Smw

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Vandenberg Air Force Base State: California(CA) Country: United States Of America(USA) Scene Camera Operator: SSGT Scott P. Stewart Release Stat More

President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda, presented three members of the NATO Special Operations Component Command-Afghanistan with the Polish Afghanistan Star medal for service alongside Polish forces More

An aerial view of Kabul from an Mi-17 helicopter, during a training mission for the Afghan National Security Forces' Special Mission Wing, Feb. 5. (Photo by MC3 (SW/IDW) Sean Weir.)

Afghan National Army commandos with the 6th Special Operations Kandak (SOK), fly in a Special Mission Wing MI-17 while conducting air assault operations training in Kabul district, Kabul province, Afghanistan, More

KABUL, Afghanistan (May 8, 2018) – Slovakia's Special Forces-Special Operations Advisory Team (SOAT) hosted a shooting competition open to all NATO forces to commemorate Victory in Europe Day at Camp Morehead, More

KABUL, Afghanistan (September 3, 2018) – An Afghan National Army Special Operations Command’s School of Excellence instructor addresses new recruits on day one of Commando Qualification Course 26 assessment. In More

KABUL, Afghanistan (15, 2018) -- Afghan National Army Lt. Gen. Bismallah Wazirim Afghan National Army Special Operations Command commander addresses new Commando recruits during an Opening Ceremony which signal More

KABUL, Afghanistan (August 2, 2018) -- An Afghan National Army Special Operations Command (ANASOC) Commando and School Of Excellence instructor observes a Commando recruit complete individual movement training More

KABUL, Afghanistan (August 14, 2018) -- Afghan National Army Special Operations Command (ANASOC) School of Excellence (SOE) commandant, Afghan Army Col. Ahmad Zekrya visits Commando Qualification Course class 2 More

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Lt. Gen Bismillah Waziri, ANASOC Commander, and Afghanistan Minister of Defense, Lt. Gen. Tariq Shah Bahrami, inspect the troops at the start of Commando Qualification Course 25 graduation More

KABUL, Afghanistan (Sept. 14, 2018) -- Afghan Commandos assigned to a Mobile Strike Kandak (MSK) conduct both mounted and dismounted movements towards a training objective during the Cobra Strike Maneuver Cours More

KABUL, Afghanistan (Sept. 14 2018) -- An Afghan officer assigned to a Mobile Strike Kandak (Battalion) briefs his attack and maneuver plans to Cpt. Mike, a Latvian mentor with ANASOC CSMC-SOAT during the Cobra More

KABUL, Afghanistan -- A member of the Polish Special Operations Advisory Team (SOAT) fires at three targets in a simulated room clearing scenario before moving to his next target during a Slovakian-hosted shoot More

KABUL, Afghanistan -- A Spanish ANASOC-SOAT mentor listens to a Commando sniper student guide his classmates through scope adjustment procedures during a two-week sniper specialty refresher course near Kabul, A More

KABUL, Afghanistan -- A Slovak SOAT Commando Qualification Course mentor observes a Commando instructor as he guides a recruit through the M4 carbine rifle malfunction clearing process during near Kabul, Afghan More

A Commando provides overwatch for his teammates during an offensive operation in Deh Bala district, Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, Jun. 1, 2018. The largest contingent of Afghan Commandos ever assembled for a More

Afghan Special Security Forces captured Omer Gul, a Haqqani attack facilitator, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Mar. 10, 2018. Following Gul arrest, the ASSF detained 13 additional suspected Haqqani fighters in possessi More

Commandos from the 9th Special Operations Kandak eliminated 36 Taliban fighters assaulting the Anar Dara District Center, Farah province, Afghanistan, Mar. 12, 2018. Within one week of the Kabul Peace Conferenc More

Crisis Response Unit 222 operators prepare to enter a building during a joint time-sensitive target exercise with 777 Special Mission Wing at Kabul Military Training Center, Kabul, Afghanistan, Feb. 3, 2018. Th More

Afghan aircraft technicians with the 2nd Squadron, 777th Special Mission Wing conduct scheduled maintenance on the anti-torque directional control system of an Mi-17 helicopter in Mazar e Sharif, Afghanistan, F More

