Off the Radar, Special Operations Training Detachment

This episode is a year in the making. We talk with the Commander of Special Operations Training Detachment. We pick his brain on the state of ARSOF, training priorities, and the future of CTCs. The National Training Center and SOTD are in the middle of a transformation and modernization effort to increase lethality and improve readiness; let's see what the leadership's take on it is.

We continue our discussion with the Civil Affairs Company leadership as we talk Realistic Military Training during the rotation and their take aways from the exercise.

In this episode of Off the Radar , we sit down with leaders from B/96th Civil Affairs Company fresh off their rotation at the National Training Center (NTC). Operating within a Large-Scale Combat Operations (LSCO) scenario, the unit faced the complex realities of supporting maneuver forces while simultaneously navigating civilian populations, governance challenges, and information dynamics in a co...

In this episode of OTR, MAJ Casey Phillips, a career SOF Logistician and past NTC Observer, Coach, and Trainer, shares his experiences from the SOF community. We explore how special operations logistics operate, balancing speed, knowledge, and flexibility. From improvised resupply in austere environments to integrating with conventional forces during large-scale operations, SOF logisticians ensure...

As the calendar turns and a new training year begins, Special Operations Training Detachment is sharpening the force for the challenges ahead. In the vast training environment at NTC, Fort Irwin, CA, innovation and fundamentals are not competing priorities — they are pillars of readiness. This episode dives into how the detachment is setting the tone for the year by strengthening ARSOF integration...

In the episode of OTR, MAJ Matt Song (Burro Team OIC) and Keegan (Special Forces Field Team OIC) join us as we discuss some recent rotational unit rends and the current state of SOF at the National Training Center (NTC).

We continue our discussion in part two with MAJ Weston Rich as he gives his opinions on ARSOF in LSCO at NTC and his final takeaways from his time at SOTD-West.

In this episode, we chat with MAJ Weston Rich, a former Burro alumni and creator of the OTR podcast. He shares his perspective of where SOF and CTCs are and how he envisions the future. We also talk about the genesis of OTR and how it has evolved to what it is now.

This is the follow up from our initial discussion with the Goldminer Command Team. Here we continue discussing ARSOF CFI3 (Integration, Interoperability, and Interdependence) while also getting unique insight on the challenges that a CSSB and BSB face here at NTC. Goldminer 07 and 40 discuss the opportunities for future collaboration between ARSOF and Logisticians at NTC and how that relationship...

This is part one of a two part discussion with Goldminer 07 and 40, the lead Logistician Trainers at NTC. Both LTC Eric Shockley and CSM Krista Peterson are career logisticians with a vast amount of knowledge and experience at both NTC and Army sustainment operations. In this episode of Off the Radar , we dive into the unique role Army logisticians play in supporting Special Operations Forces (SOF...

This is part two of a two-part episode focused on Special Operations Force Integration Interoperability and Interdependence, lessons learn at the Detachment and Company level, educating the National Training Center Operations Group on SOF capabilities and SOF’s role in Large Scale Combat Operations. SOF units, chiefly Special Forces Companies (Advanced Operating Base or AOB) conducted numerous rot...

This is part one of a two-part episode focused on Special Operations Force Integration Interoperability and Interdependence, lessons learn at the Detachment and Company level, educating the National Training Center Operations Group on SOF capabilities and SOF’s role in Large Scale Combat Operations. SOF units, chiefly Special Forces Companies (Advanced Operating Base or AOB) conducted numerous rot...

This is part two of a two-part episode focused on Special Operations Psychology Operations executing Combat Training Center rotations specially the National Training Center. SOF PSYOP’s role in Large Scale Combat Operations, executing multiple domain operations and integrating with ARSOF and conventional forces. SOF PSYOP executing information operations ins training environment. . About the Guest...

