Special Forces Operator

Never before have the techniques and operations of special forces around the world been revealed in such fascinating detail. Journalist and soldier Mike Ryan's access to restricted information is at the heart of this extraordinary look into the world of special forces and their tactics, training, and protocols. Ryan's web of military contacts in the U.S. and Europe allows him to tell the full stories of famous special forces units (like the SAS, Delta Force, and the French Foreign Legion), to discuss their role today on an ever-changing battlefield, and to ponder their increasing use as political enforcers. Soldiers from all over the world talk candidly about the hunt for Osama bin Laden, the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, and operations in the Balkans, Somalia, and Sierra Leone. Every entry on a unit, tactic, or weapon is backed up with photographs of it in action, as well as testimony from operators in the field and a full analysis of its combat effectiveness. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

The members of America's Special Operations Forces are renowned world-wide for their exceptional military prowess and sheer physical toughness. However, the major factor in the success these warriors achieve is their mental toughness, decisiveness, resilience and ability to control their natural physical and psychological responses to fear and stress during some of the most dangerous situations imaginable. These extraordinary warriors possess a unique mindset that enables them to successfully attack and overcome obstacles and challenges that others can't - or for various reasons - won't even try to tackle. Now, you can leverage the insights and advice of members of some of Americas' elite military units to elevate your level of mental toughness and self-confidence. Topics covered in this book include: - The Rite of Passage: An Introduction to Special Operations Selection - The Special Operator Mindset: Individual Traits, Attitudes, Tactics & Techniques - How You Can Develop a "Spec-Ops" Level of Mental Toughness - How to Control Fear, Stress & Anxiety - The Navy SEAL Seven Pillar Technique - Methods of Developing Exceptional Self-Confidence - The "Whole Person" Approach to Personal Development - How Special Operators Achieve Excellence via "Deliberate Practice" - The "Wet Socks" Story: A Special Operators' Thoughts on Overcoming Adversity - The Four Levels of Competence: How You Can Apply Them To Your Life - How to Set Goals, Take Action & Achieve Success This book is designed to help you develop the same mindset, strength of will and winning mentality that is shared by Americas' most capable and respected warriors. It can help you change your perspective on how you have been approaching various aspects of your personal and professional life and it provides techniques, tools and tips that can help you achieve your dreams and goals!

Special forces operators are trained to do it all. These brave soldiers go behind enemy lines to train allies, gather intelligence, and carry out quick strikes. Find out how these amazing warriors have changed the War on Terror in this title for young readers.

Making Warriors in a Global Era provides ethnographic data, analyses, and discussions to infuse new debates among both military personnel and academics about the rise of special operations forces and the ways they impact how armed conflicts are dealt with and how wars are fought.

In this book, two national-security experts put the exploits of America’s special operation forces in historical and strategic context. David Tucker and Christopher J. Lamb offer an incisive overview of America’s turbulent experience with special operations. Starting with in-depth interviews with special operators, the authors illustrate the diversity of modern special operations forces and the strategic value of their unique attributes. Despite longstanding and growing public fascination with special operators, these forces and their contribution to national security are poorly understood. With this book, Tucker and Lamb dispel common misconceptions and offer a penetrating analysis of how these unique and valuable forces can be employed to even better effect in the future. The book builds toward a comprehensive assessment of the strategic utility of special operations forces, which it then considers in light of the demands of future warfare. This second edition of United States Special Operations Forces, revised throughout to account for lessons learned in the twelve years since its first publication, includes two new case studies, one on High Value Target Teams and another on Village Stability Operations, and two new appendixes charting the evolution of special operation missions and the best literature on all aspects of U.S. special operation forces.

The killing part is the easy bit; the tricky part is finding the right people to kill. Rob was a Special Forces operator with some of the world finest regiments and served in four national armies over a career that has spanned forty years and continues today. In 1965 he earned the converted Green Beret as a member of 2 Commando Australia. He left in 1968 to Southeast Asia. Finding work of a military nature in Laos, (in the war that never was). The end of the contract found him in England where he joined the British Parachute Regiment and completed three tours in Northern Ireland at the height of the troubles, taking part in Operation Demetrius. On his last tour, he was detached from his battalion and worked covert operations with a little-known group called the MRF (Military Reaction Force). 1974 saw Rob in Rhodesia as a member of the internationally acclaimed C Squadron SAS, where he was wounded on operations twice. This was a turning point in Rob’s life as he surrendered to Christ becoming a Christian. He was to carry on as an operator, but now with a biblical world view. Rob was recruited in 1980 by the South African Defense Force and was a member of 6 Reconnaissance Commando Special Forces and later became an operative with what was commonly called ‘the funnies’ or CSI Chief of Staff Intelligence. From 1996 to 2007 Rob was in South Sudan and Iraq, receiving a letter of commendation from the United States Army. Still active today, Rob specializes in close protection and tactical security training for civilian personnel.

Oppose Any Foe is the epic story of America's most elite warriors: the Special Operations Forces. Born as small appendages to the conventional armies of World War II, the Special Operations Forces have grown into a behemoth of 70,000 troops, including Navy SEALs, Army Special Forces, Air Force Night Stalkers, Special Operations Marines, Rangers, and Delta Force. Weaving together their triumphs and tribulations, acclaimed historian Mark Moyar introduces a colorful cast of military men, brimming with exceptional talent, courage and selflessness. In a nation where the military is the most popular institution, America's Special Operations Forces have become the most popular members of the military. Through nighttime raids on enemy compounds and combat advising of resistance movements, special operators have etched their names into the nation's registry of heroes. Yet the public knows little of the journey that they took to reach these heights, a journey that was neither easy nor glamorous. Fighting an uphill battle for most of their seventy-five year history, the Special Operations Forces slipped on many an occasion, and fell far on several. Presidents from Franklin Roosevelt to Barack Obama have enthusiastically championed Special Operations Forces, but their enthusiasm has often surpassed their understanding, resulting in misuse or overuse of the troops. Lacking clearly defined missions, Special Operations Forces have had to reinvent themselves time and again to prove their value in the face of fierce critics-many of them from the conventional military, which from the start opposed the segregation of talent in special units. Highlighting both the heroism of America's most elite soldiers and the controversies surrounding their meteoric growth, Oppose Any Foe presents the first comprehensive history of these special warriors and their daring missions. It is essential reading for anyone interested in America's military history-and the future of warfare.

The New York Times Bestseller and Winner of the 2015 Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Award for Unit History Since the attacks of September 11, one organization has been at the forefront of America's military response. Its efforts turned the tide against al-Qaida in Iraq, killed Bin Laden and Zarqawi, rescued Captain Phillips and captured Saddam Hussein. Its commander can direct cruise missile strikes from nuclear submarines and conduct special operations raids anywhere in the world. Relentless Strike tells the inside story of Joint Special Operations Command, the secret military organization that during the past decade has revolutionized counterterrorism, seamlessly fusing intelligence and operational skills to conduct missions that hit the headlines, and those that have remained in the shadows-until now. Because JSOC includes the military's most storied special operations units-Delta Force, SEAL Team 6, the 75th Ranger Regiment-as well as America's most secret aviation and intelligence units, this is their story, too. Relentless Strike reveals tension-drenched meetings in war rooms from the Pentagon to Iraq and special operations battles from the cabin of an MH-60 Black Hawk to the driver's seat of Delta Force's Pinzgauer vehicles as they approach their targets. Through exclusive interviews, reporter Sean Naylor uses his unique access to reveal how an organization designed in the 1980s for a very limited mission set transformed itself after 9/11 to become the military's premier weapon in the war against terrorism and how it continues to evolve today.