Special Forces: The Peacetime Regional Engagement Force of Choice ... and More.
Abstract
Regional engagement is a strategy that has no back door. Once a nation commits to that strategy and begins to energize it, there is no easy way out. Regional engagement has three levels of engagement: engagement in peacetime, engagement in conflict and engagement in war. Combatant Commanders utilize these different levels of regional engagement to foster development in their Area of Responsibility (AOR). As long as the United States demonstrates global leadership and promotes global cooperation, the U.S. military will be committed to this strategy for a long period of time. In regional engagement, U.S. Army Special Forces are the common denominator. Special Forces enter the engagement process on the ground floor during the peacetime engagement process and stay in theater throughout the continuum of conflict. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the "uniqueness" of Special Forces in terms of application in CINCs' engagement strategies. The second purpose is to familiarize other branches of the Army and other services on the versatility and applicability of Special Forces. Commanders need to understand the capabilities of Special Forces in order to increase their chances for success in an uncertain future.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 05, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA363185
Entities
People
- Sean P. Mulholland
Organizations
- Naval War College