Search

Special Operations Forces (SOF) operate in dynamic, challenging environments, requiring accurate and versatile infantry weapon systems to effectively perform their assigned missions. This article provides a comprehensive review of the diverse range of infantry weapon systems used by SOF units in different theatres of operations. Through a synthesis of empirical data, operational perspectives and expert analysis, the study aims to elucidate the critical role of specialised weaponry in increasing the success rate of SOF missions. The analysis covers a broad spectrum of weapon platforms, each tailored to meet distinct mission requirements. In addition, the article explores the integration of advanced technologies into weapon construction, such as high-performance optical systems, silencers and other modular accessories, which enhance the lethality, accuracy and stealth capabilities of special forces units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) commenced in October 2001, the U.S. Special Forces (SF) were the first U.S. military unit on the ground in Afghanistan, utilising their Unconventional Warfare (UW) capabilities. Despite their significant role at the initial stage of the military campaign, SF began to encounter numerous challenges from as early as 2002 and throughout OEF. Based on an analysis of forty-five master's theses authored by SF officers, this paper discusses the structural-organisational and cultural-conceptual challenges. These obstacles led to the marginalisation of SF's UW efforts. Scholarship on special operations forces (SOF) often regards the period of the so-called global war on terrorism (GWOT) as U.S. SOF's golden age focusing predominantly on the activities of SOF units linked to the U.S. Joint Special Operations Command rather than on SF. By examining the challenges faced by SF, this article aims to contribute to a more nuanced discussion of SOF efforts during GWOT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Whole blood (WB) collections can occur downrange for immediate administration. An important aspect of these collections is determining when the unit is sufficiently full. This project tested a novel method for determining when a field collection is complete. Methods: The amount of empty space at the top of WB units, destined to become LTOWB or separated into components, that were collected at blood centers or hospitals was measured by holding a WB unit off the ground and placing the top of a piece of string where the donor tubing entered the bag. The string was marked where it intersected the top of the column of blood in the bag and measured from the top. The WB units were also weighed. Results: A total of 15 different bags, two of which were measured in two different filling volumes, from 15 hospitals or blood centers were measured and weighed. The most commonly used blood bag, Terumo Imuflex SP, had a median string length of 9 mm (range: 2–24 mm) and weighed a median of 565.1 g (range: 524.8–636.7 g). Conclusion: Pieces of string can be precut to the appropriate length depending on the type of bag before a mission where field WB collections might be required and a mark placed on the bag before the collection commences to indicate when the unit is full. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The activity of the police officers of the Special Actions Service requires constant sports training, long resistance to effort and thorough learning of self-defence and intervention techniques. Most of the employees of the Iasi Special Actions Service are fighters, but they also practice other sports activities, than those required in the mandatory physical training courses. The present study is part of a confirmatory – ameliorative research, carried out on a group of 145 people, employees of the special forces of the Special Action Services Iasi, Suceava, Botosani, Bacau, Vrancea and Bistrita-Nasaud through the application of a questionnaire -survey of 13 questions between October 2020 and September 2022. The methods used in the research included: analysis of specialized literature and relevant legislation, questionnaire-survey, mathematical-statistical method. In the present study, the results will refer to the opinions of the military personnel regarding the physical training process, evaluation and what are the fighters’ preferences for sports activities. At the same time, by applying the questionnaire, we aimed to identify, from the perspective of the employees, what are the proposals for improving the process of physical training and sports at the level of the Special Action Services.

The process of separation of special forces (military special operations units) in the structure of the armed forces of NATO countries began in the 1980s. By the end of the Cold War, two states had done this: the United States and the United Kingdom (1987). By the end of the 20th century, they had been followed by France (1992) and Turkey (1994). This article describes the chronology of changes in this area up to January 2020, by which time 18 out of 29 NATO states had upgraded their special forces to the status of separate branches of their armed forces or troops. Two models of management had been adopted within the framework of the autonomization of the said units, which at the beginning of the 2020s comprised up to 5% of all armed forces.

