Soldier of Fortune ( magazine ) Soldier of Fortune ( SOF ) , " The Journal of Professional Adventurers " , is a periodical monthly magazine devoted to world - wide reporting of wars , including conventional warfare , low - intensity warfare , counter insurgency , and counter - terrorism . " SOF " magazine is published by the Omega Group Ltd . , in Boulder , Colorado . History . " Soldier of Fortune " magazine was founded in 1975 , by Lieutenant Colonel , U . S . Army Reserve , ( Ret . ) Robert K . Brown , a Green Beret who served with Special Forces in Vietnam . After retiring from active duty , Brown began publishing a “ circular ” few - page - magazine with information on mercenary employment in Oman , where the Sultan Qaboos had recently deposed his father , and was battling a communist insurgency . Brown ' s small circular soon evolved into a glossy , large - format , four color magazine . Significant to the early development of " SOF " magazine was its unprecedented , successful recruitment of foreign nationals to serve in the Rhodesian Security Forces , during the Rhodesian Bush War ( 1964 – 79 ) . During the late 1970s and the 1980s , the success and popularity of a military magazine such as " SOF " led to the proliferation of like magazines such as " Survive " , " Gung Ho ! " , " New Breed " , " Eagle " , " Combat Illustrated " , " Special Weapons and Tactics " , and " Combat Ready " . " Gun for Hire " lawsuits . Grievous injury . During the late 1980s , " Soldier of Fortune " was sued in civil court several times , for having published classified advertisements of services by ( private ) mercenaries . In 1987 , Norman Norwood , of Arkansas , sued " SOF " magazine , because of injuries he suffered during a murder attempt , by two men hired via a " Gun for Hire " advert in the magazine . The US District Court denied the magazine ' s motion for summary judgment , based upon the Constitutional right of free speech , under the First Amendment . The Court said , " reasonable jurors could find that the advertisement posed a substantial risk of harm " and that " gun for hire " ads were not the type of speech intended for protection under the First Amendment . In the end , Mr Norwood and " Soldier of Fortune " magazine settled his lawsuit out of court . Wrongful death . The mercenary John Hearn shot and killed Sandra Black , for a $ 10 , 000 payment from her husband , Robert Black . He communicated with the gun - for - hire Hearn through a classified advertisement published in " Soldier of Fortune " , wherein Hearn solicited " high - risk assignments . U . S . or overseas " . In 1989 , Sandra Black ' s son , Gary , and her mother , Marjorie Eimann , filed a wrongful - death lawsuit against " SOF " magazine , and its parent publishing company , Omega Group Ltd . , seeking $ 21 million in redress of their grievance . The jury found " Soldier of Fortune " grossly negligent in publishing Hearn ' s classified ad for implicit illegal activity ( murder ) and awarded the plaintiffs $ 9 . 5 million in damages . However , in 1990 , the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the verdict , saying that the standard of conduct imposed upon the magazine was too high , because the advertisement was ambiguously worded . Contract killing . In 1989 , four men were convicted of conspiracy to commit murder , in the 1985 contract killing of Richard Braun , of Atlanta , Georgia . The mercenary killers were hired through a classified services advertisement published in " Soldier of Fortune " magazine , that read : " GUN FOR HIRE " . Braun ' s sons filed a civil lawsuit against the magazine , and a jury found in their favor , and awarded them $ 12 . 37 million in damages , which the judge later reduced to $ 4 . 37 million . Nonetheless , in 1992 , the United States 11th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the judgement of the jury , saying " the publisher could recognize the offer of criminal activity as readily as its readers , obviously , did " . The Brauns and " SOF " magazine settled the wrongful - death lawsuit for $ 200 , 000 . One consequence of the lost lawsuits , was the magazine ' s suspension of publication of classified advertisements for mercenary work , either in the U . S . or overseas .