Army Special Forces Doctrine: Supporting the Objective Force
Abstract
This paper examines Army Special Forces doctrine and compares it to the requirements of the Objective Force. It then makes recommendations for changes to Special Forces doctrine. The discussion begins with a review of the missions assigned to USCINCSOC by Section 167, Chapter 6, Title X of the U.S. Code. Once the special operations missions mandated by Congress are identified, the context of the Objective Force - the world as it may exist in 2030 - is postulated. It is cooperative security as described by Barry Posen and Andrew Ross in Competing Visions for U.S. Grand Strategies. The doctrinal tenants of likely adversaries are briefly discussed; they are based on the projections of MG Robert H. Scales, Jr. (Ret.) in America is Army in Transition: Preparing for War in the Precision Age. The National Security Strategy and National Military Strategy are also examined. The tenets of U.S. strategy described in those documents are carried into the future largely unchanged. The capabilities and requirements of the Objective Force are painted in broad strokes; the details are not discussed. The biggest doctrinal difference for the Objective Force is in how the force will see the battlefield. The leaders of the Legacy Force make contact, develop the situation and maneuver their forces. Leaders of the Objective Force will understand the situation, move their forces and then make contact. U.S. Special Forces doctrine is examined and compared to probable Objective Force requirements. The major mismatch is in the area of timely information and intelligence. The paper closes by recommending a number of changes to existing Special Forces doctrine. The recommendations include updating Army Special Forces doctrinal publications to use uniform verbiage; eliminate vague phraseology and subordinating all Special Forces missions to Unconventional Warfare.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA391136
Entities
People
- Stuart Pike
Organizations
- United States Army War College