Army Special Operations Forces and Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) Integration: Something a Joint Task Force Commander Should Consider

Abstract

Due to the current and future world events, the United States Armed Forces have to be more flexible, far reaching, and timely to react to or deter conflict. To meet these demands the military must have interoperability, which in this monograph means jointness. This monograph addresses whether it is beneficial in future conflict for a JTF commander to integrate ARSOF with a MEU (SOC). This monograph does not address the current issue of the Marine Corps developing a unit for Special Operations Command (SOCOM). However, the paper explores the possibility of the interoperability of the MEU (SOC), a conventional marine unit, and ARSOF. Operation Assured Response and Operation Enduring Freedom - Philippines are used as case studies. The analysis of the case studies reveals issues of basing, logistics, force protection, MEDEVAC, and mobility. Each issue is addressed with the benefits of integrating ARSOF and a MEU (SOC). To make the recommendations a reality, the monograph concludes that there is a need to improve the officer education system, update doctrine, and the MEU (SOC) and ARSOF need interoperability training during the MEU pre-deployment training. The theme of the monograph is interoperability and timeliness. Today, the U.S. military is deployed worldwide. To meet the demands there needs to be an understanding of jointness. One service cannot accomplish all the current missions alone. During planning, staffs and commanders should understand the power and consider utilizing the combined capabilities of ARSOF and the MEU (SOC). This monograph demonstrates that by using ARSOF and the MEU (SOC), JTF commanders would have more versatility and responsiveness.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 26, 2004
Accession Number
ADA429745

Entities

People

  • Kevin T. Henderson

Organizations

  • United States Army Command and General Staff College

Tags

Communities of Interest

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

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Afghanistan Conflict
  • Amphibious Operations
  • Combatant Commanders
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Department Of State
  • Employment
  • Logistics
  • Military Organizations
  • Military Science
  • National Security
  • Personnel Management
  • Rotary Wing Aircraft
  • Unified Combatant Commands
  • United States Pacific Command
  • United States Special Operations Command
  • United States Transportation Command
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Irregular Warfare and Special Operations Cyberspace Operations against Adversarial Threats.
  • Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.