The article addresses the issue of the emergence of new technologies and their impact on the capabilities of the Czech Armed Forces (CAF). A summary of the recommendations is presented. In particular, there is a need for a conceptual approach to the integration of new systems in order to avoid spontaneous purchasing, which could be very logistically demanding. The very rapid development in the field of unmanned autonomous systems using elements of artificial intelligence offers opportunities to use them in support of the tasks of CAF. Due to the breadth of this issue, the scope is limited to the area of the Special Forces, which introduce these new sophisticated means into use throughout the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic.

The process of separation of special forces (military special operations units) in the structure of the armed forces of NATO countries began in the 1980s. By the end of the Cold War, two states had done this: the United States and the United Kingdom (1987). By the end of the 20th century, they had been followed by France (1992) and Turkey (1994). This article describes the chronology of changes in this area up to January 2020, by which time 18 out of 29 NATO states had upgraded their special forces to the status of separate branches of their armed forces or troops. Two models of management had been adopted within the framework of the autonomization of the said units, which at the beginning of the 2020s comprised up to 5% of all armed forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Special Operations Forces (SOF) played an important role in defeating the Islamic State (ISIS) physical caliphate in Syria. Acting as a force multiplier, SOF successfully mobilized, armed, supplied, and directed an indigenous guerrilla force across northern Syria against a numerically superior entrenched enemy. This effort was underpinned by a flexible operational approach that adapted operational art to the unique characteristics of unconventional warfare. This paper provides a case study on the conflict with ISIS in Syria, focusing on the first phase of the campaign from 2014 until 2016, examining the elements of operational art which had the most significant impact on the outcome of the conflict. The application of operational art throughout the campaign sought to preserve and strengthen the friendly center of gravity – the Syrian Defense Forces, or SDF – by improving access to critical capabilities, controlling tempo, recognizing culmination criteria, and properly phasing operations and resources. SOF's practice of sustained engagement garnered influence with the SDF and provided situational awareness to key decision makers, connecting tactics to strategy, engendering mutual trust, and allowing the agility that led to battlefield success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fascination with special forces could be ascribed to the prominence of their use in contemporary conflicts across the globe. There is, however, a paradox of employing such a highly lethal force in order to pursuit peace. With peacekeeping evolving parallel with the strategic environment, especially in Africa, the trend towards more robust interventions has become prevalent since the end of the Cold War. As such, the requirement for accurate and timely intelligence in peace missions has become crucial. Admittedly, special forces would not necessarily be the soldiers expected to wear blue berets and participate in peace missions. It may come as a surprise to the uninformed, though, to learn that special forces have indeed participated, and are still involved, in peace missions across the globe. Drawing from a case study where special forces have been involved in peace missions under the umbrella of the United Nations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, this article investigates the utilization of special forces and the role they could play in peace missions in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How do military personnel succeed in designing or perfecting equipment useful to their mission? This paper will analyse the production of material innovations that are characterised by their ability to respond to an operational need, whose design is based on the skills, resources and abilities of soldiers in the field, and whose modelling and prototyping do not require the deployment of major research and development resources. We will show that these activities are based on an inverted form of “something on the side”. More generally, the question arises as to the capacity of an institution marked by the rigour of its hierarchy to make accessible to its personnel the margins of autonomy necessary for the engagement of frugal forms of technological research and development. Through an analysis centred on two case studies—a grenade-launching pole and an oxygen mask for dogs—of innovation by and for Special Forces operatives, we highlight the difficulty, for the military institution, of making an ‘innovation logic’ coexist with an ‘organisation logic’ and articulating them.