“You have chosen an honorable career,” said Maj. Gen. Bismillah Waziri, Afghan National Army Special Operations Command Commander, to 130 special operations officers and enlisted soldiers during a graduation ce More

Commandos from the 6th Special Operations Kandak demonstrate the enhanced firepower and mobility capabilities coming to the Afghan National Army Special Operations Command during training in Kabul, Afghanistan, More

Special operators of the Afghan National Mission Brigade conduct day and night platoon live fires during a training exercise at the Kabul Military Training Complex, Kabul, Afghanistan, Feb. 12, 2018. The Afghan More

Afghan Soldiers attending the Afghan National Army Special Operation Command’s Commando Qualification Course Class 22 conduct mobile patrolling training at the ANASOC School of Excellence near Kabul, Afghanista More

Afghan National Mission Brigade special operators conducted a series of nighttime offensive operations exercises in Balkh province, Afghanistan, Feb. 19, 2018. The Afghan Special Security Forces continue to tar More

Afghan National Army Commando Qualification Course Class 22 soldiers conduct squad-level training during week 10 at the ANASOC School of Excellence near Kabul, Afghanistan, Feb. 19, 2018. Squad attack training More

Future Afghan Commandos conduct Close Quarter Battle training during week 10 of Commando Qualification Course Class 22 at the ANASOC School of Excellence near Kabul, Afghanistan, Feb. 21, 2018. Close Quarter Ba More

Afghan special operators that complete the six-week Noncommissioned Officers' Team Leader Course receive a green tab signifying completion of the course during a ceremony at the Afghan National Army Special Ope More

Afghan Special Mission Wing Mi-17 helicopters sit on the flight line in Kabul. The SMW hosted a conference with senior intelligence officials from the defense and interior ministries, as well as National Direct More

A micro-hydropower plant provides approximately 200 families in Nangarhar province's Pekha Valley access to shared electricity and an efficient water supply essential to the economic recovery of the agrarian-ba More

Maj. Gen. Jason Evans and Command Sgt. Maj. Wardell Jefferson, U.S. Army Human Resources Command, greet Afghan Special Mission Wing leaders during an engagement in Kabul, Afghanistan, Mar. 10, 2018. The Army HR More

Afghan Special Mission Wing Avionics Technicians conduct PC-12 diagnostic tests prior to a flight mission in Kabul, Afghanistan, Mar. 17, 2018. The PC-12 provides long-range day and night intelligence, surveill More

828 Afghan National Army soldiers earned the title of Commando upon graduation from the 22nd Commando Qualification Course at the ANA Special Operations Command School of Excellence at Camp Commando, near Kabul More

Afghan Special Security Forces operators prepare to enter an ISIS-K compound in Darzab district, Jowzjan province, Afghanistan, Mar. 21, 2018. ASSF and U.S. Special Operators killed four ISIS-K operatives durin More

Afghan and U.S. Special Operation Forces captured a stockpile of ISIS-K propaganda products during a Mar. 21 nighttime raid into the heart of ISIS-K in Darzab district, Jowzjan province, northern Afghanistan. T More

A U.S. airstrike destroyed an ISIS-K headquarters killing Abdullah Khorasani and seven ISIS-K fighters, in Deh Bala district, Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, Mar. 22, 2018. Khorasani played a role in directing More

Special Mission Wing's Green Platoon demonstrated their first aid skills during a casualty evaluation and evacuation exercise conducted in Kabul, Afghanistan, Mar. 24, 2018. Green Platoon is an eight-week airc More

An Afghan Special Security Forces operator prepares his equipment for battle prior to a partnered nighttime raid with U.S. SOF in the isolated village of Mughul, Darzab district, Jowzjan province, Afghanistan, More

Lt. Gen Bismillah Waziri, Commander of the Special Operations Corps, answers questions from callers about Commando readiness in his first live radio talk show since his promotion by Ashraf Ghani, President of t More

Branded as the “Heroes of Afghanistan”, the Afghan National Army Special Operations Command visited young adults in at vocational school and provided more than 4,000 essential clothing items to children in Rhis More

An Afghan National Army Special Operations Corps Commando assigned to the 6th Mobile Strike Kandak receives recognition as the Medical Specialty Training course honor graduate by the commander and the staff of More

