ZINE AT THIRTY FIVE - Dillon Precision “local indigenous personnel” was a big ... gating Soviet...
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41 41 D P - d t - this or for our virulent anti-tyrant, anti-communist editorial stance.” With a wealth of military experience, SOF staffers essentially became the bow wave of today’s “private military contractors.” In that regard, SOF training teams preceded South Africa’s famous Executive Outcomes Corporation and Blackwater by several years. Often as not, Bob’s teams were up front, alongside the host-country nationals, rifles in Condition One and grenade pins straightened. Training “local indigenous personnel” was a big part of what Brown did in Special Forces, and he pursued that goal with relentless determination. Many SOFers pursue juicy stories regardless of risk. In 1983 contributor Jim Coyne approached a notorious KGB agent known for his “wet work” in Thailand. The Russian was known as “Jaws” for good reason: the U.S. embassy predicted dire consequences, especially since SOF was investi- gating Soviet chemical-biological weapons pro- vided to Vietnam. “Jaws” glibly denied the accu- sation – wink and a nod – but agreed to meet for lunch. The KGB and SOF were mutually drawn to one another. At first Brown refused to dine with any (bleep)ing KGB agent. But finally he went along and conducted his little corner of the Cold War in a Bangkok coffee house. When SOF published a story about the meeting, three days later “Jaws” was recalled to Moscow. RKB subsequently got a threatening letter from “Jaws” stating that he looked forward to a meeting in Central America. Some SOF correspondents were fearless, and some paid the ultimate price. In the first 25 years, four of the bold men who braved the most danger- ous missions died in the line of duty, whether as freelance journalists or freelance mercs: George Bacon, III, in Angola; Michael Echanis in Nicaragua; Lance Motley in Thailand; and Colonel Robert MacKenzie in Sierra Leone. Certainly the magazine has drawn its share of controversy. It has consistently outraged the left by publishing Rhodesian Army recruiting posters, to offering a $25,000 in gold to a defector from Cuban intelligence, to a $1,000,000 reward for the defection of a Nicaraguan MI-24. All the while training the Contras and Salvadorian Army. Behind the front-line reportage and splashy news coverage, SOF did something more: it sup- ported Vietnam veterans as no other publications ever have. That may seem natural since Brown and so many staffers are former ‘Nam vets, but the thread is deeply woven into the magazine’s fabric. The 25th anniversary issue said in part, “Overnight, SOF offered Vietnam vets the recog- nition they deserved, a home in a sense, a meet- ing place for like souls. Like a banner, it acknowledged their sacrifices and continues to do so, loudly and loyally.” The sense of camaraderie was evident in the first SOF convention I attended in the 1980s. Seat- ed beside me was a former Green Beret officer who confided, “Being with these guys is the best I’ve felt about myself since Vietnam.” Across the table was an extraordinarily attractive blonde, wearing her late father’s dogtags. She had never attended a military gathering but wanted to honor her dad’s service. She said, “I didn’t quite know what to expect, but I’m really comfortable here.” In the exhibit hall was all manner of gear, from guns to underwear, as two middle-aged ladies offered men’s briefs in tiger stripe, zebra stripe, and leopard spot patterns. They were conspicuously lonely: “I don’t understand it, Gertrude. The bikers really go for this stuff!” In 1985 the magazine’s 10th anniversary drew congratulatory messages from a wide spectrum: Fleet Marine Force Atlantic, the USAF media office, Vietnam Veterans Coalition, two U.S. senators, Charlton Heston, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, among others. Now, 25 years later, SOF and RKB are still going strong, headed for a fourth decade of reporting from the world’s hot spots, with a style and all its own. Bob Brown sums up his philosophy with the motto: “Slay dragons, do noble deeds and never, never, never, give up.” www.sofmag.com E AT THIRTY FIVE E AT THIRTY FIVE noble deeds and never, e up.” – R.K. Brown R.K.B. in Laos – SOF Photo Nov 10 Blue Press Section 2 9/14/10 2:56 PM Page 41
Transcript of ZINE AT THIRTY FIVE - Dillon Precision “local indigenous personnel” was a big ... gating Soviet...
