United States Army Special Forces Coalition Support Operations: Mission or Collateral Activity.
Abstract
This study investigates the United States Army Special Forces role in coalition support operations since the Goldwater/Nichols Defense Reorganization Act of 1986. The issue presented is combined operations in a coalition environment are extensive and deserve more attention than they have received. This thesis determined that coalition support should be classified a collateral activity of Special Forces. Coalition support operations should receive recognition in Joint and Army Special Operation Force's (SOF) doctrinal manuals as a collateral activity related mostly to foreign internal defense (FID). The relationship to FID is based on the current doctrinal definition of train, organize, equip, advise, and assist indigenous forces. Specific concept plans, operations plans, and mission letter tasking from theater special operations commands to apportioned Army Special Forces units are adequate to generate Mission Essential Task List (METt) training. This will permit the appropriate Special Forces Group to develop required expertise to support this collateral activity. U.S. Armed Forces future operations for the most part will be combined. With coalition support recognized at all levels as a Special Forces collateral activity, a structure will exist to properly facilitate the interaction of coalition partners and the U.S. military, rather than organizing ad hoc to accomplish the missions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 02, 1995
- Accession Number
- ADA299361
Entities
People
- Peter E. Davis
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College