The 75th Ranger Regiment (75RR) is an elite airborne infantry unit that is prepared to deploy on short notice and is resourced to maintain exceptional proficiency and readiness through prolonged deployments. To become a member of the 75RR, Soldiers must successfully complete the physically and mentally demanding Ranger Assessment and Selection Program (RASP). They must also become airborne qualified, if not already, and successfully complete Ranger School in order to continue to serve in the 75RR. Rangers must maintain a level of physical performance comparable to high-level athletes while also handling operational stressors that include a negative-energy balance, high-energy expenditure, sleep restriction, and completing missions in extreme environments, all of which increase their chance of illness or injury. This narrative review aims to focus on the literature surrounding performance and health-related research in US Army Rangers in order to understand how Rangers are impacted during training/operations, to inform future training recommendations, and to identify areas of future research that are warranted and could potentially optimize the health and performance of Rangers during future training/operation events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because military special forces carry out dangerous missions, they are much more exposed to adversities and traumatic events compared to other occupational groups. According to Posttraumatic Growth theory, individuals tend to obtain positive growth through adversities. Moreover, a framework of Psychosocial Gains from Adversity argues not only individual changes but also social changes in the group to which the individual belongs are induced. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the adverse experiences of special forces operatives and delineate the positive shift at an individual and social level via Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR). Eight individuals serving in special forces at the Korean Army, Navy and Air Force were interviewed using a semi-structured protocol. Four domains including 10 categories and 34 subcategories were identified: (a) Adverse experiences; (b) Personal change; (c) Social change; and (d) Attributes related to adverse experience. The findings and clinical implications are discussed in light of growth over facing adversities and interaction between personal and social factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global uncertainties have prompted nations to adopt vigilant approaches to safeguard their citizens. Recent crises have compelled Western nations to undertake evacuations, ranging from peaceful scenarios to urgent military interventions. In April 2023, Sudan descended into civil war, prompting France to orchestrate a complex evacuation operation leveraging prepositioned forces in Djibouti. This retrospective observational study aims to analyze the surgical challenges encountered during Operation SAGITTAIRE (OS), focusing on human, technical, and logistical requirements for successful military interventions in multinational civilian populations. OS successfully evacuated 1017 individuals of 84 nationalities from Khartoum using road, sea, and air routes. Special forces teams, including the Surgical Life-saving Module (SLM), were mobilized alongside conventional military elements. The Joint Medical Surgical Center (JMSC) in Djibouti served as a permanent medical facility with comprehensive facilities and staff. Air Medical evacuations were performed for vicitms and surgical interventions were conducted, including damage control surgery, orthopedic procedures, and debridements. Five surgical evaluations and four surgical procedures were performed. The operation spanned 96 h without death. The SLM, deployed in Khartoum and within an aircraft, played a crucial role. OS highlighted the need for a comprehensive health support system. Challenges in assessing health needs led to the establishment of a substantial and adaptable system. The report emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive approach to support Non-combatant Evacuation Operations in French Doctrine. OS showcased the French Health Military Service's capabilities in deploying a comprehensive damage control chain in challenging environments. This fatality-free success underlines the effectiveness of coordinated resuscitation, damage control, and transportation. Evacuation operations in non-combatant settings during civil wars pose formidable challenges, requiring a modular and adaptable support concept. Coordination, communication, logistical preparation, and training are crucial elements for successful management of such operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper indicates the role and importance of acute pain during the operation of cuffing. The application of means of restraint from the space of physical strength, which usually precedes the activity of cuffing, requires a good knowledge of individual fighting techniques, and especially levers which serve to bring the person into the cuffing position by creating the feeling of acute pain. In that sense, lever is a good choice, because by executing lever, a person can be kept under control both for a shorter and a longer period of time, i.e. as long as it takes for cuffing to be performed safely. For that reason, it is important to know and distinguish the factors that define the individual value of each lever: possible level of infliction of pain (availability of body part, possibility of precise support, required level of force, time required for realization, etc.), as well as basic consequences of lever application. The applied lever, whose execution is harmonized with the previously mentioned factors, will produce sufficiently intense acute pain. Pain is an unpleasant sensory or emotional experience that is caused by potential or existing tissue damage or one that is described in words that would correspond to the said damage.

