NUMBER 788: My experiences in Swedish Special Operations - preparing for NATO and the War on Terror

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Details the journey of a reluctant soldier and ranger, excelling in reconnaissance, intelligence, and covert operations, post-Cold War training to the War on Terror. The broader context of this story is that the end of the Cold War and subsequent peacekeeping missions caught the Swedish military flatfooted when the War on Terror came around. The need for special operations forces was in high demand, but for the most part, Sweden lacked this niche capability. While still in its conceptual form, the International Ranger Platoon, an elite force that became a Special Purpose Unit within the Ranger Battalion, was used to fill the gap. The reward was to be part of something new - the Special Purpose Units. Contains 10 photos and 5 maps.