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

Abstract

Special Operations Forces (SOF) are small, elite military units with special training and equipment that can infiltrate into hostile territory through land, sea, or air to conduct a variety of operations, many of them classified. SOF personnel undergo rigorous selection and lengthy specialized training. The U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) oversees the training, doctrine, and equipping of all U.S. SOF units. Special Operations Forces play a significant role in U.S. military operations and the Administration has given U.S. SOF greater responsibility for planning and conducting worldwide counterterrorism operations. U.S. SOF's growing need for enabling forces that are largely drawn from conventional forces is a potential policy issue for congressional consideration.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 22, 2009
Accession Number
ADA502706

Entities

People

  • Andrew Feickert

Organizations

  • Library of Congress

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Biomedical
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Active Duty
  • Air Force
  • Air Force Facilities
  • Aircraft Equipment
  • Aircrafts
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Department Of Defense
  • Military Force Levels
  • Military Organizations
  • National Security
  • Psychological Operations
  • Rotary Wing Aircraft
  • Special Forces
  • Special Operations Forces
  • United States Special Operations Command
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Irregular Warfare and Special Operations Cyberspace Operations against Adversarial Threats.

Technology Areas

  • Fully Networked C3