This is part one of a two-part episode focused on Special Operations Psychology Operations executing Combat Training Center rotations specially the National Training Center. SOF PSYOP’s role in Large Scale Combat Operations, executing multiple domain operations and integrating with ARSOF and conventional forces. SOF PSYOP executing information operations ins training environment. . About the Guest...

This is part two of an episode focused on rotation 25-06 at the National Training Center where 7th SFG (A) sent 3 SF Soldiers to serve as the Special Operation Forces Liaison Element (SOFLE). This was not a typical rotation but still enabled Special Operation Forces – Conventional Forces Integration Interoperability and Interdependence. SOF builds mass and produces outsized effects from it’s forma...

This is part one of an episode focused on rotation 25-06 at the National Training Center where 7th SFG (A) sent 3 SF Soldiers to serve as the Special Operation Forces Liaison Element (SOFLE). This was not a typical rotation but still enabled Special Operation Forces – Conventional Forces Integration Interoperability and Interdependence. SOF builds mass and produces outsized effects from it’s forma...

This is part 2 of a 2-part of the collaboration with Pineland Underground podcast where MAJ Maicke and SFC Coach interview MAJ Ficken, CPT Rich, and SFC Wade of Burro Team, the SOF Observer Coach Trainer team at the National Training Center. This interview focused on training combat ready and lethal Special Operations Forces highlighting the value of training at a Combat Training Center through le...

This is part 1 of a 2-part of the collaboration with Pineland Underground podcast where MAJ Maicke and SFC Coach interview MAJ Ficken, CPT Rich, and SFC Wade of Burro Team, the SOF Observer Coach Trainer team at the National Training Center. This interview focused on training combat ready and lethal Special Operations Forces highlighting the value of training at a Combat Training Center through le...

This is part 2 of a 2-part of the collaboration with WarDocs podcast where MSgt (R) Steve Cum and COL (R) Doug Soderdahl interview SFC Mondrian Bogert. This interview focuses on Special Operations Medical training, specifically Special Forces, at the Combined Training Centers: The National Training Center (NTC) and Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC). Combat medicine saves lives and requires no...

This is part 1 of a 2-part of the collaboration with WarDocs podcast where MSgt (R) Steve Cum and COL (R) Doug Soderdahl interview SFC Mondrian Bogert. This interview focuses on Special Operations Medical training, specifically Special Forces, at the Combined Training Centers: The National Training Center (NTC) and Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC). Combat medicine saves lives and requires no...

This is part 2 of a 2-part interview focused on the Targeting Process and Joint Fires. Targeting is not only a means for putting indirect fire or air support onto a specific target at a specific time. Targeting is a holistic approach to bring effects at the right time and place to achieve a desired outcome. This includes lethal and non-lethal as well as kinetic and non-kinetic means to effect the...

This is part 1 of a 2-part interview focused on the Targeting Process and Joint Fires. Targeting is not only a means for putting indirect fire or air support onto a specific target at a specific time. Targeting is a holistic approach to bring effects at the right time and place to achieve a desired outcome. This includes lethal and non-lethal as well as kinetic and non-kinetic means to effect the...

This is part 2 of a 2-part interview focused on Fighting Products that are useful and essential to the planning and execution of Multi-Domian Large Scale Combat Operations with the Joint and Combined Force. A fighting product is a visual product that doctrine desires created by a staff to enable the commander to visualize the battlefield, understand the operational environment, and synchronize act...

This is part 1 of a 2-part interview focused on Fighting Products that are useful and essential to the planning and execution of Multi-Domian Large Scale Combat Operations with the Joint and Combined Force. A fighting product is a visual product that doctrine desires created by a staff to enable the commander to visualize the battlefield, understand the operational environment, and synchronize act...

This is part 2 of our 2-part conversation focused on communications, mission command, digital force protection, and SOF tactical cyber and space operation. During rotations at the National Training Center (NTC) and Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) the Special Operations training units must efficiently and effectively communication within their own formations, across to conventional, host nat...