ON THE COVER: An Air America challenge coin. You may be familiar with Hollywood’s “made for entertainment” version of Air America’s story. Read Marc Yablonka’s interview with three former Air America pilots who came to set the record straight regarding the oft-maligned airline, once the wings for the Central Intelligence Agency, USAID, various generals, and political VIPs in Indochina. (Photo from the cia.gov artifacts.)
In this issue:
Military journalist and author Marc Yablonka met with three former Air America pilots who came to set the record straight regarding Air America, once the wings for the Central Intelligence Agency.
Attention Members: SFA Con 2025 Registration is Open
Information about the upcoming SFACON in Las Vegas. Scheduled to be held concurrently with SOAR for the first time ever.
Veterans History Project: Library of Congress (PDF)
Download information to participate in the Library of Congress’ ongoing project to gather the stories of our soldiers for posterity.
From the Archive:
Cambodian Incursion, 1970 — Part Two
From the Sentinel of June 2021—Part Two of How Miller’s ongoing reporting of one of the signature accomplishments of his A-Team between September ’69 and August ’70. Part Three will follow in the July issue of the Sentinel.
WHAT’S NEW?
Live a Great Story, Then Live to Tell It – Lethal To Immortal
Playlists: Chapter Meeting Presenters, GWOT
What does it really take to stay lethal as a Special Operator—not just in your 20s, but into your 40s, 50s, and beyond? Nathan Palin from Any Given Day visits Special Forces Association Chapter 78 in Southern California and talks about the holistic approach he used as a part of the Special Operations Command Human Performance Program.
In this gripping and brutally honest keynote, Nate (an Airborne Ranger-turned-Strength & Conditioning Coach for U.S. Special Operations Forces) shares lessons learned from coaching some of America’s most elite warriors. This talk is not just about physical training—it’s about redefining fitness, purpose, and performance across an operator’s entire life.
You’ll hear how traditional training models fell short—and how the true measure of readiness is not just about strength or speed, but resilience, mindset, and long-term survivability. This is a must-watch for current and former service members, tactical athletes, and anyone seeking high performance that actually lasts.
SOG Legend Dick Thompson Reveals Untold Special Forces Stories | Codename DYNAMITE
Playlists: Chapter Meeting Presenters, MACV-SOG, Vietnam
Vietnam SOG Veteran and American Hero Henry “Dick” Thompson shares rare, behind-the-lines accounts from his time in the elite MACV-SOG—the most covert and dangerous unit of the Vietnam War. Thompson’s harrowing missions and battlefield leadership not only inspired his best-selling books Codename DYNAMITE Volumes 1 & 2, but also fueled the founding of High Performing Systems, a leadership and performance consulting firm that has advised America’s top Special Operations units, Government Agencies, military leaders, and Fortune 500 executives.
SOGCast 039: H.L. Serra — Knew SOG was Compromised in Cambodia
Featured Channel: Jocko Podcast — SOGCast
Featured Playlist: SOGCast
Subscribe to @sfachapter78 on YouTube!
Be sure to select “All Notifications” to keep up with our new content. Watch and share the videos on our channel and stay tuned—new videos are on the way!
SOGCast
Untold stories of MAC-V SOG. Vietnam. The Secret War.
056: Just Another Day in SOG with Robert “Bru” Taylor
John Stryker Meyer, call sign—Tilt, interviews Robert “Bru” Taylor ran SOG Recon missions from CCN, “just another day in SOG.”
Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or other major podcast providers. Video episodes are available on our YouTube channel SOGCast playlist.
SENTINEL Awards
- Awarded best Special Forces Association Monthly Newsletter at SFA National Convention June 2011 and 2014
- Awarded Golden Quill at SFA National Convention June 2015 and June 2016
- Best Newsletter Award for 2017 from Special Forces Association National Board of Directors at the International Convention in Fayetteville, NC
- Special Forces Association (SFA) Cross Arrow Award for Excellence, 2018, First Award Presented by SFA in this category
- The War Reporters Award, Presented by Alex Quade – (War Reporter and Film Producer) for Chapter 78 Sentinel’s Commitment documenting Special Forces History, July 2018
- The Golden Arrows for Excellence in Newsletters 2019 awarded by SFA National
- The Golden Arrows for Excellence in Newsletters 2020 awarded by SFA National
The Sentinel is published monthly by Special Forces Association Chapter 78, Southern California — art direction and design by Debra Holm, Dinwiddie Holm Graphics. The views, opinions and articles printed in this issue do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Army or the United States Special Operations Command, the Special Forces Association, or Special Forces Association Chapter 78. Please address any comments to the editor at sfachapter78@gmail.com.
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