World's most elite combat soldiers?

Well, Rangers of course!.....But then i'm obviously biased by pride.

We trained with certain elements of the IDF (Israeli defense forces), and they can definitely get down with the best of 'em.

But, in my mind, the best forces are US Army, AF, Navy and Marines. They are proving it everyday over in the ME.
 
Flygirl competes for 'Best Warrior' Title...
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Lone Female Competitor Battles for 'Best Warrior' Title
12 Mar 2018 -- Of the more than 3,200 airmen serving in the Texas Air National Guard, only eight were selected to compete at Camp Swift as part of the 2018 Texas Military Department Best Warrior Competition. Among the selectees, one stood out from her peers -- not just for her skill and abilities in qualifying to represent her unit, but also as the only female competitor.
"Competing seemed like a great opportunity," said Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jennifer Brown, an education and training specialist with the Texas Air National Guard's 273rd Cyber Operations Squadron. "For me, it wasn't an imitation factor. I used to be a Marine, and I remember every year my commander would send out an invite for individuals interested in the competition. When I saw the email for this year and saw the list of different knowledge responsibilities I went ahead and tried out."

Competition

The Best Warrior Competition consists of several challenges over a period of four days. Competitors are expected to display proficiency in marksmanship, physical and written tests, land navigation, self-aid buddy care and combat-communications. Though not a part of her day-to-day operations, Brown trained for months prior to familiarize herself with competition requirements. "The ruck [march] has been the most challenging thus far," she said. "I don't think I was as prepared for the last four miles of fatigue, but it's something you have to learn and power through on your own. The obstacle course was the most fun. It was hard at points, but the competition is about challenging yourself. Getting over the fear factor."

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Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jennifer Brown, an education and training specialist with the Texas Air National Guard’s 273rd Cyber Operations Squadron, jumps over an obstacle during the 2018 Best Warrior Competition near Bastrop, Texas, March 1, 2018.​

Brown has more than fifteen years of combined service between the Marines and the Texas Air National Guard. Even with deployments to Iraq under her belt, she still lacked all of the experience needed to be successful to compete. So, after she qualified at the base level, Brown's unit was instrumental in making sure that she would be a strong contender. "It [training] exposed me to a different environment in the guard," she said. "To train, we ran tactical air control party obstacle courses, had weapons knowledge training and did 45-pound ruck marches, which was good because I got exposure. Then they had land navigation at the schoolhouse at Camp Bullis."

Real-World Situations

The competition is meant to be grueling, with extreme stress and long testing hours. The simulations reflect real-world combat situations and test the tactical and technical skills of the members being evaluated. Competing alongside her fellow airmen, soldiers and state partners provides a unique opportunity to experience completely different ways of accomplishing the mission, Brown said. "We all serve." she said. "It's a humbling experience, and being here, I hope, is an example that will encourage others to participate. I don't back down from a challenge and I'm proud to have been a part of this event."

Lone Female Competitor Battles for 'Best Warrior' Title
 
The unit that the Pentagon still denies exists and whose members don't all write books about the stuff they did when they leave the Army.

Delta Force.
We're still not supposed to know about those guys?

The phrase 'well-known secret' comes to mind.

Yeah. Everyone knows about them. However, they aren't "officially recognized" by the Pentagon. There is no line in the Army's Budgit to support the "Delta Force" or "Operational Detachment Delta".

There are other units like that too. The "Army Of North Virginia", etc.

You people watch too much TV!
 
Having been in both the Army and the Marine Corps I can tell you the difference.

Marines train to fight, they are trained to adopt and over come, EVERY Marine is expected to know his next seniors job and be able to do it. They are taught to take the objective as fast as possible, to utilize available assets and not wait for more.

The Army is taught to fight as well however they are taught to wait for support, to use artillery rather then seize objectives.

In Panama the Army would call in howitzers to level buildings because a sniper fired at them, The Marines simply assaulted the building and cleared out the sniper.

Funny typo! Adopt? How many kids do they have? I know they eat crayons, but ...
 
