Special Forces: Creating Synergy in the Contemporary Operating Environment

Abstract

An irregular enemy opposing U.S. and partner forces in an expeditionary, nonlinear battlespace defines the contemporary operating environment (COE) and postmodern warfare. This environment calls for improving our methods of operating, identifying, and building upon our strengths, and applying multiple efforts to achieve our national end state. Does the current doctrine help Special Forces commanders facilitate the successful integration of forces, capabilities, and effects in the COE? General purpose forces, Special Forces, and partner nation forces must achieve some degree of interoperability to create synergy. The purpose of this paper is to review current doctrine with regard to command relationships, battlespace, and liaisons and to see if there are methods that Special Forces, partner nation forces, and general purpose forces can use to attain this all-important synergy. This monograph will show that commanders from both general purpose forces and Special Forces are striving to attain synergy. These commanders are applying joint doctrine in a descriptive manner, focusing mission accomplishment. Special Forces commanders understand the importance of the liaison functions and are multitasking subordinate units to fulfill this need while conducting other special operations.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 2007
Accession Number
ADA479396

Entities

People

  • Glenn R. Bollinger Iii

Organizations

  • United States Army Command and General Staff College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • C4I
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Asymmetric Warfare
  • Combat Areas
  • Combatant Commanders
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Military Force Levels
  • Military Operations
  • Military Organizations
  • Military Science
  • National Security
  • Special Forces
  • Special Operations Forces
  • Terrorism
  • Terrorists
  • Unconventional Warfare
  • Unified Combatant Commands
  • Urban Areas
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Aerospace logistics and air mobility.
  • Irregular Warfare and Special Operations Cyberspace Operations against Adversarial Threats.
  • Systems Analysis and Design