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United States special operations forces

Special Forces of the United States of America

United States special operations forces

Special Forces of the United States of America

United States special operations forces (SOF) are the active and reserve component forces of the United States Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force within the US military, as designated by the secretary of defense and specifically organized, trained, and equipped to conduct and support special operations. All active and reserve special operations forces are assigned to the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM).

Composition

; Component commands

  • United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM)
    • Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC)
    • United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC)
    • United States Marine Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC)
    • United States Naval Special Warfare Command (NSWC)
    • United States Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC)
    • Theater Special Operations Commands
      • Special Operations Command Africa (SOCAFRICA)
      • Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT)
        • Joint Interagency Task Force – Counter Terrorism (JIATF-CT – Afghanistan)
        • Special Operations Command Central Forward (SOCCENT FWD)
        • Special Operation Command Forward Yemen (SOC FWD-Y)
        • SOCCENT Cultural Engagement Group (CEG)
      • Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR)
        • Joint Special Operations Air Component Europe
      • Special Operations Command Pacific (SOCPAC)
      • Special Operations Command South (SOCSOUTH)
      • Special Operations Command North (SOCNORTH)
      • Special Operations Command Korea (SOCKOR)

:★★★ Represents a unit led by a lieutenant general or vice admiral :★★ Represents a unit led by a major general or rear admiral (upper half) :★ Represents a unit led by a brigadier general or rear admiral (lower half)

Joint Special Operations Command

Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) ★★★

  • 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (Airborne) (1st SFOD-D) (A) (USA)
    • A Squadron (Assault)
    • B Squadron (Assault)
    • C Squadron (Assault)
    • D Squadron (Assault)
    • E Squadron (Aviation)
    • G Squadron (Intelligence, Reconnaissance, & Surveillance)
    • Combat Support Squadron
    • Signal Squadron
  • Naval Special Warfare Development Group (USN)
    • Blue Squadron (Assault)
    • Gold Squadron (Assault)
    • Red Squadron (Assault)
    • Silver Squadron (Assault)
    • Black Squadron (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance)
    • White Squadron (EOD Tactics Development & Evaluation Squadron)
    • Gray Squadron (Mobility Teams, Transportation/Divers)
    • Green Squadron (Selection/Training)
    • X Squadron (Experimental, R&D, technical innovations)
    • Combat Support Squadron
    • Technical Support Squadron (Tactical Cryptologic Support, Tactical Information Operations)
  • Regimental Reconnaissance Company (RRC) (USA)
    • RRC Team 1
    • RRC Team 2
    • RRC Team 3
    • RRC Team 4 (?)
    • RRC Team 5 (?)
    • RRC Team 6 (?)
  • 24th Special Tactics Squadron (24th STS) (USAF)
    • Black Team
    • Blue Team
    • Gold Team
    • Red Team
    • Silver Team
    • Integrated Survey Program Team
    • Green Team (OTC – Assessment, Selection, Training)
  • Joint Communications Unit (Joint Service)
    • A Squadron
    • B Squadron
    • C Squadron
    • D Squadron
    • Quick Reaction Team (QRT)
    • Special Mission Troop (SMT)
    • Executive Communications Detachment
  • Joint Cyber Operations Group (JCOG) (Formerly Joint Communications Integration Element/JCIE)(Joint Service)
  • Joint Special Operations Command Intelligence Brigade (JSOCIB)
    • Joint Exploitation Squadron (JES)
    • Joint GEOINT Squadron
    • Joint Processing, Exploitation and Dissemination (JPED) Squadron
      • Geospatial Exploitation Troop (GET)
      • Joint Exploitation Troop
    • Joint Targeting Squadron (JTS)
      • Joint SIGINT Targeting and Exploitation Troop (JSTET)
      • Joint Publicly Available Information (PAI) Troop
      • Interrogation and Exploitation Troop
  • 427th Special Operations Squadron (USAF)
  • Intelligence Support Activity (USA)

United States Army

1-10th Special Forces Group secure their weapons after a day of training at the Panzer Range Complex, Boeblingen, Germany, November 8, 2016
Army Rangers during a training operation