Special forces have always captured the imagination of the world. This comes as no surprise, as there is a lot of literature and movies on special forces available. The terror attacks on 11 September 2001 in the United States of America, and the subsequent declaration by George W. Bush of a Global War on Terrorism, has brought the special forces of the United States and other Western powers out of the shadows and into the limelight as the force of choice to combat the new security threat. It also focussed the international concern on the security threats of ungoverned spaces, failed states, and the use of terror. This in turn created a merging of failed states and counter-terrorism agendas, which resulted in a powerful new framework for humanitarian actors. Third party interventions in the form of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), to mention but one example, appeared. The subsequent deployment of European special forces to Mali in 2013 as part of MINUSMA was in an effort to restore constitutional order to the Malian government. The mission is still ongoing and thus relevant as a case study to relate the role of special forces to peace missions. The aim of the article is to explore the role of special forces in peace missions, using the role of European Special Forces in MINUSMA as case study.

Background: Detection of retained foreign bodies (FB) is a difficult task in both austere environments and emergency departments, particularly when they are radiolucent and not detectable by plain radiographs. Failure to identify and remove them can lead to increased morbidity., Objective: To determine the accuracy of Special Forces (SF) medics in detecting wooden FBs in tissue models, using point-of-care ultrasound., Methods: A prospective, single-blinded, observational study using chicken thigh models was performed. Medics with no prior soft-tissue ultrasound experience received a 1-hour lecture on ultrasound, then scanned 10 tissue models for up to 3 minutes each. Participants were blinded to the models: five were free of FBs and five contained a single wooden FB of varying lengths (1, 2.5, 5, 7.5, or 10mm) at a depth of 5mm., Results: Twenty SF medics performed 200 total scans. For the detection of wooden FBs, sensitivity was 71.8% (95% CI 50.7-85.7) and specificity 82.0% (95% CI 61.1-92.6). The 10-mm FB was identified with 95% accuracy and had an overall sensitivity of 95% (95% CI 76.4-99)., Conclusions: SF medics with minimal ultrasound training are capable of accurately identifying soft-tissue wooden FBs with ultrasound. The FB size, orientation, and proximity to fibrous tissues were important factors in accurate identification. SF medics use of ultrasound to aid in the detection of superficial, soft-tissue FBs is an obtainable and valuable skill., Competing Interests: The authors have nothing to disclose., (2024.)

The civil war in Mali is one of the longest-running conflicts in the African Sahel region. The conflict is now a typical example of an asymmetric conflict, with nation-state forces on one side and non-state armed actors on the other. This article describes the roots of the conflict, its evolution, France’s involvement in counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations, and the operational activities of Task Force Takuba. Finally, it provides an assessment of the overall issue, including an assessment of whether the objectives for which Task Force Takuba was formed have been met.