...best elite--Israel probably
they've have done many different ops including the Entebbe rescue ..they have decades of experience ...a lot more than Delta Force

combat
...the USMC has some heavy power with their Battalion Landing Teams:
tanks/anti-tank vehicles/mortars/recon/Anglico [ Air Naval Gunfire Liaison ] /etc
with sea attacks using LCACS/fast boats/AAVs/LCUs
it's own support choppers/attack choppers/Ospreys/Harriers/
it's own support vehicles
---so multiple landing scenarios /multiple combat scenarios
also they have the heavy hitting power with the Navy carriers including USMC pilots
...these are forward deployed on ships

--it's an all-in-one ''force''..
The MEU is unique in that its air and ground combat elements are combined with a logistics combat element under one commander;
Marine expeditionary unit - Wikipedia
 
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List of Decorations for Audie Murphy.

Medal of Honor

Distinguished Service Cross

Silver Star (with oak leaf cluster)

Legion of Merit

Bronze Star (with oak leaf cluster and Valor device)

Purple Heart (with two oak leaf clusters)

U.S. Army Outstanding Civilian Service Medal

U.S. Army Good Conduct Medal

Presidential Unit Citation (with First Oak Leaf Cluster)

American Campaign Medal

European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (with One Silver Star, Four Bronze Service Stars (representing nine campaigns) and one Bronze Arrowhead (representing assault landing at Sicily and Southern France)),

World War II Victory Medal

Army of Occupation Medal (with Germany Clasp)

Armed Forces Reserve Medal

French Fourragère in Colors of the Croix de guerre

French Legion of Honor – Grade of Chevalier

French Croix de guerre (with Silver Star),

French Croix de guerre (with Palm)

Medal of Liberated France

Belgian Croix de guerre (with 1940 Palm)



Additionally, Murphy was awarded:

| the Combat Infantry Badge,

Marksman Badge with Rifle Bar,

Expert Badge with Bayonet Bar



View attachment 10851


It's not the branch it's the determination of the individual.

Chesty Puller won 5 Navy crosses, mostly because the higher ups hate a good warrior and refused to put him in for the medal of Honor. On Guadalcanal when the Army took over his positions his command post was right behind the line. The Army unit was flabbergasted and immediately moved it 2000 yards off the line.

In Korea when surrounded by 7 Chinese Army Divisions he told his men " we have them right where we want them, we can shoot them in any direction"

As the Marines at Chosin pulled back and fought their way through 9 Chinese Divisions after being surrounded , the US High Command wrote them off. Chesty announced " retreat, hell, we are advancing in another direction"

The Marines "retreated" THROUGH all 9 Chinese Divisions. Destroying at least 3 in the process. They took out all their dead and wounded along with thousands of Army troops. They reached the coast with either all their equipment or having DESTROYED what they could not get out. All along a SINGLE dirt road. rebuilding bridges as they went.
..the Chosin Battle is one of the most epic ever
..outnumbered 10-1 ..30 BELOW temps [ not wind chill ] hilly/icy/snowy terrain
..also the USMC was one of the few [ if any at all ] that did not get a bloody nose in the 1st Chinese Offensive--that's why the Chinese sent so many to try to destroy the Marines
..the other UN forces got pounded while the USMC defeated the Chinese
The only defeat suffered by the CCF in their 1st Phase assault came at the hands of the Seventh Marines, in Sudong Gorge
As a direct consequence of this lone defeat, the CCF determined during their evaluation after the 1st Phase assault to target the entire 1st Marine Division when they resumed their attacks. This led to the savagery of the Chosin Reservoir battles.
my father was there
CCF Prisoners, 7th Marines, 11/2/00, Sudong Gorge
 
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What does the word "elite" mean as it relates to military units? Does it mean well trained or well equipped or is it just pop-culture hype? The Navy Seals seem to have the inside edge on pop-culture hype but Marcus Luttrell's book "Lone Survivor" was about a failed Seal mission. At one point in the book Luttrell reflects on how Navy Seals who are trained to paddle little rubber boats while unconscious and withstand hypothermia find themselves on patrol at 10,000 feet in the Afghan mountains. That's the point. The Navy keeps cranking out Seal units but there is no military mission for the unit that evolved from UDT (underwater demolition teams) so they use them on patrol and the convoluted chain of command and communications gets them in trouble. Army Rangers finally rescued Luttrell. Another interesting note is that Seal snipers manned buildings in the Iraqi desert. Seals graduate from the same sniper school as Army Rangers and Marine Recon so why did the Army and Marines have to use Navy personnel in the desert with the convoluted command and communications structure when Army and Marines were available? My guess is that Seals have become the private little muscle of the CIA that literally calls the shots and that's a dangerous concept.
 

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