The Year in Special Operations: 2014-2015 | Photos

By Steven Hoarn - May 20, 2014

A U.S. Special Forces soldier lines up a Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle for refueling in Shah Wali Kot District, Kandahar province, Afghanistan, March 7, 2014. U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Dacotah Lane

Paratroopers assigned to Special Operations Command Africa (SOCAFRICA) conduct static-line airborne operations from a U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules over Hopfenohe Drop Zone at the 7th Army Joint Multinational Training Command's Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, Sept. 25, 2013. U.S. Army photo by Visual Information Specialist Markus Rauchenberger

A U.S. Special Forces soldier climbs over a short wall during a clearing operation in Gaza Valley, Arghandab District, Zabul province, Afghanistan, Dec. 11, 2013. The clearance operation was conducted by Afghan National Security Forces in order to disrupt insurgent freedom of movement in the area. U.S. Army photo by Pfc. David Devich

Members of 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion practice breaching aboard ship at night, June 7, 2013. Marines train for visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) at the highest level. U.S. Marine Corps photo

Individual Training Course students with Marine Special Operations School at Stone Bay, N.C., participate in the field training exercise Raider Spirit. Raider Spirit is an eight-day culminating event for the first phase of ITC training, where students run light infantry scenarios as a field team. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Donovan Lee

The MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aircraft system makes its first appearance as a part of the Emerald Warrior exercise, Hurlburt Field, Fla., April 27, 2014. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Justyn M. Freeman

A CV-22 Osprey, from the 8th Special Operations Squadron, flies members of the deployed aircraft ground response element May 2, 2014, during Emerald Warrior over Hurlburt Field, Fla. Emerald Warrior is an annual, joint exercise to train special operations, conventional and partner nation forces in combat scenarios to hone special operations air and ground combat skills, and is the Department of Defense's only irregular warfare exercise. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jasmonet Jackson

AC-130H Spectre gunships taxi into position on the flightline prior to the final AC-130H mission conducted at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., Jan. 16, 2014. The C-130 began its operational service with the U.S. Air Force in 1956 and AC-130 development began in the early 1960s. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Matthew Plew

U.S. Navy SEALs, assigned to Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Afghanistan provide security as a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk drops off personnel during a clearing operation in Shah Wali Kot District, Kandahar province, Afghanistan. U.S. Department of Defense photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Martine Cuaron

U.S. Navy divers with SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1, Naval Special Warfare Group 3, prepare to be lifted using the special patrol insertion and extraction rope attached to a UH-60 Black Hawk assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB), during SPIE training with flight crews from the 25th CAB at U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, June 18, 2013. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Daniel Schroeder

Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) students participate in Surf Passage at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, Calif, Jan. 21, 2014. Surf Passage is one of many physically demanding evolutions that are a part of the first phase of SEAL training. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Michael Russell

U.S. Army Rangers assigned to 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, fire at an enemy bunker during Task Force Training on Camp Roberts, Calif., Feb. 1, 2014, one of the images used in US Special Ops. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Steven Hitchcock

U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers of Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan provide security during the clearance of Mirza Kalay village, Mya Neshin District, Kandahar province, Afghanistan, March 8, 2014. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Bertha A. Flores

U.S. Army soldiers, 1st Special Forces Group, conduct a high altitude low opening jump from a C-130J Super Hercules, 39th Airlift Squadron, over Yakima training center, Wash., April 22, 2014. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jonathan Snyder

Mississippi Army National Guard soldiers with the 2nd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne) conduct fast rope insertion training as part of Operation Emerald Warrior, a multinational, joint force training exercise April 30, 2014, at the Combat Readiness Training Center, Miss. U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Shane Hamann

A French special operations forces soldier jumps out of an SA330 helicopter during military-to-military training operations at Arta Range, Djibouti, Oct. 17, 2013. Pararescuemen with the 82nd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron trained alongside French special forces to maintain qualifications. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Erik Cardenas

A team of Afghan National Army special operations forces soldiers, 6th Special Operations Kandak, move in to clear a series of compounds at a training area near Kabul province, Afghanistan, May 10, 2014. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Connor Mendez

A Norwegian special operations forces member participates in the NATO-backed Cold Response 14 exercise. Norwegian SOF have seen hard fighting in Afghanistan and off the Horn of Africa in Support of Operation Ocean Shield. Norwegian Armed Forces photo by Torbjørn Kjosvold

Romanian special operations forces fast rope from a Romanian navy IAR 330 Puma onto the flight deck of the USS Truxtun (DDG 103) during a training exercise, March 19, 2014. The Truxtun was deployed as part of the George H. W. Bush Strike Group on a scheduled deployment supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Scott Barnes

Special operations forces from Croatia conduct close quarter battle training to prepare for Exercise Combined Resolve II at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, May 15, 2014. The exercise is a U.S. Army Europe-directed multinational exercise at the Grafenwoehr and Hohenfels Training Areas, including more than 4,000 participants from 13 allied and partner countries. U.S. Army photo by Visual Information Specialist Gertrud Zach

The Year in Special Operations: 2014-2015 is making its debut at the National Defense Industrial Association‘s 2014 Special Operations Forces Industry Conference in Tampa, Fla., May 20-22. You can now read what these special operators and industry leaders read by viewing the digital edition.

The Year in Special Operations: 2014-2015 is making its debut at the National Defense Industrial Association‘s 2014 Special Operations Forces Industry Conference in Tampa, Fla., May 20-22.

This year’s edition of The Year in Special Operations provides an in-depth look at special operations forces (SOF) today, and includes stand-alone features on SOCOM, AFSOC, MARSOC, NAVSPECWARCOM, and USASOC, as well as international SOF. Marking their 25th anniversary, this year’s edition has a special focus on USASOC, with interviews with USASOC Commanding General Lt. Gen. Charles Cleveland, USASOC Deputy to the Commander Richard M. Holcomb, ARSOAC Commanding General Brig. Gen. Clayton Hutmacher, and other leadership within the command.

SOF technology programs highlighted throughout the issue include SEAL surface and underwater mobility and SOF C4I/SWMS.

And, as always we will have special dedicated stories that look at SOF history. This year’s history has a particular focus on the 70th anniversary of D-Day, with stories on the U.S. Army Rangers at Pointe du Hoc and British special forces at Pegasus Bridge.