Frumentarius

Frumentarius

Frumentarius is a former Navy SEAL and a former Clandestine Service officer with the Central Intelligence Agency's Counter-Terrorism Center. He has a Bachelor's degree in International Politics and a Master's in History. He is currently a professional firefighter. Follow him on Twitter @SOFFru1

The CIA is about to drop the hammer on the Taliban

According to a report on October 22nd in the New York Times, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is set to accelerate its operations against the Taliban in Afghanistan, breaking with its approach over the last 15-plus years of primarily directing the bulk of its efforts in targeting al-Qaeda, its leadership, and only the senior-most Taliban […]

Op-Ed: Put the brakes on turning Niger into another Benghazi

This is a preemptive call to the media and Democrats — a plea — to not try to turn this month’s Special Forces operation in Niger into another Benghazi-style controversy.  What happened to the fallen Special Forces men in Africa is not comparable to what happened in Benghazi.  Nor should what happened in the course […]

On this day–October 8th: The Department of Homeland Security is created

Less than one month after the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, President George W. Bush created the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and in that one decision, enacted the most sweeping rearrangement of the federal bureaucracy seen since the creation of the CIA, the National Security Council and the modern-day Department of Defense back […]

Navy SEAL officer killed in recreational parachuting accident

According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, Navy SEAL Commander Seth A. Stone died in a recreational parachuting accident in Perris, California, on Saturday, September 30, 2017, when his parachute failed to open.  The accident occurred while Stone was off duty.  Stone, originally from Texas, graduated with Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training Class 241 on November […]

1/3 of all Americans have a sexually transmitted disease

If you are an American who is cautious, fortunate, or celibate enough to have avoided contracting yourself a sexually transmitted disease, do me a favor and play this little game.  Go round-up two of your friends.  Now stand between them, three abreast.  Look to your left and look to your right.  Chances are one of […]

U.S. Navy Beach Jumpers: Masters of naval special warfare deception operations

The following is a guest post authored by Matt F., who is from the greater Boston area. Matt has a B.S. in Criminal Justice, and has a passion for history and all things awesome. To read more you can find him on WordPress. Follow him on Twitter @TheAlbumWeb. Fru did some light editing and made some minor contributions. […]

Former Navy SEAL reviews new CBS drama ‘SEAL Team’

Imagine that you are a television executive, and you want people to watch your new primetime show about a “tier one” Navy SEAL element.  You order the usual publicizing, send the actors out to appear on morning and late night television shows, advertise in the appropriate newspapers and magazines, and air the necessary commercials to […]

New hybrid speedboat/submarine, intended for maritime SOF, begins underwater trials

According to a report from IHS Jane’s Navy International, a new maritime platform intended for special operations forces (SOF), and designed and built by SubSea Craft, has begun undersea trials as of mid-September 2017.  The Diver Delivery Unit (DDU) was displayed at the Defense and Security Equipment International (DSEI) exhibition in London, UK, from September […]

The 50 best albums of the century… So far

So, this article is slightly outside of the SOFREP wheelhouse, but nevertheless, here it is.  Your intrepid author is getting a jump on the competition with this one, as we can fully expect in two years’ time to see various lists come out, laying out the “best albums of the 2010’s” or the “best of […]

Retired Navy SEAL: War is sadly becoming a family business

In a September 8, 2017 op-ed in the San Diego Union-Tribune, retired Navy SEAL Lieutenant Commander Ed Hiner wrote about the American military becoming a “family business” — and he is right, sadly. Hiner’s point, citing data available on who serves in our all-volunteer military, is that fewer and fewer American families are shouldering the […]

North Korea claims to have detonated Hydrogen bomb, risk of war rises

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK, North Korea) tested a nuclear weapon on Sunday, September 3rd, which was its sixth test, according to the New York Times and the first time the country’s claim to have tested a Hydrogen (thermonuclear) bomb might actually be true.  While some analysts doubt the truth of this last […]