Current debates about bathrooms and bathroom policy contribute to a long history of how space shapes norms and expectations about privacy and gender equity in the workplace. The military serves as a significant site of discussion, particularly as the Department of Defense moves forward with efforts to integrate women into combat positions. Relying on an analysis of 27 focus groups with a total of 198 participants we collected from Special Operations in the U.S. Army, we examine bathrooms as a site where male soldiers contest and resist female integration. Using Sasson-Levy and Katz's concept of institutional de-gendering and re-gendering, we argue that men's resistance to gender-neutral toilets is an effort to re-gender Special Forces and maintain the hegemonic masculine culture that acutely defines it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cat-SD (Categorization by Similarity-Dissimilarity) is a method developed for handling nominal classification problems in the context of Multiple Criteria Decision Aiding (MCDA). This paper describes the design and implementation of this method and an application dealing with a recruitment and selection process in the Special Forces of the Portuguese Army. Besides, it proposes interaction protocols to elicit the preference parameters of the method to facilitate the construction of a decision model when the analyst guides the decision maker. Cat-SD has been implemented in DecSpace, a user-friendly online platform for supporting decision aiding processes using one or more MCDA methods simultaneously. The study related to the Portuguese Army Special Forces recruitment and selection demonstrates how these protocols and a tool like DecSpace can facilitate the process of applying the method in real-world scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The initial assessment of physical fitness (PF) is associated with daily duty tasks/performance, and health-indicators (risk of injury/illnesses) of police officers. This research aimed to characterize the demographic, sports practice, PF, and metabolic profile of Elite Portuguese Public Security Police recruits. This cross-sectional study included 32 participants (age 30.1 ± 2.7 years old). The following data were collected: demographic, sports practice, PF (e.g. muscular resistance [pull/sit/push-ups], cardiorespiratory fitness [Cooper Test]), and metabolic measures (e.g. blood pressure [systolic/diastolic]). A robust PF and metabolic profile was observed: sit-ups 79.6 ± 11.6 rep.; push-ups 65.4 ± 17.3 rep.; VO2max prediction 49.6 ± 4.7 ml/kg/min; Body Mass Index 23.5 ± 2.1 kg/m2; fat mass 10.7 ± 2.3%; systolic blood pressure 134.0 ± 12.0 mm Hg, and diastolic blood pressure 74.6 ± 12.5 mm Hg. Deeper knowledge on initial PF and its impact on health may be relevant for policing policy, allowing one to define assessment guidelines and implement regular training to optimize PF throughout police officers´ lives and careers, with potentially general health benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to discuss how a state could best use its resources in resisting an aggressor when joint operations have failed. Focusing on the potential role of special operations forces (SOF) in resistance operations, the article examines scenarios where small states are attacked by a superior opponent. Based on the example of Sweden, currently still a militarily nonaligned country that nevertheless has adopted a security policy based on cooperation with other states, we explore how a small state not belonging to NATO might plan and prepare for alternative scenarios. Not being covered by Article 5, Sweden needs to be prepared to fight the war on its own. A better, but less likely, scenario would be fighting together with partners, at home, or in the near abroad. Since Ukraine shares similarities with Sweden in terms of its status as an enhanced NATO-partner, it will serve as an additional, and highly relevant, point of reference in the discussion. The developments in this war indicates that for a non-NATO member the primary alternative will be to conduct the fight on its own. Based on the above, the article will go on to investigate a number of old truths from the late 20th century as well as flipped lessons learned from twenty years of counter insurgency, primarily in the Middle East, South Sahel and South East Asia. Small states tend to have very limited size SOF which indicates that mission prioritization will be a key factor for the utility of SOF in resistance operations. There are, however, ways of finding other relevant roles, than the traditional ones, for SOF in resistance operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The little-known World War II battle for Termoli, code named Operation Devon, took place in early October 1943 and began with the only Allied amphibious landing on Italy's Adriatic coast. It was a joint operation between newly formed elite groups and regular units of the Allied armed forces. A brigade made up of two units of commandos and the 1st Special Air Service, known during this operation as the Special Raiding Squadron, was given the task of making the first landing. Despite the initial success of the operation, a drawn out and fierce battle ensued. With the help of archival material from the Imperial War Museum, London, and The National Archives, Kew, this article reconstructs the key elements of a battle that has received little scholarly attention, particularly in relation to the role of conventional forces in the fighting. In doing so, it provides an overview of the battle, analysing the main factors that led to a chaotic handover between special and regular infantry forces and what made the action ultimately successful. Finally, it reveals how the operation was part of an evolutionary process for special forces and helped to cement their role in UK military doctrine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is focusing on challenges connected with execution of the Czech Army military operations in tropical rainforest under umbrella of international organization. The military engagements in the tropical climate depends on unit general characterization and necessary unit competency insufficiently specified in the Czech Army Catalogue of Capabilities. The Czech Army Catalogue of Capabilities standardizes training methods, training cost, and required training area and required training equipment and material. Based on experience gained from the training of the Czech military personnel in Jungle Training Centre in French Guyana, we can assess that to attain required skills for jungle operational environment acquires a few weeks. The international organizations are capable to provide necessary training for jungle operational environment in order to reach required level of skills and competencies before operation execution.