United States Marine Corps

United States Navy

Navy SEALs during night operation in Afghanistan.
SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team (SDV) 2 conduct diving lock out
SWCC from Special Boat Team 22 operating a SOC-R
  • Naval Special Warfare Command (NAVSPECWARCOM) ★★
    • Naval Special Warfare Group ONE
      • SEAL Team 1
      • SEAL Team 3
      • SEAL Team 5
      • SEAL Team 7
      • Logistics Support Unit 1
      • Naval Special Warfare (NSW) Unit 1
      • Naval Special Warfare (NSW) Unit 3
    • Naval Special Warfare Group TWO
      • SEAL Team 2
      • SEAL Team 4
      • SEAL Team 8
      • SEAL Team 10
      • Logistics Support Unit 2
      • Naval Special Warfare (NSW) Unit 2
      • Naval Special Warfare (NSW) Unit 4
      • Naval Special Warfare Unit (NSW) 10
    • Naval Special Warfare Group FOUR
      • Special Boat Team 12 (SBT-12)
      • Special Boat Team 20 (SBT-20)
      • Special Boat Team 22 (SBT-22)
      • Naval Small Craft Instruction and Technical Training School (NAVSCIATTS)
    • Naval Special Warfare Group EIGHT
      • SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1 (SDVT-1)
      • SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 2 (SDVT-2); was reactivated on 8 March 2019
      • Logistics Support Unit 3
      • Special Reconnaissance Team 1
      • Special Reconnaissance Team 2
      • Training Detachment 3
      • Mission Support Center
    • Naval Special Warfare Group ELEVEN
      • SEAL Team 17 (Navy Reserve)
      • SEAL Team 18 (Navy Reserve)
    • Naval Special Warfare Center
    • Basic Training Command
    • Advanced Training Command

United States Air Force

SOF career fields

United States Army

al-Tanf, Syria
  • Special Forces
  • Rangers
  • Psychological Operations (Military Information Support Operators) -- active duty units that fall under United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) only; United States Army Reserve and National Guard psyops units are conventional forces and not SOF.
  • Civil Affairs Soldiers -- similar to MISO, only active duty units that fall under USASOC are SOF; Reserve and National Guard Civil Affairs units are conventional forces and not SOF.
  • Other career fields, such as aviators, HUMINT collectors, and SIGINT collectors, when serving in units that fall under USASOC or USSOCOM command.

United States Marine Corps

  • Special Operations Officers
  • United States Marine Corps Critical Skills Operator (CSO)
  • Special Operations Capabilities Specialist -- when assigned to MARSOC only.
  • Combat Services Specialist -- when assigned to MARSOC only.

United States Navy

  • Navy SEALs
  • Special warfare combatant-craft crewmen (SWCC)
  • Special amphibious reconnaissance corpsman (SARC) -- when assigned to MARSOC and NSWC only
  • United States Navy EOD (EOD) - when assigned to NSWC only
  • United States Navy Diver (ND/UCT) -- when assigned to NSWC only

United States Air Force

  • Combat Control (CCT)
  • Special Reconnaissance (SR)
  • Special Tactics Officer (STO)
  • Special Operations Surgical Team (SOST)
  • Combat Aviation Advisor (CAA)
  • Pararescuemen (PJ)
  • Combat Rescue Officer (CRO)
  • Tactical Air Control Party (ST TACP)
  • Tactical Air Control Party Officer (ST TACP-O)

Not all PJs/CROs are assigned to AFSOC; many are assigned to Rescue Squadrons within ACC, PACAF, and USAFE. There is no difference in training or selection between Rescue and Special Tactics assignments.

TACP-O/TACP Airmen must undergo additional selection and training to be assigned to AFSOC Special Tactics Squadrons. Most are assigned to ACC and support conventional Army Units.

