"A Special Forces guy has to be a lethal killer one moment
and a humanitarian the next. He has to know how to get
strangers, who speak a different language, to do things for 
him. He has to go, from knowing enough Russian to knowing 
enough Arabic in a few weeks, depending on the deployment.
We need people who are cultural quick studies."

Major General (Ret.) Sidney Shachnow, 
U. S. Army Special Forces 

SUPPORT COMPANY, SPECIAL FORCES GROUP (AIRBORNE)

Organization

The Support Company, Special Forces Group (Airborne)  
is comprised of a Company HQ, Service Detachment, 
Military Intelligence Detachment, Medical Section, 
Signal Detachment, and Personnel Section.

Personnel

The SPT CO consists of 13 officers, 12 warrant officers, 
and 151 enlisted soldiers.

Mission

To provide intelligence support, combat service support, 
and signal support to an SFOB and its  deployed operational elements.

Capabilities

Provides integrated all-source intelligence collection management, 
analysis, production, and dissemination in support of the 
Special Forces Group and its attached elements.

Provides counterintelligence and interrogation support for the 
SFG and its attached elements.

Provides intelligence advice, assistance, and training to 
operational elements of the SFG.

Provides secure special intelligence.

Performs special security office functions for the SFOB.

Provides limited transportation support to the SFOB.

Provides unit-level supply, to include class V, to the SFOB 
and its deployed operational
elements.

Provides food service support to the SFOB.

Procures nonstandard supplies and equipment for the SFG 
and its attached elements.

Provides health service support to the SFOB, to include 
unit-level medical support, medical supply, temporary medical 
resuscitative treatment for all classes of patients, 
emergency dental treatment, and preventive medicine support.

Special Forces Group Support Company

Performs unit-level maintenance on organic equipment and 
the equipment of the group headquarters and headquarters 
company; performs direct support and limited general 
support maintenance for those items of signal equipment 
peculiar to the SFG; performs unit-level maintenance on 
organic communications-electronic (C-E) equipment assigned 
to the SFOB. Provides personnel and cargo parachute packing, 
unit maintenance of air delivery items, rigger support, and 
limited aerial delivery support to the SFOB.

Installs, operates, and maintains continuous internal 
communications for the SFOB, to include message center and 
crypto services, telephone, teletypewriter. Terminates radio 
and landline telephone and teletype circuits from higher 
headquarters and the area communications system at the SFOB. 
Provides secure communications between the SFOB and the three 
deployed FOBs. Provides limited still photographic support 
for the SFG and its attached elements.

SPECIAL FORCES BATTALION (AIRBORNE)

Organization

The Special Forces Battalion (Airborne) is comprised of one 
Battalion Headquarters Detachment, 
one Support Company , and three Special Forces 
Companies. There is one Combat Diving SFOD
and one Military Free Fall SFOD
per battalion.

Personnel

The BN HQ DET consists of 11 officers, 2 warrant officers, 
and 25 enlisted soldiers. The SPT CO consists of 4 officers, 
1 warrant officer, and 94 enlisted soldiers. 
Each SF CO consists of 8 officers, 7 warrant officers, 
and 67 enlisted soldiers.

Mission

To plan, conduct, and support special operations in any 
operational environment in peace, conflict, and war. 

Capabilities

The battalion's C2 and support elements can function as 
the headquarters for an ARSOTF or for a JSOTF when augmented 
by resources from other services. The C2 and support elements can:
Establish, operate, and support an FOB.

Provide one SOCCE to a corps or higher headquarters.

Train and prepare SF teams for deployment.

Direct, support, and sustain deployed SF teams.

BATTALION HEADQUARTERS DETACHMENT (C DETACHMENT)

Organization

The BN HQ DET is comprised of the Battalion Headquarters, 
one Signal Section, the S-1 Section, 
the S-2 Section, the S-3 Section, 
the S-4 Section, the S-5 Section,
and the Medical Section.

Personnel

The BN HQ DET consists of 11 officers, 2 warrant officers, 
and 25 enlisted soldiers.

Mission

To provide command and control, staff planning, and staff 
supervision of administration and operations for the 
Special Forces battalion and its attached elements.

Capabilities

The SFOD C, also known as C detachment, provides C2, 
staff planning, and staff supervision of battalion operations 
and administration. The SFOD C detachment:
Plans, coordinate, and direct SF operations separately 
or as part of a larger force.

Provides command and staff personnel to establish and operate an FOB.

Provides advice, coordination, and staff assistance on the employment 
of SF elements to a joint SOC, JSOTF, SAO, or other major headquarters.

SUPPORT COMPANY, SPECIAL FORCES BATTALION (AIRBORNE)

Organization

The Support Company of the Special Forces Battalion is 
comprised of 
one Military Intelligence Detachment, 
a Company Headquarters, 
a Service Detachment,
and a Signal Detachment.

Personnel

The Support Company consists of 4 officers, 1 warrant officer, 
and 94 enlisted soldiers.

Mission

To provide intelligence and electronic warfare support, 
CSS, and signal support to an FOB
and its deployed operational elements.

SPECIAL FORCES COMPANY, SPECIAL FORCES BATTALION

Organization

The Special Forces Company is comprised of a 
Company Headquarters and six SFOD Operational
"A" Detachments.