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this or for our virulent anti-tyrant, anti-communisteditorial stance.”
With a wealth of military experience, SOFstaffers essentially became the bow wave of today’s“private military contractors.” In that regard, SOFtraining teams preceded South Africa’s famousExecutive Outcomes Corporation and Blackwaterby several years. Often as not, Bob’s teams were upfront, alongside the host-country nationals, rifles inCondition One and grenade pins straightened.Training “local indigenous personnel” was a bigpart of what Brown did in Special Forces, and hepursued that goal with relentless determination.
Many SOFers pursue juicy stories regardless ofrisk. In 1983 contributor Jim Coyne approached anotorious KGB agent known for his “wet work”in Thailand. The Russian was known as “Jaws” forgood reason: the U.S. embassy predicted direconsequences, especially since SOF was investi-gating Soviet chemical-biological weapons pro-vided to Vietnam. “Jaws” glibly denied the accu-sation – wink and a nod – but agreed to meet forlunch. The KGB and SOF were mutually drawn toone another.
At first Brown refused to dine with any(bleep)ing KGB agent. But finally he went alongand conducted his little corner of the Cold War ina Bangkok coffee house. When SOF published astory about the meeting, three days later “Jaws”
was recalled to Moscow. RKB subsequently got athreatening letter from “Jaws” stating that helooked forward to a meeting in Central America.
Some SOF correspondents were fearless, andsome paid the ultimate price. In the first 25 years,four of the bold men who braved the most danger-ous missions died in the line of duty, whether asfreelance journalists or freelance mercs: GeorgeBacon, III, in Angola; Michael Echanis inNicaragua; Lance Motley in Thailand; and ColonelRobert MacKenzie in Sierra Leone.
Certainly the magazine has drawn its share ofcontroversy. It has consistently outraged the left bypublishing Rhodesian Army recruiting posters, tooffering a $25,000 in gold to a defector fromCuban intelligence, to a $1,000,000 reward for thedefection of a Nicaraguan MI-24. All the whiletraining the Contras and Salvadorian Army.
Behind the front-line reportage and splashynews coverage, SOF did something more: it sup-ported Vietnam veterans as no other publicationsever have. That may seem natural since Brownand so many staffers are former ‘Nam vets, butthe thread is deeply woven into the magazine’sfabric. The 25th anniversary issue said in part,“Overnight, SOF offered Vietnam vets the recog-nition they deserved, a home in a sense, a meet-ing place for like souls. Like a banner, itacknowledged their sacrifices and continues todo so, loudly and loyally.”
The sense of camaraderie was evident in thefirst SOF convention I attended in the 1980s. Seat-ed beside me was a former Green Beret officerwho confided, “Being with these guys is the bestI’ve felt about myself since Vietnam.” Across thetable was an extraordinarily attractive blonde,wearing her late father’s dogtags. She had neverattended a military gathering but wanted to honorher dad’s service. She said, “I didn’t quite knowwhat to expect, but I’m really comfortable here.”
In the exhibit hall was all manner of gear, fromguns to underwear, as two middle-aged ladiesoffered men’s briefs in tiger stripe, zebra stripe, andleopard spot patterns. They were conspicuouslylonely: “I don’t understand it, Gertrude. The bikersreally go for this stuff!”
In 1985 the magazine’s 10th anniversary drewcongratulatory messages from a wide spectrum:Fleet Marine Force Atlantic, the USAF media office,Vietnam Veterans Coalition, two U.S. senators,Charlton Heston, and Arnold Schwarzenegger,among others.
Now, 25 years later, SOF and RKB are still goingstrong, headed for a fourth decade of reportingfrom the world’s hot spots, with a style and all itsown. Bob Brown sums up his philosophy with themotto: “Slay dragons, do noble deeds and never,never, never, give up.”
www.sofmag.com
ZINE AT THIRTY FIVEZINE AT THIRTY FIVE
s, do noble deeds and never,r, give up.” – R.K. Brown
Photo R.K.B. in Laos – SOF Photo
Nov 10 Blue Press Section 2 9/14/10 2:56 PM Page 41