This methodology paper describes the design of a holistic and multidisciplinary human performance program within the Belgian Special Forces Group, the Tier 1 Special Operations unit of the Belgian Defense. Performance management approaches in the military draw heavily on sports science. The key component of the program design described here is its integrative nature, which team sports training might benefit from. The basic rationale behind the program was to bridge several gaps: the gap between physical and mental training; the gap between the curative or preventive medical approach and the performance enhancement approach; and the gap between individual and team training. To achieve this goal, the methodology of Intervention Mapping was applied, and a multidisciplinary team of training and care professionals was constituted with operational stakeholders. This was the first step in the program design. The second step took a year, and consisted of formal and informal consultations, participant observations and task analyses. These two first stages and their conclusions are described in the Method section. The Results section covers the next two stages (three and four) of the process, which aimed at defining the content of the program; and to test a pilot project implementation. The third stage encompassed the choice of the most relevant assessment and intervention tools for the target population, within each area of expertise. This is described extensively, to allow for replication. The fourth and last stage was to “test drive” the real-life integration and implementation of the whole program at the scale of a single team (8 individuals). For obvious confidentiality reasons, the content data will not be reported extensively here. Implications for wider-scale implementation and tie-back to sports team training are presented.

This study aimed to determine the energy requirements, physiological consequences, and recovery rate from the Australian Special Forces Selection Course. Ninety-three male soldiers (mean ± SD, 28.1 ± 3.6 years, 1.81 ± 0.1 m, 85.1 ± 8.1 kg) volunteered for this study. Body composition via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, hormones and resting metabolic rate were assessed before, immediately after, and at 1, 3, 5, and 8 weeks post-course. Energy expenditure, assessed via doubly-labelled water during the first 10 days of the course significantly exceeded energy intake (expenditure: 7680 ± 1095 kcal . day -1 , intake: 3859 ± 704 kcal . day - 1 ). Body mass (Δ -6.8 ± 1.9 kg, p <  0.01), fat mass (Δ -4.2 ± 1.0 kg, p <  0.0001) and lean mass (Δ -3.0 ± 1.7 kg, p <  0.0001) were significantly reduced in response to the course and returned to baseline 1-3 weeks post-course. Total testosterone, free testosterone, free triiodothyronine, free thyroxine and insulin like growth factor-1 significantly ( p <  0.001) declined following the course, while cortisol and sex hormone binding globulin increased ( p <  0.001). All hormones, except insulin like growth factor-1, returned to baseline concentrations within 1-3 weeks post-course. Resting metabolic rate decreased ( p <  0.01) in response to the course, and subsequently rebounded above baseline levels at 1 week post-course. The Special Forces Selection Course involved high energy output and a substantial caloric deficit, resulting in body mass loss and significant hormonal disruption that took weeks to recover. These results highlight the energy requirements, physiological consequences, and recovery processes from the Australian Special Forces Selection Course., Competing Interests: The authors declare there are no competing interests.

Studies on Security Force Assistance (SFA) have hitherto been dominated by different iterations of the principal-agent perspective to explain relations between provider and recipient. Yet, while such frameworks aptly illustrate these dynamics from a macro perspective, they are inadequate when analysing the complexity of practices on the ground. To mitigate this short-coming, the present article uses a Social Network Analysis framework to provide an in-depth micro analysis of relations between different SFA providers and the recipient state: Niger, focusing on the Belgian Special Forces. Drawing on field observations and more than 40 interviews in Niger, the present study increases our understanding of how dynamic (in)formal social networks impact the development of SFA. It points to the importance of timing, contingency and individual encounters as central in the understanding of how SFA develops and at times strays from strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Physical Education (20736452) is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Defense & Strategy / Obrana a strategie is the property of Institute for Strategic Studies and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Security: Theory & Practice / Bezpieczeństwo.Teoria i Praktyka is the property of Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski Krakow University, AFM Publishing Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The creation of Israel aroused many negative emotions, which over time evolved into war and terrorist activities, the aim of which was to destroy this country and push it into the sea. Israel in response to numerous attacks was forced to develop an effective defense, and its basic element was well-trained special forces. Israeli services are considered brutal: they carry out daring operations, risking diplomatic crises, never negotiating with hijackers, and often killing potential terrorists, however, they cannot be denied their effectiveness. Israeli commandos are often recognized as the best in the world and their training is as demanding as the American Navy SEAL’s. In the era of growing number of terrorist attacks, it is worth taking a closer look at Israeli counterterrorism units, their experience and answer the question whether the methods, tactics and strategies used are appropriate and should be copied by special forces of other countries.