Personnel

The Special Forces Company consists of 8 officers, 
7 warrant officers, and 67 enlisted soldiers.

Table of Organization

Special Forces Group 
1400 Personnel
Company HQ  
63 Personnel
31 Officer
58 Enlisted
Section HQ, Intelligence, Operations
Company  Support 
176 Personnel
25 Officer
151 Enlisted
Section HQ
Section Personnel / Service
Section Medical
Detachement Intelligence
3 Team in the  Company 
Detachment Logistics and Signal
3 Special Forces Battalion   
383 Personnel
(2 Bat for the 1st and 10th SFG)
63 Officer
320 Enlisted
Detachment HQ 
38 Personnel
13 Officer
25 Enlisted
Section Personnel, Intell, Operation, 
Logistics, Signal, Medical
Company  Support 
99 Personnel
5 Officer
94 Enlisted
Detachement C4I and EW
Detachment Signal
Detachment Service
3 Special Forces Company    
82 Personnel
15 Officer
67 Enlisted
Detachment HQ 
10 Men
6 Detachment ODA 
12 Men

Mission

Capabilities

Plan and conduct Special Forces operations separately 
or as part of a larger force.

Train and prepare Special Forces teams for deployment.

Infiltrate and exfiltrate specified operational areas 
by air, land, or sea.

Conduct operations in remote areas and hostile environments 
for extended periods with minimal external direction and support.

Develop, organize, equip, train, and advise or direct 
indigenous forces of up to regimental size in special operations.

Train, advise, and assist other US and allied forces and agencies.

When augmented, establish and operate an advanced operational 
base to expand C2 capabilities of an SFOB or FOB.

Serve as SOCCE at a corps or higher headquarters.

Serve as a C2 element (area Command) in a specified 
operational area. Serve as a pilot team to assess the 
resistance potential in a specified operational area.

Establish and operate an isolation facility 
for an SFOB or FOB. 

Perform other special operations 
as directed by higher authority.

SPECIAL FORCES OPERATIONAL DETACHMENT "A"

Personnel

The A Detachment consists of one Captain (Commander), 
one Warrant Officer (Detachment Technician), 
one Master Sergeant (Operations Sergeant 18Z), 
one Sergeant First Class (Assistant Operations Sergeant), 
two Weapons Sergeants 18B,
two Engineer Sergeants 18C,
two Medical Sergeants 18D,
and two Communications Sergeants 18E.

Capabilities

Plan and conduct SF operations separately 
or as part of a larger force. Infiltrate 
and exfiltrate specified operational areas 
by air, land, or sea. Conduct operations 
in remote areas and hostile environments 
for extended periods of time with a minimum 
of external direction and support.
Develop, organize, equip, train and advise 
or direct indigenous forces up to battalion 
size in special operations. Train, advise 
and assist other U.S. and allied forces and 
agencies. Plan and conduct unilateral SF 
operations. Perform other special operations 
as directed by higher authority.

In the SF company, one of the six A-teams is trained in combat diving 
and one is trained in military free-fall parachuting.Both are used as 
methods of infiltration. The detachment can serve as a manpower pool
from which SF commanders can organize tailored SF teams to perform 
specific missions.

A-teams are equipped with tactical satellite communications, 
high-frequency radios, and global positioning systems. Medical kits 
include laboratory and dental instruments and supplies, sterilizer, 
resuscitator-aspirator, water-testing kits and veterinary equipment. 
Other key equipment includes individual and perimeter defense weapons 
as well as electric and non-electric demolitions and night-vision
devices.

Equipment distribution may be geared to conform to specific missions.

For underwater or waterborne infiltration,
scuba teams are equipped with open-circuit twin 80s SCUBA tanks, closed-circuit
Dragger (rebreather) Lar-V, Zodiac boat and Klepper kayaks.

Military free-fall parachuting teams use ram-air parachutes and oxygen systems.

(Excerpt from the JCS SOF Manual)




The MACV Studies and Observation Group was a joint unconventional 
warfare command originally established on Jan. 16 1964, to advise, 
train and support South Vietnamese operations against North Vietnam. 
During its eight-year history, MACV-SOG supported South Vietnamese 
maritime operations against the coast of North Vietnam and its 
territorial waters and psychological operations against the general 
population of North Vietnam and the Hanoi leadership. The soldiers 
also conducted cross-border operations in Laos, Cambodia, 
the Demilitarized Zone, North Vietnam and enemy-dominated areas of 
South Vietnam. At its peak, MACV-SOG and its subordinate commands 
were composed of just 2,000 American special operations personnel 
from all services, and more than 8,000 highly trained indigenous 
soldiers organized in units from squads to battalions. More than 
2,000 individual awards for heroism were presented to members of 
MACV-SOG. These included 10 Medals of Honor and 23 Distinguished 
Service Crosses. Because of the dangerous missions, the unit 
sustained exceptionally high casualty rates. In 1968 alone, the 
unit sustained more casualties than the number of personnel assigned. 
During its history, 10 teams were lost, 14 were over-run and destroyed 
and more than 300 personnel were recorded as killed or missing in action. 
Fifty are still considered MIA. MACV-SOG ceased operations on 
March 31, 1972 and was deactivated a month later. 
Source:ArmyLink News