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Leonard, an Infantryman with HHC, 1-87th IN, 10th MTN DIV instructs Spc. Rosa I. Mendez, a Utility Equipment Repair Specialist, on pistol marksmanship during the Schützenschnur c More

Members of the Louisiana National Guard's 1020th Engineer Company construct ammo holding areas March 30, 2018 at Mazar-i-Sharif in Balkh province, Afghanistan. Ammo holding areas are built to properly store an More

Afghan Special Mission Wing training pilots initiate start-up procedures for their helicopter simulator at the SMW training center in Kabul, Afghanistan, Apr. 1, 2018. The pilots are members of the SMW “Green P More

Afghan National Army Special Operations Corps Commandos adjust the sight of a 60-mm mortar weapon system during the second week of the Mortar Specialty Course at the ANASOC School of Excellence at Camp Commando More

Female operators assigned to the Afghan General Command of Police Special Units conduct pistol marksmanship training during the first Female Foundation Course in Kabul, Afghanistan, Apr. 4, 2018. Similar to the More

A U.S. airstrike killed Qari Hikmatullah and his bodyguard in Bal Chiragh district, Faryab province, Afghanistan, Apr. 5, 2018. At the time of his death, Hikmatullah was the senior ISIS-K commander and the main More

The first female police officers to attend the General Commando of Special Police Units’ Female Foundation Course listen to remarks during their graduation ceremony at the Special Police Training Center, Camp W More

The first Afghan female operators from the General Command of Police Special Units conducted Fast Rope Insertion and Extraction System (FRIES) training with the 777th Special Mission Wing and the Crisis Respons More

Afghanistan’s 777th Special Mission Wing (SMW) and the Crisis Response Unit 222 conducted Fast Rope Insertion and Extraction System (FRIES) training at a landing zone near Kabul, Afghanistan, Apr. 9, 2018. FRIE More

Afghan soldiers train at the The Afghan National Army Special Operations Command’s School of Excellence in Afghanistan April 10, 2018. The school is responsible for the assessment and training of Afghan special More

A wounded Afghan Commando is honored and recognized by senior Ministry of Defense officials at Afghan National Army Special Operations Command (ANASOC) Headquarters, Kabul, Apr. 17, 2018. During the visit, the More

10th SOK Commandos targeted a known Taliban staging area during offensive operations in Kunduz province, Afghanistan, Apr. 21-25, 2018. Special Operators targeted areas of Khanabad district, resulting in 54 Tal More

An Afghan Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) calibrates a Mi-17 helicopter fuel gauge using state-of-the- art equipment at the Special Mission Wing’s Avionics Lab Mazar-e Sharif on Apr. 22, 2018. Since its creation More

Afghan and U.S. SOF conducted a night-time raid targeting a terrorist cell, in Pul-e Alam district, Logar province, Apr. 22, 2018. The cell plans, facilitates, and carries out attacks in the Kabul area. The rai More

A Special Mission Wing flight instructor, assigned to the 2nd Squadron, coaches a crew chief candidate on distance and direction to the landing zone in a Mi-17 helicopter at Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan, Apr. 25 More

Six hundred nineteen Afghan National Army Special Operations warfighters completed the 23nd Commando Qualification Course at Camp Commando, near Kabul, Afghanistan, April 25, 2018. During the graduation ceremon More

Afghan 2nd Special Operations Kandak Commandos conducted a ground assault force in Paktiya province, Afghanistan, Apr. 26-27, 2018. The operation resulted in four Taliban killed and three IEDs. The teams succes More

Commando's training to become Afghanistan's newest Special Operations unit, the 6th Cobra Strike Kandak, prepare for their final test, a live fire exercise near Kabul, Afghanistan, Apr. 28, 2018. The 6th CSK is More

Commandos training to become Afghanistan's newest Special Operations unit, the 6th Cobra Strike Kandak, prepare for their final test, a live fire exercise near Kabul, Afghanistan, Apr. 29, 2018. The 6th CSK is More

A Commando training as part of Afghanistan's newest Special Operations unit, the 6th Cobra Strike Kandak, proudly holds the Afghan flag after a live fire exercise near Kabul, Afghanistan, Apr. 30, 2018. The 6th More