A pioneer in the field of Public Relations, Edward L. Bernays, emphasized the use of words as weapons in his work entitled „Propaganda” in 1928. In „Public Relations”, he considered the word and image to be the representation of tools for building peace or war. Therefore, in 2013, the chief of the Russian General Staff, Valery Gerasimov stated that „the non-military means have proved to be used four times more frequently in modern conflicts than in conventional conflicts.” The Russian Federation is led following Lenin’s idea: “If Russia cannot control a country, then the respective country must be at least destabilized.”

In May 2017, Islamists of the South-Philippine Separate Groups of Abu Sajyaf and Maute occupied Marawi City in Mindanao. Five-month fighting was attended by more than 3,000 armed forces against about 1,000 jihadists. Dozens of foreign fighters took part in the fighting on the Islamists side and confirming the pan-Islamic ethos of the Islamic state's ideology in this part of the world. Philippine troops were not prepared for the character of fighting in urbanized environment against motivated and experienced militants. The shortcomings were manifested in the conducting of operations in a heavily built-up area, but also in low-level coordination and limits of capabilities of the technical intelligence. It was decided to create Special Operations Command to which all Philippine special purpose forces are subordinated. The conflict experience has initiated a change of doctrinal approach that focuses on air support to reduce losses due to inaccurate bombing and acquisitions of high-tech reconnaissance and weapon systems.

Some essential aspects of the concept of “special forces of operative and search activity” have been revealed, as well as their structural elements have been outlined. Information to clarify the content of the concept of “special forces of operative and search activity” and its certain components has been systematized. The author has studied the interpretation of the relevant components of this term in the literature, as well as taking into account the practical aspects of the organization of operative and search activities. The relevant international experience has been analyzed. Attention has been paid to the fact that only those persons, who cooperate with law enforcement agencies on a confidential basis are logically treated as special forces of operative and search activity. Some aspects of the application of special forces of operative and search activity have been revealed. Emphasis has been placed on ensuring secrecy and confidentiality in the use of special forces of operative and search activity. It has been emphasized that in case of the fulfillment of the tasks of operative and search activity such forces get a special attitude from the law enforcement agencies. The author has attempted to classify such forces, and has defined the attributes relevant to them. Based on the research, the definition of special forces of operative and search activity has been provided – it is a separate category of forces of operative and search activity, which does not belong to the subjects of operative and search activity, but indirectly and on a confidential basis promotes the fulfillment of tasks of operative and search activity and criminal process. The author has substantiated that disclosing party and anonymous author, who provide information on a confidential basis, belong to special forces of operative and search activity.

The South African Special Forces is a grouping of highly trained, motivated and dedicated soldiers who execute specialised tasks that ordinary infantry soldiers are not trained or required to conduct. The milieu in which Special Forces operators function is notoriously challenging as these forces could deploy for a few days or several months or longer in any type of environment. It is therefore essential that the correct candidates be selected to function in these environments. The aim of the officer’s potential assessment (OPA) is thus to select candidates with the physical, cognitive, emotional and psychological fitness to be trained as South African Special Forces operators and officers. The study on which this article is based, explored the development of the behavioural assessments during the South African Special Forces officers’ selection process as a method and model for the review and design of assessment centres from a holistic, detailed perspective.

