SOF: The Engagement Force of Choice

Abstract

The U.S. Armed Forces advance National Security by applying military power as directed to shape the international environment and respond to the full spectrum of crises. These shaping and responding operations have greatly increased over the past 5 years. This paper highlights the role of Special Operations Forces (SOF) within these operations and explains why Special Operations Forces should be the engagement force of choice. This SRP explores the current Special Operations Forces apportioned to each regional CINC, and describes the unique skills and attributes that SOF personnel possess. It further describes the US Army, Air Force, and Navy Special Operations Force; their core missions, capabilities, limitations, and command and control organizations, and how these units are ideally organized, trained, and equipped to conduct the full range of engagement activities required by today's National Military Strategy. The focus of the paper is to describe each services' Special Operations Force and provide a clear understanding of the missions and capabilities of SOF, in order to demonstrate why SOF should be the engagement force of choice.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 12, 2001
Accession Number
ADA389858

Entities

People

  • Jeffrey L. Putz

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Biomedical
  • C4I
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Civil Affairs
  • Combat Areas
  • Combat Operations
  • Command And Control
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Governments
  • International Organizations
  • Military Operations
  • Military Organizations
  • National Security
  • Psychological Operations
  • Special Operations Forces
  • United States
  • United States Special Operations Command
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Irregular Warfare and Special Operations Cyberspace Operations against Adversarial Threats.
  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.

Technology Areas

  • Fully Networked C3
  • Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control