Lt. Col. Qayoom Nooristani, (left) Afghan National Army Special Operations Command spokesperson answered questions from the public regarding Special Forces operations during a live radio talk show, Kabul, Afgha More

An Afghan Air Force MD-530F pilot waves to Afghan National Army (ANA) Commandos taking part in mobility training to become Afghanistan's newest Special Operations unit near Kabul, Afghanistan, Apr. 30, 2018. Th More

An Afghan Air Force MD-530F pilot waves to Commando's training to become Afghanistan's newest Special Operations unit near Kabul, Afghanistan, Apr. 30, 2018. The 6th Cobra Strike Kandak is the first of 7 Cobra More

KABUL, Afghanistan (May 4, 2018) -- A future Afghan National Army (ANA) Commando applies recently acquired Harris tactical radio programming skills, while at the front of the classroom, another student is teste More

WARDAK PROVINCE, Afghanistan (May 5, 2018) – An ANASOC School of Excellence instructor guides future Commandos on the principles of emergency medical first response, May 5, 2018. “Before recruits complete my co More

An Afghan National Army Special Operations Commando in training pulls security during a training exercise at Camp Commando, Kabul, Afghanistan, May 6, 2018. During the training, recruits are taught the five pri More

KABUL, Afghanistan (May 9, 2018) -- Afghanistan’s newest Commandos don their distinctive maroon berets upon completion of their graduation ceremony at Camp Commando, Kabul, Afghanistan, May 9, 2018. The additio More

MOHMAND DARAH DISTRICT, Afghanistan (May 9, 2018) -- Afghan and U.S. Special Operations Forces prepare to board helicopters to conduct a nighttime raid that eliminated senior ISIS-K facilitator Yasir in Mohmand More

KABUL, Afghanistan (May 14, 2018) - The Special Mission Wing's Green Platoon graduated its newest pilots at a ceremony in Kabul, Afghanistan, May 14, 2018. The eight-week aircrew synchronization course emphasiz More

FARAH CITY, Afghanistan (May 15, 2018) -- Commandos from the 4th and 9th Special Operations Kandaks prepare to patrol Farah city streets after a failed Taliban assault on Farah, Afghanistan, May 15, 2018. In th More

LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan (May 17, 2018) – An Afghan from the National Mine Recovery Group and U.S. Special Operations Forces Soldiers check an underground tunnel used to transport improvised explosive device More

FARAH PROVINCE, Afghanistan (May 21, 2018) -- An Afghan Commando guards the perimeter of a compound in Pesaw village, Bala Balouk district, Farah province, Afghanistan, May 21, 2018. Afghan Special Security For More

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan (May 22, 2018) – Commandos from the 7th Special Operations Kandak, advised by U.S. Special Operations Forces, rescued 15 Afghans from a Taliban prison during a nighttime helicopter More

WERERK VILLAGE, Afghanistan (May 24, 2018) -- Afghan commandos from 8th Special Operations Kandak load on to a CH-47 helicopter before an operation to find Taliban leadership, Werserk Village, Sayyidabad Distri More

An Afghan Commando sweeps the road looking for mines in Bala Boluk district, Farah province, Afghanistan, May 24, 2018. Commandos from 4th and 9th Special Operation Kandaks conducted a nighttime raid into Tudan More

KABUL, Afghanistan (May 24, 2018) -- Spanish Special Forces soldiers, assigned to Special Operations Advisory Team (SOAT) with the Afghan National Army Special Operations Command ‘s School of Excellence conduct More

KABUL, Afghanistan (May 24, 2018) -- Master Sgt. Dusan, a Slovak Senior Enlisted Advisor and School of Excellence (SOE) Commando Qualification Course mentor receives his End of Tour award during a ceremony held More

GARMSIR DISTRICT, Afghanistan (May 31, 2018) -- A U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook awaits cargo at a landing zone near Garmsir district, Afghanistan, May 31, 2018. The Chinooks enable resupply of needed goods to austere More

A NATO Special Operations Component Command - Afghanistan (NSOCC-A) soldier rings the bell in remembrance of one of the 11 special operations members honored during a Memorial Day Ceremony at Bagram, Afghanista More

