INTRODUCTION TO SPECIAL OPERATIONS
Special Operations encompass the use of small units in
direct or indirect military actions focused on strategic
or operational objectives. They require units with
combinations of trained specialized personnel, equipment,
and tactics that exceed the routine capabilities of
conventional military forces. Special Operations are
characterized by certain attributes that cumulatively
distinguish them from conventional operations. These
operations are politically sensitive missions where only
the best equipped and most proficient forces must be
deployed to avoid detection and possible mission failure
that can result in damage to US prestige and interests.
U. S. Special Operations Units
SPECIAL OPERATIONS PRINCIPAL MISSIONS
Direct Action
operations are short duration strikes and other small
scale offensive operations principally undertaken by
SOF to seize, destroy, capture, recover, or inflict
damage on designated personnel or material. In the
conduct of these operations, SOF may employ raid,
ambush, or direct assault tactics; emplace mines and
other munitions; conduct stand off attacks by fire
from air, ground or maritime platforms; and provide
terminal guidance for precision weapons, conduct
independent sabotage, and anti-ship operations.
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Combating Terrorism
is a highly specialized,
resource-intensive mission.
Certain SOF units maintain
a high state of readiness
to conduct CBT operations
and possess a full range of
CBT capabilities. CBT
activities include: anti-
terrorism, counterterrorism,
recovery of hostages or
sensitive material from
terrorist organizations,
attack of terrorist
infrastructure, and reduction
of vulnerability to terrorism.
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Foreign Internal Defense
is participation by civilian and military agencies
of a government in any of the action programs taken by
another government to free and protect its society from
subversion, lawlessness, and insurgency. SOF’s primary
contribution in this interagency activity is to organize,
train, advise, and assist host nation military and
paramilitary forces. The generic capabilities required
for FID include: instructional skills; foreign language
proficiency; area and cultural orientation; tactical
skills; advanced medical skills; rudimentary construction
and engineering skills; familiarity with a wide variety of
demolitions, weapons, weapon systems, and communications
equipment; and basic PSYOP and CA skills.
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Unconventional Warfare
includes guerrilla warfare, subversion, sabotage,
intelligence activities, evasion and escape, and other
activities of a low visibility, covert, or clandestine
nature. When UW is conducted independently during
conflict or war, its primary focus is on political and
psychological objectives. When UW operations support
conventional military operations, the focus shifts to
primarily military objectives.
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Special Reconnaissance
is information gathering activities of strategic or operational
significance. Collectively, these activities are called SR. SR
complements national and theater intelligence collection systems
by obtaining specific, well-defined, and time-sensitive
information when other systems are constrained by weather, terrain-
masking, hostile countermeasures, or conflicting priorities. SR
tasks include: Environmental Reconnaissance, Armed Reconnaissance
(locating and attacking targets of opportunity), Coastal Patrol
and Interdiction, Target and Threat Assessment, and Post-
strike Reconnaissance.
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Psychological Operations
induces or reinforces foreign attitudes and behaviors
favorable to the originator’s objectives by conducting
planned operations to convey selected information to
foreign audiences to influence their emotions, motives,
objective reasoning, and ultimately the behavior of
foreign governments, organizations, groups, and
individuals.
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Civil Affairs
facilitates military operations and consolidates
operational activities by assisting commanders in
establishing, maintaining, influencing, or
exploiting relations between military forces and
civil authorities, both governmental and non-
governmental, and the civilian population in a
friendly, neutral, or hostile area of operation.
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Information Operations
are actions taken to affect adversary information
and information systems while defending one’s own
information and information systems.
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Counterproliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction
are actions taken to seize,destroy, render safe,
capture, or recover weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
SOF provide unique capabilities to monitor and
support compliance with arms control treaties. If
directed, SOF can conduct or support SR and DA
missions to locate and interdict sea, land, and air
shipments of dangerous materials or weapons. SOF are
tasked with organizing, training, equipping, and
otherwise preparing to conduct operations in support
of US Government counterproliferation objectives.
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SPECIAL OPERATIONS COLLATERAL ACTIVITIES
Coalition Support
integrates coalition units into multinational military
operations by training coalition partners on tactics
and techniques and providing communications. Coalition
Support teams often provide the Joint Force Commander
(JFC) with an accurate evaluation of the capabilities,
location, and activities of coalition forces, thus
facilitating JFC command and control.
Combat Search and Rescue
penetrates air defense systems and conducts joint air,
ground, or sea operations deep within hostile or denied
territory at night or in adverse weather to effect the
recovery of distressed personnel during wartime or
contingency operations.
Counterdrug
activities train host nation CD forces on critical skills
required to conduct small unit CD operations in order to
detect, monitor, and counter the cultivation, production,
and trafficking of illegal drugs.
Countermine
activities reduce or eliminate the threat to noncombatants
and friendly military forces posed by mines, booby-traps,
and other explosive devices by training host nation forces
in the location, recognition, and safe disposal of mines
and other destructive devices, as well as CM program
management.
Humanitarian Assistance
provides assistance of limited scope and duration to
supplement or complement the efforts of host nation civil
authorities or agencies to relieve or reduce the results of
natural or manmade disasters or other endemic conditions such
as human pain, disease, hunger, or privation that might
present a serious threat to life or that can result in great
damage to, or loss of, property.
Security Assistance
provides training assistance in support of legislated
programs which provide US defense articles, military
training, and other defense related services by grant,
loan, credit, or cash sales in furtherance of national
policies or objectives.
Special Activities
consist of the planning and execution of actions abroad
in support of national foreign policy objectives so that
the role of the US government is not apparent or
acknowledged publicly. These activities are subject to
limitations imposed by Executive Order and in conjunction
with a Presidential finding and Congressional oversight.
(Excerpt from JCS Special Operations Forces Manual)
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Mar. 1, 2005 - Special operations forces are
deployed worldwide, in the right place at the right time,
in the fight against global terrorism, the Defense
Department’s top special operations officer told a Senate
panel today.
And whether they are performing civil affairs,
reconnaissance, unconventional warfare or direct-action
missions, special operations forces are, uniquely suited,
for today’s low-intensity conflicts, Army Gen. Bryan D.
Brown, who heads U.S. Special Operations Command, said
before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
In addition to fighting "hot" battles against terrorists,
Brown explained, special operations warrior-diplomats also
are working closely with countries worldwide to build long-
term, positive relationships with host nations and undermine
those that are determined to spread the seeds of terrorism.
The special operations operating tempo remains red hot,
Brown observed, with more than 6,100 special operators
deployed worldwide to support geographic combatant
commanders.
Brown tipped his four-starred hat to our great Reserve and
National Guard forces, noting, they’re extremely important
to our capability.
Today’s special operations deployments are focused on key
areas that have an impact on the global war on terrorism,
Brown observed, as special operators train with host nations
and remain poised to react for emerging threats.
The measure of his organization’s success, the general said,
is not predicated on the number of countries special
operators are deployed in, but rather to have special
operating forces deployed in the right place at the right
time.
Recruiting for special operations’ jobs continues to be good,
Brown reported, noting the organization’s schoolhouses are
full.
Yet, because of our rigorous selection and training process,
Brown reminded committee members, it takes between 12 to 24
months to train a fully qualified special operations troop,
depending on the specialty.
Brown expressed pride in the quality of his special forces,
noting, We cannot dilute the high standards of our people;
that is the bedrock of our capability.
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