U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF): Background and Issues for Congress

Abstract

Special Operations Forces (SOF) play a significant role in U.S. military operations and the Administration has given U.S. SOF forces greater responsibility for planning and conducting worldwide counterterrorism operations. Despite a recommendation from the 9/11 Commission, a recent study reportedly recommends that paramilitary operations should not be shifted from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). The Department of Defense (DoD) has recently approved a series of retention bonuses for selected SOF non-commissioned officers (NCOs) and warrant officers in an attempt to prevent them from leaving the service for higher paying civilian positions. DoD is reportedly also considering transferring Civil Affairs from USSOCOM to conventional forces. This report will be updated as events warrant.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 09, 2005
Accession Number
ADA476656

Entities

People

  • Andrew Feickert

Organizations

  • Library of Congress

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Active Duty
  • Air Force
  • Aircraft Equipment
  • Civil Affairs
  • Counterterrorism
  • Department Of Defense
  • Green Berets
  • Military Organizations
  • National Guard
  • National Security
  • Psychological Operations
  • Rotary Wing Aircraft
  • Special Forces
  • Special Operations Forces
  • Tilt Rotor Aircraft
  • United States Special Operations Command
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Government and Public Administration Law.
  • Irregular Warfare and Special Operations Cyberspace Operations against Adversarial Threats.
  • Military Leadership and Professional Education.

Technology Areas

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