Recent Publications

Book Review: Spetsnaz: A History of the Soviet and Russian Special Forces
September 22, 2025 — Tor Bukkvoll delivers an in-depth and compelling history of Soviet and Russian Spetsnaz, tracing its evolution from strategic reconnaissance units to key players in hybrid and irregular warfare. The reviewer recommends the book for scholars, military professionals, and anyone interested in Russian special operations forces... MORE

Cover of Spetsnaz: A History of the Soviet and Russian Special Forces

Book Review : The Unvanquished: The Untold Story of Lincoln's Special Forces, the Manhunt for Mosby's Rangers, and the Shadow War That Forged America's Special Operations
September 4, 2025 — The Unvanquished: The Untold Story of Lincoln’s Special Forces, the Manhunt for Mosby’s Rangers, and the Shadow War That Forged America’s Special Operations, by Patrick K. O’Donnell and reviewed by Dr. Wylie W. Johnson, explores the Civil War–era precursors of today’s special operations forces. Broken into three sections, the book covers rival groups—the Jessie Scouts and Mosby’s Rangers, the Confederate Secret Service, and Sheridan’s Scouts and the retribution they wreaked upon their enemies. The reviewer calls it “. . . a strong reminder of the outsized impact that specialized units make upon military campaigns.” ... MORE

Cover for The Unvanquished: The Untold Story of Lincoln's Special Forces, the Manhunt for Mosby's Rangers, and the Shadow War That Forged America's Special Operations

“Professionalizing Special Operations Forces”
September 20, 2022 — The special operations community could best address the perceived ethical crisis it faces by professionalizing as an institution. While earlier assessments have attributed special operations forces’ ethical issues to a focus on mission accomplishment that led to a broken force generation process and a high operations tempo, such diagnoses obscure a more comprehensive solution. Using sociologist Andrew Abbott’s work on professions as a framework, this article explores the benefits of building the kinds of institutions that can claim a jurisdiction, develop and certify expert knowledge, and establish and apply a code of ethics that addresses special operations unique concerns so that it builds trust and better serves the American people... MORE