US Army SOF Photos

[Ravage]

An United States Special Forces soldier watches as a Mine Resistant Ambush Protective vehicle rolls into the compound in Hyderbad, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Oct. 11. The Afghanistan National Army Forces and USSF took over the compound as part of Operation Riverdance. The goal was to set up and establish a site to host Village Stability Operations in hopes to help local Afghans in Hyderbad defend themselves against the Taliban.

An Afghanistan National Army Forces and United States Special Forces soldiers performs security while other soldiers set up a defensive stand for the compound they took over in Hyderbad, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Oct. 11. It was part of Operation Riverdance. The goal was to set up and establish a site to host Village Stability Operations. In hopes to help local Afghans in Hyderbad defend themselves against the Taliban.

An United States Special Forces soldier performs reconnaissance on a house that is close proximity to their compound in Hyderbad, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Oct. 13. The Afghanistan National Army Special Forces and USSF spoke to Afghan locals if they can assist with any medical needs and to reassure the local community the ANASF and USSF is there to help in security against the Taliban. The site is projected to hopefully run a successful Village Stability Operations program that one day local Afghans can defend themselves the Taliban.

An United States Special Forces soldier give commands to element as USSF and Aghanistan National Army Special Forces soldiers patrol in Hyderbad, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Oct. 13. The ANASF spoke to Afghan locals if they can assist with any medical needs and to reassure the local community the ANASF and USSF is there to help in security against the Taliban. The site is projected to hopefully run a successful Village Stability Operations program that one day local Afghans can defend themselves the Taliban.

 

[Ravage]

An United States Special Forces soldier scans the area while patrolling in Hyderbad, Helmand province, Aghanistanace, Oct. 13. The ANASF spoke to Afghan locals if they can assist with any medical needs and to reassure the local community the ANASF and USSF is there to help in security against the Taliban. The site is projected to hopefully run a successful Village Stability Operations program that one day local Afghans can defend themselves the Taliban.

Local Afghan welcomes Afghanistan National Army Special Forces and United States Special Forces soldiers to chat in Hyderbad, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Oct. 13. The ANASF spoke to Afghan locals if they can assist with any medical needs and to reassure the local community the ANASF and USSF is there to help in security against the Taliban. The site is projected to hopefully run a successful Village Stability Operations program that one day local Afghans can defend themselves the Taliban.

An United States Special Forces soldier watches as a wall is breached to fit their vehicles in a compound that was seized in Hyderbad, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Oct. 11. It was part of Operation Riverdance. The goal was to set up and establish a site to host Village Stability Operations. In hopes to help local Afghans in Hyderbad defend themselves against the Taliban.

An Afghanistan National Army Special Forces soldier patrols leads the patrol in Hyderbad, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Oct. 13. The ANASF spoke to Afghan locals if they can assist with any medical needs and to reassure the local community the ANASF and USSF is there to help in security against the Taliban. The site is projected to hopefully run a successful Village Stability Operations program that one day local Afghans can defend themselves the Taliban.

Afghanistan National Army Special Forces and United States Special Forces soldiers scans the local desert for any persons of suspicion while conducting their Key Leader Engagement in Hyderbad, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Oct. 13. The ANASF spoke to Afghan locals if they can assist with any medical needs and to reassure the local community the ANASF and USSF is there to help in security against the Taliban. The site is projected to hopefully run a successful Village Stability Operations program that one day local Afghans can defend themselves the Taliban.

 

[TheSiatonist]

How tough are those mud walls? Can they take an RPG or Hellfire and not crack at all?

 

[fox1371]

How tough are those mud walls? Can they take an RPG or Hellfire and not crack at all?

Depends on the wall. I've seen RPG's get stuck in them and our .50 cal rounds weren't going through them. How they can take mud and make it that strong, I have no idea. I'm not sure about Hellfires, all of our Hellfire strikes were in the open. I can't say that the buildings surrounding took much damage though.

 

[Ravage]

A U.S. Army soldier with Special Operations Task Force - South provides security overwatch during the final hours of an operation to remove insurgents from Lam village, Khakrez District, Nov. 14, 2010, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan.

U.S. Army soldiers with Special Operations Task Force - South provide security overwatch during the final hours of an operation to remove insurgents from Lam village, Khakrez District, Nov. 14, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan.

A U.S. Army Special Forces engineer sergeant surveys the surrounding area during an operation to remove insurgents from Lam village, Khakrez District, Nov. 14, 2010, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan. (Photo by: Spc. Daniel P. Shook)

​

A U.S. Army Special Forces soldier with Special Operations Task Force - South provides security overwatch during an operation to remove insurgents from Lam village, Khakrez District, Nov. 14, 2010, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan. (Photo by: Spc. Daniel P. Shook)

​

U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers with Special Operations Task Force - South scans their perimeter during an operation to remove insurgents from Lam village, Khakrez District, Nov. 14, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan.

​

A U.S. Army Special Forces soldier with Special Operations Task Force - South scans his sector during an operation to remove insurgents from Lam village, Khakrez District, Nov. 14, 2010, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan.