A Commando from the 7th Special Operations Kandak cut the chains from a prisoner’s foot after liberating more than 100 prisoners during two prison raids in Kajaki, Helmand province, Afghanistan, May 30, 2018. T More

KABUL, Afghanistan (June 2, 2018) – An Afghan Commando sniper instructor verifies a student’s calculations before the order to fire is given during sniper training, near Kabul, Afghanistan, June 2, 2018. “For a More

KABUL, Afghanistan (June 7, 2018) -- U.S. Navy Logistics Specialist First Class Mark Coleman, Combined Security Training Command-Afghanistan (CSTC-A) reads off the serial number of a Night Vision Devices assign More

KABUL, Afghanistan (June 10,2018) -- Lt. Gen Bismillah Waziri, Commander, Afghan National Army Special Operations Command salutes a Commando during a ceremony honoring their bravery near Kabul, Afghanistan, Jun More

U.S. Army soldiers keep a watchful eye on the valley from an Observation Post in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan. Afghan and U.S. Special Forces teams conducted a month-long operation in June 2018 to deny ISIS- More

KABUL, Afghanistan (June 22, 2018) -- Leading Seaman Medic Vincent Malone, Royal Australian Navy, pours faux blood onto a simulated wound during a Tactical Combat Casualty Care field exercise in Kabul, Afghanis More

KABUL, Afghanistan (June 21, 2018) -- Yoga students deployed to Afghanistan in support of Resolute Support and stationed at Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA), Kabul strike yoga poses spelling out HKIA Y More

Col Mohammad Dawood Sakhi, Afghan Air Force helicopter pilot and 777 Special Mission Wing Operations Officer answered questions from the public regarding SMW operations during a live radio talk show, Kabul, Afg More

MOHAMMAD AGHA DISTRICT, Afghanistan (July 1, 2018) -- An Afghan Special Security Forces member searches for IEDs during operations against Taliban irreconcilables in Mohammad Agha district, Logar province, Afgh More

BALKH, Afghanistan (July 7, 2018) -- An Afghan Special Security Forces member pulls security watch during offensive operations against Taliban irreconcilables in Chimtal district, Balkh province, Afghanistan, J More

KANDAHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan (July 10, 2018) -- An Afghan Territorial Force 444 member, part of the General Command of Police Special Units (GCPSU), looks for static targets during an air-to-ground integratio More

KABUL, Afghanistan (July 10, 2018) -- A Female Tactical Platoon member maintains perimeter security during a capability exercise called a CAPEX, near Kabul, Afghanistan, July 10, 2018. The Female Tactical Plato More

HELMAND, Afghanistan - (July 15, 2018) Commandos from the 7th Special Operations Kandak conduct scenario training prior to a night raid on a Taliban prison in Helmand province, Afghanistan, July 15, 2018. 58 Af More

KABUL, Afghanistan (July 16, 2018) -- Commandos plot grid coordinates in a classroom setting before moving to a simulated real-world environment to put those skills into practice near Kabul, Afghanistan, July 1 More

KABUL, Afghanistan (July 18, 2018) A Special Police recruit rappels down a building at the Special Police Training Center, near Kabul, Afghanistan, July 18, 2018. The Special Police Advanced Training Wing in Ma More

KABUL, Afghanistan (July 18, 2018) -- A Resolute Support advisor from Italy assists a police recruit with his fast-roping harness during police training at the Special Police Training Center, near Kabul, Afghan More

KABUL, Afghanistan (July 19, 2018) -- Spanish Army Maj. Gen. Jaime Iñiguez, Spanish Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) commander, takes a moment to meet with members of the Spanish Special Forces advising More

NANGARHAR, Afghanistan (July 22, 2018) – An Afghan Special Security Forces member pauses during a patrol after conducting a raid that killed Mullah Nasim Mushfaq, Taliban shadow governor of Kapisa, and Qari Ehs More

An Afghan Special Operation Commando proudly displays his patch at a base in Logar province, Afghanistan, Jul. 26, 2018. Commandos are an elite specialized light infantry unit. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sg More

PARWAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan (July 26, 2018) -- Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division participated in training and mission rehearsals alongside Afghan Commandos and U.S. Spe More