Book Description

This fourth edition of the Special Operations Forces Reference Manual was redesigned to support the Joint Special Operations University's academic mission. It provides general information on U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force Special Operations Forces (SOF). More specifically, this document is designed to accomplish three broad purposes: 1. Provide a single primary source of reference material on all SOF components; 2. Provide an overview of special operations and SOF to facilitate a broader understanding of SOF capabilities to academic institutions and personnel who may not routinely use this data; 3. Provide standard SOF reference data to SOF faculty members at professional military education institutions for use in their instruction. The target audience for this manual spans from special operations staff officers and enlisted personnel at United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), its component and subordinate commands, the theater special operations commands, conventional force/unified commands and their staffs that may employ SOF in their areas of responsibility to partner-nation staffs, and both civilian and military educational institutions. This reference manual is doctrinally based, drawing information and data from joint, USSOCOM, and service publications. Chapter 1 * Introduction to Special Operations * Special Operations * Four Factors for Successful Special Operations * Characteristics of Special Operations * SOF Truths * SOF Ethic and Culture - Quiet Professionals * Doctrinal Overview of Special Operations Forces * Successful Conduct * United States Special Operations Command * Joint Special Operations * Shaping Environments * The Strategic Environment * Attributes of SOF * Precision Strike and Effects * Tailored and Integrated Operations * Ubiquitous Access * Regional Expertise, Presence, and Influence * C4ISR Dominance * Agile and Unconventional Logistics * Force Protection and Survivability * SOF Operational Framework/SOF Operating Concept * Special Operations and Strategic Challenges * SOF Operating Concept * SOF Core Activities * Stability Operations * Support Considerations for SOF * Chapter 2 * Special Operations Force Structure * United States Special Operations Command * USSOCOM-A Unique Organization * Headquarters, U.S. Special Operations Command (HQ USSOCOM) * USSOCOM J2 Intelligence * USSOCOM J3 Operations * Global Mission Support Center (GMSC) * SOF Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (SOF AT&L) * USSOCOM J5 Strategy, Plans, and Policy * USSOCOM J6 Communications Systems * USSOCOM J8 Force Structure, Requirements, Resources, and Strategic Assessments Directorate * Special Operations Financial Management (SOFM) * USSOCOM Directorate of Force Management and Development (FMD) (J1, J7, J9, and Joint Special Operations University) * Joint Special Operations University (JSOU) * USSOCOM Organizations * Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) * Theater Special Operations Commands (TSOCs) * Special Operations Command, Africa (SOCAFRICA) * Special Operations Command, Central (SOCCENT) * Special Operations Command, Europe (SOCEUR) * Special Operations Command, Korea (SOCKOR) * Special Operations Command, North (SOCNORTH) * Special Operations Command, Pacific (SOCPAC) * Special Operations Command, South (SOCSOUTH) * SOF Operational Command and Control * Special Operations Forces Joint Task Force * Command and Control of SOF in Theater * Role of the TSOC Commander * Forming a SOF Command and Control Structure (JSOTF or JFSOCC) * SOF as the Lead for a Joint Task Force * Notional Organization of a JSOTF * Joint Special Operations Air Component (JSOAC) * SOF Integration with Conventional Operations and Forces * Joint Military Information Support Task Force (JMISTF) * Joint Civil-Military Operations Task Force (JCMOTF) * NATO Special Operations Component Command