The freedoms Americans enjoy are protected by men and women willing to do extraordinarily hard things in extraordinarily dangerous places. SOAA met with Members of Congress to discuss key issues facing the Special Operations community so lawmakers understand the realities behind the decisions they make. Thank you to reps @PatHarriganNC, @EliCrane_CEO, @RepMcCaul, @MLuttrellTX, @JimmyPanetta, and @repdarrellissa soaa.org/members-of-congress…

In special operations, autonomy is earned through preparation, judgment, and accountability. The freedom to think for yourself only matters when you can be trusted to make sound decisions under pressure. Former Acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller reflects on what drew him from the infantry toward Special Forces: the opportunity to take greater responsibility and test his limits. The distinction is not simply how much structure a unit has. It is how well people can think and act within the mission when the situation changes.

Task Force 20’s first two rehearsals ended with every participating F-14 and attack helicopter assessed as lost. Four veterans share how they brought naval aviation and SOF together for the opening missions in Iraq. soaa.org/task-force-20-iraq/

A coalition is only as effective as its ability to act together when the mission gets complex. Interoperability means more than sharing a training area. It means building the shared procedures and trust to connect each force’s capabilities from insertion through extraction. During PANAMAX 2026, U.S. Army Special Forces and partner forces from Panama, Peru, and Ecuador conduct a simulated mission to capture a time-sensitive target. That coordination is built before a crisis. Exercises like this give regional partners the experience to respond together and strengthen security across the waterways they share. U.S. Army video by Sgt. Rachel Hall.

National Day of the Deployed is a moment to recognize those serving far from home and make sure their service and the people supporting them are seen. In 2006, North Dakota established the Day of the Deployed after Shelle Michaels Aberle asked the governor to honor her cousin, Army Maj. David Hosna, who was serving in Iraq. Today, the observance recognizes service members deployed around the world and the families and loved ones who support them from home. To those deployed and those standing behind them: your service and support matter, and you are seen.

Earning a place in the 160th SOAR starts with proving you can get the fundamentals right. Former U.S. Army Special Operations aviator, and current SOAA President Jack Barry reflects on joining the unit, highlighting the emphasis on nighttime flying and assessing candidates’ ability to navigate an aircraft using a map and compass. Advanced missions demand sound judgment built on a foundation of practiced skills. The basics remain essential because the conditions only get more demanding.

Supporting service members means staying invested in their lives while they serve, through transition, and beyond. That commitment is what makes a partnership meaningful. The CEO of HOP Munitions explains why the company partnered with SOAA: a shared belief that taking care of the military community requires sustained support across every stage of service and veteran life.

A team’s strength comes from recognizing what each person brings to the mission. SOAA's Director of Strategic Partnerships Ryan Ziegler, reflects on a female combat camera operator who became an integral part of his team, strengthening morale and documenting moments that would become part of its history.

Former CIA Chief Operating Officer Maura Burns is bringing her experience and commitment to national security to SOAA’s Board of Advisors. Her 37 years at CIA spanned weapons analysis, leadership, and recruiting national security talent. soaa.org/maura-burns-cia/

A drive to do something difficult becomes more meaningful when it serves a purpose beyond yourself. Jack Barry, former U.S. Army Special Operations aviator, reflects on how special operations gave him a place to channel that drive through challenge, structure, and service. The experiences pushed him, but the friendships and shared memories became irreplaceable. The challenge may draw people in. The people beside them are often what they carry with them long after.

A rescue mission is only as strong as the network behind it. The aircraft, crews, and recovery specialists must be able to adapt as the situation changes and connect their capabilities without losing time. Here, Air Force Pararescuemen move from an HH-60G Pave Hawk to an HC-130J Combat King II before jumping. The sequence points to a larger lesson for special operations: readiness depends on having multiple ways to reach, support, and recover people in difficult conditions. That flexibility is built through training and investment across the whole force, including the crews and platforms that make recovery possible. U.S. Air Force photos by Tech. Sgt. Daniel Asselta

Experience gives you a foundation to build on. Staying willing to learn is what keeps you effective as the challenges change. SOAA’s team member, Nate, shares a reminder to keep asking questions, seek out different perspectives, and stay open to a better way of doing things. No matter how much you know, there is always more to learn.

Following the money can expose the networks that keep our adversaries operating. Alex Zerden explains why counter-threat finance matters to irregular warfare and protecting U.S. forces and partners. soaa.org/counter-threat-fina…

Many of the skills associated with special operations are also practiced across conventional forces. Fast-rope insertion is one example, giving teams a way to get on the ground when an aircraft cannot land. Here, Marines with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit conduct Fast Rope Masters Sustainment Training in Okinawa, maintaining insertion proficiency and the expertise needed to supervise it. A technique alone does not define special operations. How teams combine their skills, apply them to a mission, and work alongside the broader force is what gives those capabilities their value. U.S. Marine Corps video by Cpl. Diego Garcia.

“Grit” can sound like simply pushing harder. In special operations, it also means staying with a problem long enough to understand what has changed and find a workable answer. SOAA team member Austin Higgins reflects on a community where experience matters, but no two problems, environments, or teams are exactly alike. The first solution may not hold. The ability to adapt, reassess, and keep working toward the objective is what carries the team forward.

Physical strength matters in Special Operations and what you do when strength alone isn’t enough matters even more. Rep. Crane breaks down the qualities that help people succeed.

Maritime security depends on more than ships and aircraft. It also requires teams that can move from the sea to a vessel, secure the space, and understand what is happening aboard it. Recon Marines with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit train in visit, board, search, and seizure operations aboard USS Miguel Keith in the Philippine Sea. These small-unit skills contribute to a larger maritime picture, where access, information, and coordination all shape how forces respond. U.S. Marine Corps video by Cpl. Angel Diaz Montes De Oca.

Advanced capability starts with mastering the fundamentals. Before adding darkness and limited visibility, teams need to build consistency in conditions where they can identify mistakes and refine their technique. Green Berets from 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) train alongside NATO special operations forces during the International Special Training Centre’s night sniper course in Grafenwoehr, Germany. This daytime footage captures part of the work behind that capability. Crawl, walk, run applies even at the highest levels. The point of progressively harder training is to make sure the fundamentals hold when the conditions stop being forgiving. U.S. Army National Guard video by Sgt. David Thomson.

27 years of service and 19 deployments later, Green Beret Rob Kinard makes mead on a North Carolina mountain and gives back to the groups that helped save his life. soaa.org/rob-kinard-good-tim…

The conditions leading up to selection are rarely ideal. Rep. Harrigan describes arriving after a deployment to Afghanistan and preparing in Fairbanks, Alaska, where temperatures around forty below made outdoor training difficult for months. By his own account, he showed up short of his best physical condition. Selection was brutal, and his commitment to keep going carried him through.