Executive functions (EF) represent higher order top-down mechanisms regulating information processing. While suboptimal EF have been studied in various patient groups, their impact on successful behavior is still not well described. Previously, it has been suggested that design fluency (DF)—a test including several simultaneous EF components mainly related to fluency, cognitive flexibility, and creativity—predicts successful behavior in a quickly changing environment where fast and dynamic adaptions are required, such as ball sports. We hypothesized that similar behaviors are of importance in the selection process of elite police force applicants. To test this hypothesis, we compared elite police force applicants (n = 45) with a control group of police officer trainees (n = 30). Although both groups were better than the norm, the elite police force applicants had a significantly better performance in DF total correct when adjusting for sex and age [ F (1,71) = 18.98, p < 0.001]. To understand how this capacity was altered by stress and tiredness, we re-tested the elite police force applicants several days during an extreme field assessment lasting 10 days. The results suggested that there was a lower than expected improvement in DF total correct and a decline in the DF3-subtest that includes a larger component of cognitive flexibility than the other subtests (DF1 and DF2). Although there was a positive correlation between the baseline session and the re-test in DF3 [ r (40) = 0.49, p = 0.001], the applicants having the highest scores in the baseline test also displayed the largest percentage decline in the re-test [ r (40) = −0.46, p = 0.003]. In conclusion, our result suggests that higher order EF (HEF) that include cognitive flexibility and creativity are of importance in the application for becoming an elite police officer but relatively compromised in a stressful situation. Moreover, as the decline is different between the individuals, the results suggest that applicants should be tested during baseline conditions and during stressful conditions to describe their cognitive capacity fully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The changing nature of global and national security threats have made Special Forces the fundament of many states' armed forces. This article focuses on the Polish Special Forces, their roles and functions, both independently and in cooperation with other armed services of the Republic of Poland. After outlining the Polish national security system, the analysis proceeds with a discussion of the modalities of the Special Forces functioning in the times of peace, crisis and war. The article concludes with suggestions regarding legislative changes which would contribute to further development of the Polish Special Forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is the first to report on Big Five personality traits of employees in the Norwegian military Special Operations Forces (NORSOF). Three research questions were formulated for this study, aiming to investigate (1) whether age, number of combat-deployments and rank (OR/OF) had an impact on the personalities of NORSOF employees, (2) possible personality differences between personnel organized in the underlying departments of the NORSOF, and (3) if there were personality differences between SOF-operators and conventional forces applicants. SOF-operators from the Norwegian Special Operations Commando (FSK) and the Norwegian Naval Special Operations Commando (MJK) constituted 40% of the total NORSOF sample (N = 190), whilst the term SOF-support categorized the larger proportion of non-operators. Results indicated that younger employees tended to be lower on emotional stability than older colleagues, and that those without any combat-deployments were somewhat higher on agreeableness and a bit lower on emotional stability relative to employees with such experience. Additionally, personnel with officer ranks (OF) were higher on extraversion compared to specialists (OR). Results did not show any significant intradepartmental differences in mean personality trait scores. Compared to male applicants for basic officer training in conventional forces (N = 662), SOF-operators (all males) were less extroverted, less agreeable, and slightly more emotionally stable. The authors conclude that the NORSOF attracts and recruits personnel with similarities in their Big Five personalities. Furthermore, we suggest that the personality profile that emerged for the “average” Norwegian SOF-operator is a functional one, especially when considering the desired future image of the Special Forces operative as a Warrior-Diplomat.

Copyright of Contemporary Military Challenges / Sodobni Vojaški Izzivi is the property of Sciendo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: U.S. military special operation forces represent the most elite units of the U.S. Armed Forces. Their selection is highly competitive, and over the course of their service careers, they experience intensive operational training and combat deployment cycles. Yet, little is known about the health-care needs of this unique population. Method: Professional consultations with over 50 special operation forces operators (and many spouses or girlfriends) over the past 6 years created a naturalistic, observational base of knowledge that allowed our team to identify a unique pattern of interrelated medical and behavioral health-care needs. Results: We identified a consistent pattern of health-care difficulties within the special operation forces community that we and other special operation forces health-care providers have termed "Operator Syndrome." This includes interrelated health and functional impairments including traumatic brain injury effects; endocrine dysfunction; sleep disturbance; obstructive sleep apnea; chronic joint/back pain, orthopedic problems, and headaches; substance abuse; depression and suicide; anger; worry, rumination, and stress reactivity; marital, family, and community dysfunction; problems with sexual health and intimacy; being "on guard" or hypervigilant; memory, concentration, and cognitive impairments; vestibular and vision impairments; challenges of the transition from military to civilian life; and common existential issues. Conclusions: "Operator Syndrome" may be understood as the natural consequences of an extraordinarily high allostatic load; the accumulation of physiological, neural, and neuroendocrine responses resulting from the prolonged chronic stress; and physical demands of a career with the military special forces. Clinical research and comprehensive, intensive immersion programs are needed to meet the unique needs of this community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]