Alex Hollings

Alex Hollings

USMC
Alex Hollings writes on a breadth of subjects with an emphasis on defense technology, foreign policy, and information warfare. He holds a master's degree in communications from Southern New Hampshire University, as well as a bachelor's degree in Corporate and Organizational Communications from Framingham State University.

SOFREP Pic of the Day: Marine Corps sniper provides security

A U.S. Marine Corps sniper with Task Force Southwest (TFSW) stands security during an advising mission with 1st Brigade, Afghan National Army (ANA) 215th Corps in support of Operation Maiwand 12 at Camp Shorserack, Afghanistan, March 10, 2018. Operation Maiwand 12 is an Afghan-led, TFSW-assisted operation with maneuver elements from the ANA 215th Corps, National […]

SOFREP Pic of the Day: An Abrams eye view

An Army M1A1 SA Abrams tank fires at a target during unit gunnery training at Fort Stewart, Ga., March 29, 2018. Soldiers assigned to the 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment conducted the training. Image courtesy of the U.S. Army See the M1 Abrams in action in the video below:

Space Legends: Was there really a mutiny aboard Skylab in 1973? Well … sort of

The International Space Station has been in orbit around our planet since 1998, providing the human race with a (semi) permanent habitable space at the front door of the great beyond. That timeline offers an interesting bit of perspective — as you come to realize that America’s latest generation of enlisted warfighters, joining the service […]

Admiral tapped to head Pacific Command warns Senate about Chinese spies stealing defense tech

Defense Secretary James Mattis has tapped Admiral Phil Davidson, a four star admiral with expertise in anti-submarine and electronic warfare, to take command of the U.S. Navy’s troubled Pacific Fleet. With what some have characterized as a “grueling” operational tempo and a rash of tragic and embarrassing incidents involving surface vessels in the Pacific over […]

Investigation into California teacher fired for calling military ‘dumb sh*ts’ reveals racial slurs, pornography and insubordination

Gregory Salcido, the California high school teacher that drew national headlines for calling U.S. military members “dumb sh*ts” and the “lowest of the low,” was terminated from his teaching position via unanimous school board decision in March. Now, the details of the board’s investigation into his behavior in the classroom have revealed a history of […]

SOFREP Pic of the Day: Training to fight fires on America’s super carriers

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Patrick Myers navigates through a smoke-filled area during a general quarters drill on the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt in the Persian Gulf, Dec. 19, 2017. The Roosevelt is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations, supporting maritime security operations to reassure allies and partners. Navy photo by […]

US, UK and Australia issue statements condemning Russia’s efforts to hack into government, private systems

On Monday, the U.S. and U.K. issued a series of joint statements warning about an ongoing Russian cyber campaign that aimed to support Russian intelligence gathering and even future offensive operations within the two nations. The hacking effort has been targeting network infrastructure devices like routers, as well as “critical infrastructure” providers and even internet […]

SOFREP Pic of the Day: Special Operations general gets in on the action

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. James Jarrard, left, commander of Special Operations Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, provides assistant gunner support to a member of the 5th Special Forces Group during counter-ISIS operations in southern Syria, Nov. 22, 2017. Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Jacob Connor See the 5th Special Forces Group in […]

Commercial airline tragedies: Here’s how to improve your chances of surviving the worst

Following Tuesday’s tragic incident involving an engine explosion on a Southwest Airlines flight that killed one woman and injured at least seven others, many find themselves questioning the oft-touted statistics about airline safety. It is true that, statistically speaking, air travel is significantly safer than driving, but accepting minimal risk is still a game of […]

US Army develops facial recognition system that works in the dark

Giving troops on the ground the ability to confirm the identity of a target offers a value that goes without saying. Positive identification, in particular, matters when taking someone into custody, or confirming a high value target has been killed, and in both instances, there’s a good chance American troops will be tasked with making […]