SOAA - Special Operations Association of America

We advocate for all past, present, and future members of the Special Operations community and their families. Join us!

[SOAA - Special Operations Association of America @SOAAorg]

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

https://t.co/5DCP1enIZc

[SOAA - Special Operations Association of America @SOAAorg]

Jeremy Thompson, SOAA's Executive Director, joined the Special Operations community almost by accident. His only requirement was that he wanted to be airborne and then ended up in the 20th Special Forces Group as an intelligence analyst.

[SOAA - Special Operations Association of America @SOAAorg]

VA study: 215 veterans with treatment-resistant depression. Nearly half saw meaningful drops in depression scores in six weeks. A quarter had scores drop by half. 15% in remission. This was thanks to ketamine. Not theoretical. Real results. Real veterans.
https://t.co/Bm0x3FDe7C

[SOAA - Special Operations Association of America @SOAAorg]

New SOCOM study: SOF personnel face 18% higher cancer risk than conventional forces across 231,000 service members. The silver lining is a 40% lower mortality rate, but more research is needed to understand exposure impacts and prevention strategies.
https://t.co/lwvFxepRb1

[SOAA - Special Operations Association of America @SOAAorg]

Women on Cultural Support Teams brought operational capabilities to SOF that male operators could not. They accessed populations unreached for a decade. They revealed threats that teams missed. They gathered intelligence that changed missions. They operated under fire with the same risks as their male teammates. Coming home, they fought to prove their service counted. The Jax Act exists to correct that gap.
https://t.co/vZC3HJGvOr

[SOAA - Special Operations Association of America @SOAAorg]

Heidi Rippy spent 10 years earning her place in special operations. Deployed to the Maldives and Sri Lanka as a lead medical trainer. Made rank. Then came the hardest battle: transition. Pandemic, divorce, depression, suicidal ideation. Thumb hovering over the Veterans Crisis Line in a parking lot. Now VP of Development at SOAA, she serves differently.
https://t.co/GgA5ohV259

[SOAA - Special Operations Association of America @SOAAorg]

Defense experts outlined the staggering material requirements our military depends on at our panel event with @RepPatHarrigan. An F-35 needs 900 lbs of critical minerals. A Virginia-class sub needs 9,200 lbs. China controls 90% of processing. U.S. stockpile dropped from $42B to $1.3B. Panelists outlined solutions: recycling, mine tailings extraction, whole-of-government approach. This is what readiness requires.
https://t.co/YWShpVJC8J

[SOAA - Special Operations Association of America @SOAAorg]

A groundbreaking program transforming SOF veterans' lives, Project Valkyrie combines health optimization & venture acceleration, it empowers veterans as mission-driven entrepreneurs & leaders. A vital initiative by SOAA's Dr. Ryan Ziegler.
https://t.co/xtpPJkDTvV

[SOAA - Special Operations Association of America @SOAAorg]

Join us for a two-day conference on strategic resources in competition. July 21-22 in Reston, Virginia, 400-600 military, industry, and academic leaders dive into rare earth elements, critical minerals, supply chains, and resource security innovations. This is where decisions get made. Register now.
https://t.co/dsnhzT0ghx

[SOAA - Special Operations Association of America @SOAAorg]

Today we remember the fallen, those who gave everything for our freedom. Their sacrifice is not just history; it’s a debt we can never fully repay. We honor their memory and stand with the families who carry their loss this Memorial Day.

U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Malik Retemiah

[SOAA - Special Operations Association of America @SOAAorg]

A big Thank You to those of you who attended our panel event at the Library of Congress this week to discuss important issues facing our nation as we continue to secure critical minerals for US National Security. We're grateful to @RepPatHarrigan, and all of our panelists and moderators for sharing their knowledge and expertise with us. Full recap coming soon

[SOAA - Special Operations Association of America @SOAAorg]

SOF Week 2026 live demonstration of a boat seizure.

[SOAA - Special Operations Association of America @SOAAorg]

Everyone has a good deployment story to tell. We caught up with @alexplitsas at SOF Week and got his deployment story during his time in Iraq.

[SOAA - Special Operations Association of America @SOAAorg]

Catch us at SOF Week here in Tampa, Florida. If you see us on the floor come say hi it would be great to connect. #sofweek

[SOAA - Special Operations Association of America @SOAAorg]

The deadly gap: suicide rates nearly 3x higher in the first year after military separation. Onward Ops changes that by connecting transitioning service members with community sponsors and resources during their final year of service, not after they leave. 17,450+ veterans served. 80% reduction in suicidality for participants.

https://t.co/J4mXvx9TyP

[SOAA - Special Operations Association of America @SOAAorg]

This weekend, we celebrate all branches of our military: the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and Space Force. Thank you to every service member who stands ready to defend our nation. We are grateful for your service.

[SOAA - Special Operations Association of America @SOAAorg]

November 2001. Two F-14 Tomcat pilots broke the hard deck - the safety protocol keeping them at 15,000 feet to strafe Taliban forces pinning down Green Berets below. Exposing themselves to enemy fire, Peterson and King used their air-to-air cannon as a ground support weapon. It became standard practice and this is how it started.
https://t.co/Tc02xOdKtG

[SOAA - Special Operations Association of America @SOAAorg]

The Pentagon has issued directives telling conventional forces to develop irregular warfare expertise over the past 6 years and none were implemented as intended. Retired SF Lt. Col. Lumbaca said they won't be implemented anytime in the foreseeable future. Policy gap equals strategic vulnerability.
https://t.co/dU82NzcInC

[SOAA - Special Operations Association of America @SOAAorg]

A destabilizing mix of crises is proliferating across Africa. Flintlock 2026 shows how Special Operations Forces are key to increasing security & stability, enabling political reconciliation & economic stabilization. SOAA's @alexplitsas observations from exercise underscore the strategic importance of these engagements
https://t.co/mEWjxb7QmE