​

Afghan soldiers with 3rd Commando Kandak and U.S. soldiers with Special Operations Task Force - South wait for the dust to settle after exiting an MH-47 Chinook helicopter before beginning an operation to remove insurgents from Lam village, Khakrez District, Nov. 14, 2010, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan

 

[Ravage]

International Security Assistance Force Special Operations Forces soldiers provide security while a Road Maintenance Team checkpoint is being built in Tagab, Afghanistan, Nov. 26, 2010. Afghan civilians, RMT members, ISAF SOF and Afghan National Police-Provincial Response Company members all helped to build the checkpoint. (ISAF photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Joseph Swafford/released)

An International Security Assistance Force Special Operations Forces sniper is in position overlooking the Tagab Valley while a Road Maintenance Team checkpoint is being built in Tagab, Afghanistan, Nov. 26, 2010. Afghan civilians, RMT members, International Security Assistance Force Special Operations Forces and Afghan National Police-Provincial Response Company members all helped to build the checkpoint. (ISAF photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Joseph Swafford/released)

An International Security Assistance Force Special Operations Forces soldier provides security while a Road Maintenance Team checkpoint is being built in Tagab, Afghanistan, Nov. 26, 2010. Afghan civilians, RMT members, ISAF SOF and Afghan National Police-Provincial Response Company members all helped to build the checkpoint. (ISAF photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Joseph Swafford/released)

An International Security Assistance Force Special Operations Forces soldier places mortar rounds in another ISAF-SOF soldier's backpack while providing security during the building of a Road Maintenance Team checkpoint in Tagab, Afghanistan, Nov. 26, 2010. Afghan civilians, RMT members, International Security Assistance Force Special Operations Forces and Afghan National Police-Provincial Response Company members all helped to build the checkpoint. (ISAF photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Joseph Swafford/released)

An International Security Assistance Force Special Operations Forces soldier hands out notepads and pens to an Afghan boy while a Road Maintenance Team checkpoint is being built in Tagab, Afghanistan, Nov. 26, 2010. Afghan civilians, RMT members, International Security Assistance Force Special Operations Forces and Afghan National Police-Provincial Response Company members all helped to build the checkpoint. (ISAF photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Joseph Swafford/released)

International Security Assistance Force Special Operations Forces members talk while providing security while a Road Maintenance Team checkpoint is being built in Tagab, Afghanistan, Nov. 26, 2010. Afghan civilians, RMT members, ISAF SOF and Afghan National Police-Provincial Response Company members all helped to build the checkpoint. (ISAF photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Joseph Swafford/released)

 

[SkrewzLoose]

Great pictures, as always, Ravage! I especially like the Mini Gun mounted on the (I'm not sure what kind of) vehicle! Just hearing that gun fire gives me a warm feeling inside.

 

[Marauder06]

We had one of those mounted on a HMMWV my first trip to Iraq. We never got to fire it at anything meaningful though

 

[SkrewzLoose]

Nothing meaningful or nothing at all?? I guess if that mini gun starts buzzing in a fire fight, it means something has gone very wrong...and is about to go very wrong for the guy(s) it's pointed at!
There's a quote from the Popular Mechanics write up about the SOC-R that talks about the mini gun that I love, "The electrically powered rotating barrels allow for bursts of up to 6000 rounds per minute. (Shooting at that rate through a single barrel could melt the weapon.)"

 

[Marauder06]

Nothing meaningful as in nothing more than the targets at the range before we took it off the FOB. This was when Sadr was acting froggy down in Najaf, we got it working and turned it over to some people who would actually use it. I hope it did get some use because it was pretty bad ass, as long as you watched your ammo. You could burn through a basic load pretty quick if you weren't paying attention.

 

[fox1371]

I hated those mud roofs in Afghanistan. They were hit or miss as far as sturdiness was concerned. I had one pretty bad night...I thought I was walking along the I-beam that was built into the roof at about 0300 when it was my time for watch, and I guess I took a wrong step because my foot went right though and I ended up racking myself on that I-beam. In hindsight it was hilarious, especially for the guy I was relieving.

 

[TheSiatonist]

Awesome pics, Ravage.

Here are some photos from Balance Torch 2010, a joint exercise between US SF and Royal Thai Army SF

 

[TheSiatonist]

 

[TheSiatonist]

 

[Ravage]

Nifty set up, I see the Glock is gaining more and more ground with US Army SF.

 

[Ravage]

wrong thread...

 

[ÉIREGOBRÁCH1922]

Great photos.

 

[surgicalcric]

...I see the Glock is gaining more and more ground with US Army SF.

The Regiment would have had something other than the M9 long ago if SGM's and commanders were at least as focused on doing their jobs as they have been on getting promoted...but I digress.

 

[Etype]

The Regiment would have had something other than the M9 long ago if SGM's and commanders were at least as focused on doing their jobs as they have been on getting promoted...but I digress.

The least used weapon in our arsenal has to be so bulky and cumbersome... and the one weapon that, if heaven forbid you actually need to pull it, absolutely needs to work- is the one that breaks the most.

 

[Ravage]

The Regiment would have had something other than the M9 long ago if SGM's and commanders were at least as focused on doing their jobs as they have been on getting promoted...but I digress.

I understand - or at least I think I do....
Hope You are safe Big Brother.