SOF reporter, Jim Coyne, Vietnam Huey door gunner vet, exults after firing a burst from a Russian heavy machine gun at a Russian fort during SOF ’s foray into Afghanistan in May 1982. RKB fired a British 1936 Stokes-Brandt mortar at the fort. SOF archives

RKB, former Legionaire Paul Fanshaw and former Army Green Beret and Rhodesian Deputy Commander of the Gray Scouts inside Afghanistan in 1988. Came close to getting in a firefight with an Iranian contingent. SOF archives

RKB, armed with a Russian Draganov sniper rifle poses with rebel Milan missile outside of Jalalabad in 1988. First photo proving the rebels had such sophisticated anti-tank systems to reach the West. SOF archives

RKB loading round to fire at Afghan fort, May 1982. SOF archives

SOF Demolitions Editor John Donovan poses with Hassan Gailani, a military commander of the moderate National Islamic Front, in Peshawar, Pakistan, in Septem ber 1980. A member of the SOF training team, Donovan ex plained to Gailani’s troops that they had to put fuses in the anti-tank mines to make them explode. How many Russian tanks were subse quently blown up will remain a mystery. SOF archives.

Doctor John Peters, SOF Paramedic Editor and General Practitioner, led many medical missions to countries fighting communism. His most challeng ing jump was over the Cordilla Blanca Mountains after the earthquake in Peru in 1970; his most challenging mission with SOF was keeping RKB calm as they smuggled 5,000 rounds of AK-74 ammo to the American embassy in Islamabad. SOF archive.

Dick Swan, CEO of the in novative Atlantic Re - search Systems, with RKB on the left and former Marine Carlos Cuculan on the right, at the Central America booth at the first SOF con vention in 1980. An out spoken anti-com munist, Swan was a strong supporter of SOF oper ations in El Salvador. SOF archives

SOF convention speakers, bottom row from left-to-right: G. Gordon Liddy, Major General John Singlaub and General William Westmoreland. SOF archives

Medal of Honor recipient Fred Zabitosky holds SOF’s Bull Simmons Memorial award at 1981 SOF convention in Scottsdale, Arizona. Zab played a major role in SOF ’s POW search in S.E. Asia. SOF archives

RKB congratulates Hmong General Vang Pao, who was a guest of honor at the first SOF convention held in Columbia, Missouri, Sep tember 1980. At the right is master of ceremonies, SOF ’s Demo litions Editor, Major John Donovan. SOF archives

Photo taken in SOF ’s Sukhumvit Road apartment, summer 1982. From right, Bill Young, Bob Brown, “Col.” Bounleut, and “Sam.” SOF archives

At the Small Arms Research Center of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) outside of Beijing; the late Bob MacKenzie with a Type 81 light machine gun in caliber 7.62x39mm, Peter G. Kokalis, SOF ’s Technical Editor, with a Type 67 light machine gun in caliber 7.62x54R, and LtCol Robert K. Brown, USAR (Ret.) with a Type 69 40mm grenade launcher (a copy of Soviet RPG-7) with its unique bipod. In the background is a Type 77 12.7mm anti-aircraft heavy machine gun. SOF archives

SOF sent a team of veterans as advisors/trainers to Croatia in December 1992, the first of many. Colonel Mike Peck, highly decorated Vietnam veteran described by General Henry Emerson as “. . . the best combat officer I ever had,” Colonel Alex McColl, two tour Viet vet, Major John Donovan, demolition expert, Peter Kokalis, one of the world's top experts on automatic weapons. RKB, Major Robert MacKenzie, Viet Nam vet, Rhodesian SAS 10 veteran subsequently KIA in Sierra Leone, and Nick Dodich, liaison between SOF and the Croatians. SOF archives

RKB at anticommunist Laotian United Liberation Front base camp inside communist Laos. At one time the camp held 125 armed Hmong who were to assist in search for American POW’s. SOF archives

Former Marine Recon Nam vet, Harry Claflin, at left, served as an advisor to the Salvadoran Army for seven years. RKB is at the helm of a 76-foot Patrol Craft in the Gulf of Fonseca off the coast of Nicaragua. RKB and company took pleasure in firing a few bursts at the Nic coast. SOF archives

Brown had a custom sniper rifle built to take out guerrillas. At 11-1/2 lbs., it was too heavy to carry long distances. SOF archives

RKB, left, Salvadoran Lt. Col. Jorge Cruz and Special Forces Vietnam veteran medic John Pagett play “winning the hearts and minds of the people in the Salvadoran country side.” SOF archives

Phil Gonzalez, Vietnam vet and Special Forces medic, in Salvador. Gonzalez ran with SOF to hotspots worldwide, treating both military personnel and civilians. RKB noted, “It was comforting to have a couple of medical pro fessionals with extensive combat trama experience in case one of us ate some lead.” SOF archives

Doctor John Peters conducts a basic medic class for Salvadoran Army medics. Doc Peters participated in humanitarian relief efforts in Peru, Guatemala, Honduras, Dominican Republic as well as in hot spots like Burma, aiding the Karens and inside Communist Laos aiding the Hmong. Insert photo is of Salvo trooper Doc treated. One of the really, really good guys. SOF archives

Colonel Jose Bustillo, Salvadoran Air Force CO, accepts Hardcorps vests for chopper doorgunners and pilots from SOF Editor/Publisher Robert K. Brown. Vests were donated to Salvadoran cause by Richard Davis, President of Second Chance. Photo: Alex McColl

John “I.W.” Harper, legendary CIA demo expert trains Contra’s somewhere in Central America on basic demolition tech iques. SOF archives

RKB and Alaskan Brown Bear he took with one shot. Granted he was only about 10 feet away and the bear was just getting out of the Copper River. To the right is his guide, Jim West of Wild West Guns. SOF archives

RKB hoists SOF flag at "Liberty City" base camp inside Communist Laos, August 1982. SOF archives

Brown in Vietnam with his A-Team. Brown is in the center kneeling with his M-16. SOF archives

SOF magazine’s Robert K. Brown takes a moment to chat with Special Operations per sonnel during a break from the Persian Gulf War. SOF archives

Under the aegis of Major General Jack Singlaub, RKB recruited a team of Vietnam vets to train Contra’s Spec Ops unit.Former Recon Marine Harry Claflin on horse; in front of him “Jack Thompson,” one of the best small arms instructors in the world; “Pecos Bill,” our minder and translator; “I.W” Harper, CIA demo expert; nameless retired Army Lt. Col., and RKB on horse with UZI submachine gun. Photo: Phil Gonzalez