US Army Special Operations Command

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US Army Special Operations Command

The American Way of Special Operations Warfighting “Two Different but Mutually Supporting Forms of Special Operations”

Special Warfare “Wade into Uncertainty…and

prevail”

Surgical Strike “Squeeze out uncertainty…then

execute”

Unconventional Warfare Foreign Internal Defense

MISO COIN

Civil-Military Operations

Units capable of conducting sabotage,

subversion, and insurgent activities for

extended periods in denied areas and

advising, assisting, and training partner nation

forces in COIN & Special Operations.

Units trained and equipped to provide a

primarily unilateral, scalable, direct action

capability that is skilled in hostage rescue,

kill/capture operations against designated targets, and other specialized tasks.

Counterterrorism Counter-Proliferation

Hostage Rescue Recovery Operations

1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 10th, 19th, 20th Special Forces Groups

Special Missions Unit

75th Ranger Regiment

95th Civil Affairs Brigade 4th, 8th, Military Information Support Operations Groups

Army Special Operations Air Command 528th Sustainment Brigade (Special Operations) (Airborne)

C1/1, B2/3, A1/5, C3/7, C1/10, C2/10 Combatant Commander In-Extremis Force

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US Army Special Operations Command

ARSOF Operational Art

Ends / Objectives: - What do our forces need to do? - How can USASOC better facilitate Joint Force Commanders? - What ‘menu of options’ can we provide

Ways/Forms of Special Opns: -What mix of Special Warfare and Surgical Strike is right to achieve the desired ends? - How are the two ‘ways’ of Special Operations blended together in campaigns to achieve the objectives?

Means / Resources Available: - What capabilities are we lacking to execute the ways/achieve the ends? - Do we need a different structure/org? - How do we man/train/educate/equip our force to plan the campaigns and execute these operations? - How do we best sustain these efforts? - Where are we over/under invested?

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What is SOF Operational Art? Objective: Seamless and persistent special operations support to Joint Force Commanders worldwide that attrits enemy will and capability over time thru a synergistic combination of

special warfare and surgical strike. Enabling Friendly Networks: Improve

partner capabilities to reduce their friction and uncertainty, thereby

increasing their efficacy.

Disabling Enemy Networks: Introduce friction and uncertainty into enemy

networks, thereby increasing their cost of doing business.

“Wade into Uncertainty”

“Squeeze out Uncertainty”

US Army Special Operations Command

Human Domain Land Domain

Combined Arms Maneuver

UW / CT / CP COIN, SFA, FID U.S. Army Range of Military Operations

USASOC TRADOC Doctrine / Training

Readiness

FORSCOM Army Foundational Activities

Army Conventional Force Core

Competency

Army Special Operations Force Core

Competency

CF: Conventional Force CP: Counter-Proliferation CT: Counter-Terrorism FORSCOM: Forces Command SOF: Special Operations Force USASOC: U.S. Army Special Operations Command TRADOC: Training & Doctrine Command UW: Unconventional Warfare USAJFKSWCS = Army Special Operations Center of Excellence

7th WFF: CF and SOF Interdependence

Land Domain + Human Domain = Strategic Landpower

ARSOF and Strategic Landpower

US Army Special Operations Command

Keys to enduring SOF-CF Partnership

• Change our cultures. – Cultures are built upon our collective behaviors, which are taught and reinforced through Professional

Military Education.

• Change our Professional Military Education. – Curriculum is predicated upon doctrine.

• Change our doctrine. – Integrate ARSOF doctrine with the Army-wide Doctrinal and Training Literature publications.

• Concept development informs insightful, relevant doctrine. – Introduction of a 7th War Fighting Function.

Once doctrine and leadership development is changed, organization/personnel/materiel changes will follow

US Army Special Operations Command

Questions