U.S. special operations centers, schools, and courses

Special Missions Training Center
  • Joint Special Operations University – Hurlburt Field
  • Advanced Special Operations Techniques Course (ASOTC) – Fort Bragg
  • John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School – Fort Bragg
  • Military Free Fall Advanced Tactical Infiltration Course (ATIC) – Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona
  • Naval Special Warfare Center – Coronado, California
  • Naval Special Warfare Advanced Training Command, Imperial Beach, CA
  • Naval Small Craft Instruction and Technical Training School- John C. Stennis Space Center, Mississippi
  • Recon and Surveillance Leaders Course (RSLC) – Fort Benning, Georgia
  • Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat (SFAUC) – Fort Bragg
  • Special Forces Combat Diver Qualification Course – Key West, Florida
  • Special Forces Sniper Course (SFSC) – Fort Bragg
  • Special Forces Advanced Targeting Reconnaissance Target Analysis Exploitation Techniques (SFARTAETC)
  • Special Forces Physical Surveillance Course
  • SOF Sensitive Site Exploitation, Technical Exploitation Course
  • SOF Sensitive Site Exploitation, Operator Advanced Course
  • Special Forces Master Mountaineering Course (Level 1)
  • Special Forces Senior Mountaineering Course (Level 2)
  • Winter Warfare, Mountain and Cold Weather Operations
  • Special Forces Technical Surveillance (SFTSC)
  • Operational Emergency Medical Skills Course (SOF)
  • Special Missions Training Center/Joint Maritime Training Center, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
  • Marine Raider Training Center – Camp Lejeune
    • Marine Corps Special Operations Training Group
  • US Army Ranger Assessment and Selection Program (RASP) – Fort Benning, Georgia
  • US Army Small Unit Ranger Tactics (SURT) – Fort Benning, Georgia
  • USAF Combat Dive Course – NDSTC Panama City, Florida
  • USAF Combat Control School – Pope Field, North Carolina
  • USAF Pararescue Recovery Specialist Course – Kirtland AFB, NM
  • USAF Special Operations School – Hurlburt Field, FL
    • Special Tactics Training Squadron
  • Special Operations Terminal Attack Control Course (SOTACC), Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona
  • JTAC Advanced Instructor Course – Nellis AFB, NV
  • Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center, Naval Air Station Fallon, NV
  • US Navy Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center (NDSTC), Panama City Beach
  • US Navy Rescue Swimmer school, Pensacola, Florida
  • US Coast Guard Aviation Survival Technician Training Center, Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina
  • International Special Training Center (ISTC) – Pfullendorf, Federal Republic of Germany

References

  • {{Cite book
  • {{Cite book
  • {{Cite book
  • {{Cite book
  • {{cite web|url=http://www.specwarnet.net/sf.htm |access-date=8 October 2006
  • {{cite book|last1=Feickert|first1=Andrew|title=U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF): Background and Issues for Congress|date=6 January 2017|publisher=Congressional Research Service|location=Washington, DC|url=https://fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RS21048.pdf|access-date=18 April 2018

References

  1. Joint Chiefs of Staff. (16 July 2014). "Special Operations". Department of Defense.
  2. "10 U.S. Code § 167 - Unified combatant command for special operations forces". Cornell Law School.
  3. (2014). "SOCOM 2014 Factbook".
  4. "Special Operations Command South".
  5. [http://www.northcom.mil/Newsroom/FactSheets/ArticleView/tabid/3999/Article/1900/us-special-operations-command-north-provisional-command.aspx U.S. Special Operations Command, North (Provisional Command) > U.S. Northern Command > Article View]. Northcom.mil (16 May 2013). Retrieved on 2014-05-24.
  6. SOCOM Public Affairs. (2015). "SOCOM Fact Book 2015". SOCOM Public Affairs.
  7. "Joint Communications Unit | JCU | Fort Bragg, NC".
  8. Trevithick, Joseph. "Shedding Some Light on the Pentagon's Most Shadowy Aviation Units".
  9. (25 August 2021). "U.S. Naval Special Warfare Command Establishes Group Eight, Disestablishes Groups Three and Ten".
  10. (15 September 2021). "To take on Russia and China, the US Navy is standing up a new unit to do the missions that only SEALs can do".
  11. (May 2013). "NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE". [[Naval Special Warfare Center]].
  12. (25 February 2019). "SEALs revive stealthy submarine delivery team in Virginia". Navy Times.
  13. (2022). "Fact Book 2022".
  14. (1 July 2015). "1st Special Operations Group fact sheet".
  15. (1 July 2015). "24th Special Operations Wing fact sheet".
  16. (1 July 2015). "27th Special Operations Wing fact sheet".
  17. (2022). "Fact Book 2022".
  18. (1 July 2015). "919th Special Operations Wing fact sheet".
  19. (1 July 2015). "352d Special Operations Wing fact sheet".
  20. (1 July 2015). "353rd Special Operations Group fact sheet".
  21. (1 July 2015). "Air Force Special Operations Air Warfare Center".
  22. Jacobs, Jeffrey. (2017-10-03). "No, Sending Civil Affairs Reservists through the Active Duty Training Pipeline Won’t Solve the Army’s Civil Affairs Problems".
  23. "Career Paths".
  24. (19 January 2015). "Unit Info".
  25. "Policy changes allow Airmen to retrain into special ops".
  26. WULLENJOHN, CHUCK. "Air Force becomes newest YPG tenant".
  27. (6 February 2013). "Enlisted heroes receive graduate-level education at Weapons School".
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