resources available to them to deal with those stresses, a special task force has been launched.
12 January 2012
In 1997, eight Special Forces Soldiers traveled to Bolivia to train and advise a battalion of Bolivian Army rangers. Beyond running the battalion’s light infantry certification training, the Special Forces team used their downtime to refine their own techniques and tactical proficiency; and they allowed a motivated 20-year-old Bolivian Army corporal to participate in their team training sessions.
6 January 2012
United States Special Operations Command hosted the Sovereign Challenge VIII conference in Savannah, Georgia, Dec 6-9.
22 December 2011
Admiral Bill H. McRaven, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, promoted Brig. Gen. Raymond A. Thomas III, Joint Special Operations Command’s deputy commanding general, to major general during a ceremony here Dec. 22.
7 December 2011
Adm. Bill H. McRaven, USSOCOM commander, held his first All Hands call at Hangar 3, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., Dec. 6. Adm. McRaven and Command Sgt. Major Chris Faris discussed their leadership philosophy and their focus on winning the current fight, strengthening the global SOF alliance and preserving the force. Photo by Tech. Sgt. Larry Carpenter, Jr.
6 December 2011
A new Vietnam Memorial was dedicated on Veterans Day in Hillsborough County near Tampa, Fla., and the expansive memorial and its surrounding grounds were based on concepts and sketches by USSOCOM artist Tim Lawn.
5 December 2011
Dr. Joe Kilgore, left, Joint Special Operations University Dean of Academics, receives the 2011 Learning Spotlight Award from Elliott Masie, who heads the MASIE Center, an international think tank focused on changing how the workforce learns and performs. The award is given to members of Masie's "Learning Consortium" who demonstrate exceptional performance in learning and development. JSOU received the award during Masie's recent conference in Orlando, Fla.
19 November 2011
Families, friends, volunteers and servicemen welcomed Sgt. Joel Tavera to his new home, Nov. 19 in New Tampa. Tavera, who was injured in Iraq over three years ago and has gone through 73 surgeries, received his house while hundreds of well-wishers looked on.
“I think this house is wonderful,” said Tavera. “A lot of people came together to make this house for me, I couldn’t possibly name every single person that was involved, but I’d like to thank all of you.”
14 November 2011
Lt. Gen. David P. Fridovich, U. S. Special Operations Command deputy commander retired Nov. 14, after more than 37 years of service in a ceremony at the Davis Conference Center, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.
18 October 2011
On any average day the USSOCOM acquisition team, the Special Operations Forces Acquirers, execute more than 200 acquisition programs and 400 projects, conduct more than 100 combat evaluations, execute more than 60 procurement actions, obligate more than $11 million, deliver more than 30 communications equipment and weapon systems, and field more than 37,000 rounds of munitions—a formidable effort by any means that has not gone unnoticed.
3 October 2011
VIÑA DEL MAR, Chile – With more than 2,500 miles of shoreline, Chile accounts for a large portion of South America’s western coastline. With such a large area to secure, it can certainly be challenging at times.
27 September 2011
Adm. Bill H. McRaven, commander U.S. Special Operations Command, passes the sword to Command Sgt. Major Chris Faris during a change of responsibility ceremony at the command’s headquarters on MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. The transfer of the sword from Adm. McRaven to Command Sgt. Major Faris signifies the trust and confidence that USSOCOM has in the non-commissioned officer corps. Faris becomes the USSOCOM’s seventh Command Sgt. Major and replaced Command Sgt. Major Thomas H. Smith. Faris is the personal
20 September 2011
Thirty-one students from Joint Special Operations University's Joint Special Operations Forces Senior Enlisted Academy gather after their course graduation in the Davis Conference Center, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., Sept. 13, 2011.
15 September 2011
Maj. Gen. Mark Clark, U.S. Special Operations Command chief of staff, joined the Operation One Voice team for the final leg of the 5th Honor Ride, and a 9-11 remembrance ceremony, September 10 – 11 at the Lake Lanier Islands Resort, Ga.
9 September 2011
Admiral Bill H. McRaven, U. S. Special Operations Command commander, delivers the keynote address at the Hillsborough County 9/11 Ceremony of Remembrance, held at Joe Chillura Park in downtown Tampa on September 9, 2011. The event was to commemorate those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, and also to honor the first responders and military members who
continue to serve today.
24 August 2011
Adm. Bill H. McRaven, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, addresses the audience at the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association LandWarNet Conference in Tampa, Fla., August 24. The conference is designed to bring both government and industry together to discuss best business practices. McRaven outlined the role of USSOCOM and the communications challenges the command faces, while also challenging those in attendance to develop cutting-edge communications capabilities for Special