Special Forces Critique

To answer this gap, the Office of Special Warfare (OSW) was developed to be the focal point for USASOC’s UW capability. With this change, each 4th Battalion across the regiment was redesigned to build a build a full spectrum UW capability in support of the Theatre Special Operations Command (TSOC) and Joint Force Commanders. It was during this re-design that the modern Jedburgh was re-born. Much like the World War II era Jedburghs, many skilled operators across the regiment jumped at the opportunity to enter a new phase of conflict and increase their skills in the application of unconventional warfare. With this personal commitment came the understanding that time would be allotted to build a small cohesive team with training and education needed to succeed in complex environment. This theory would soon be diminished because many of the newly selected Jedburghs, riding on the success of Jedburghs some seventy-two years ago, would be thrown straight into complex environment without the needed education and training. Premature operationalization of the Jedburghs has effected training, education, and organizational design needed to build a long lasting unconventional warfare

Special Forces soldiers work in foreign lands with situations which are not always completely clear from its beginning. The Special Operation Imperatives serve as the base for success by providing the framework to develop and assist the host nation in achieving their desired goals. Through this essay I will use the novel “The Ugly American” (William J. Lederer & Eugene Burdick) to provide context to the benefits of applying such imperatives and the consequences of improper application. I will bring to light the actions of the characters and depict the reasons why the application of the imperative made the character succeed or fail in his desired goal.

SOF were organized into five individual task forces with specific roles and responsibilities: Joint Special Operations Task Force-North (JSOTF-N), know as Task Force Dagger; Joint Special Operations Task Force-South (JSOTF-S), known as Task Force K-Bar; Task Force Sword; The Joint Inter Agency Task Force – Counter Terrorism (JIATF-CT), known as Task Force Bowie; and

In chapter two, weThe Special Operations Forces (SOF) Imperatives are the foundation for conducting Special Operations; however, they also can serve as a guide to ensure success for American efforts abroad. As Special Forces Soldiers, we are constantly in positions where we are working with other nations. Our actions can cause political implications, both good and bad. It is important to adhere to the SOF Imperatives and be aware of the effects that our decisions can have. In the book, The Ugly American, there are many examples of how characters either applied or ignored SOF Imperatives. In this paper, I will demonstrate how the characters Louis Krupitzyn, Father John Finian, and Colonel Edwin Hillandale applied SOF Imperatives to reach their

Diplomacy is the art of dealing with foreign countries and their people in a sensitive and effective way. The ability to influence people and situations contributes to effective American diplomacy. In The Ugly American William J. Lederer and Eugene Burdick comment on the nature of American diplomacy in 1950s Southeast Asia. They identify the characteristics and effects of both inept and skilled diplomacy. The book highlights knowledge of language, history, and culture as critical components to the ability to influence indigenous populations. In many ways the situations and characters described in the book mirror situations and challenges faced by Special Operations Forces (SOF) today. Special Operations Imperatives are a planning tool that SOF use to influence people and situations they encounter. In order to understand the influence and effects of proper application of the Special Operations Imperatives the stories of Homer Atkins, Colonel Hillandale and Solomon Asch provide a setting to compare and contrast with my own experiences in Afghanistan, Iraq and Jordan.

The Special Reconnaissance (SR) adopts intelligence gathering and surveillance. This is the gathering and verification of important information about potential plans or intentions of terrorist groups and organized criminals. In addition, other relevant pieces of information such as hydrographic, geographic and meteorological features of a location are utilized in predicting the activities of terrorists.

Tactically, Regionally Aligned Forces will afford a greater degree of mission predictability and stability. U.S. forces must improve their comprehension of the operational environment. With Regionally Aligned Forces, cultural, language awareness, and regional expertise

Special Operations brethren. We can only do so much with what we have. We will

The book, The Ugly American, demonstrates how American influence abroad can be constructive or destructive. The book consists of a series of vignettes of US representatives wielding the balance of power and influence while working abroad. Special Operations Forces (SOF) hold the same power when deployed. SOF elements, are often known as warrior-diplomats, because of their roles and responsibilities. SOF imperatives are rules operators follow to help enhance their operations. Within The Ugly American many characters portray SOF imperatives, either positively and/or negatively.

….The US invasion of Grenada in 1983 involved Special Forces in many crucial capacities and revealed serious weaknesses in SOF capabilities. This resulted on more focused attention from the Reagan administration, which created a program specifically to improve the forces. But the key development would be passage of the Goldwater-Nichols Act in 1986, which created the US Special Operations Command, for the first time putting SOF from all the armed services under the same top

This exercise, while excellent for students, merely scratches the surface of the complexity that accompanies an UW mission. Building rapport with a G-Chief and training his guerrilla fights often seems like a walk in the park compared to developing strategic options for a UW campaign, tying the plan into the Joint, Inter-agency, Inter-governmental, and Multi-National (JIIM) partners, deploying as a singleton or small team to failed and steady states, operating in region specific language, and all the tasks related to UW. To gain a graduate level understand of UW, well thought out and complex training must be received to fully train on the numerous tasks outlined in TC 18.01, Special Forces Unconventional Warfare. This training is needed to ensure each Jedburgh team has the ability to build Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and build a strong cohesive foundation. If the situation deteriorates in outside declared theatre of active armed conflict (ODTAAC) environments, Jedburghs do not have a division of infantry to run back to. They have well-rehearsed SOPs and a solid plan to evade hostile entities. Support could be days away, not minutes

Diplomacy is the art of dealing with foreign countries in a sensitive and effective way. The ability to influence the people contributes to effective American diplomacy. In, The Ugly American, William J. Lederer and Eugene Burdick, comment on the nature of American diplomacy in 1950s Southeast Asia. They identify the characteristics and effects of both inept and skilled diplomacy. The book highlights knowledge of the language, history, and culture as critical components to the ability to influence indigenous populations. In many ways the situations and characters described in the book, mirror the situations and challenges faced by Special Operations Forces (SOF) today. The Special Operations Imperatives are a planning tool that SOF use to influence the people and situations they encounter. In order to understand the influence and effects of proper application of the Special Operations Imperatives the stories of Homer Atkins, Colonel Hillandale and Solomon Asch provide a setting to compare and contrast with my own experiences in Afghanistan, Iraq and Jordan.

work at the Afghan National Army Officer Academy, we are helping to develop the next

While today the Special Forces Operations Units are seen as heroes and the highest caliber of enlisted men in the Army, they were not initially seen as an elite group. Perhaps the Special Forces did not receive the recognition they deserved because their successes in psychological and counterinsurgency warfare strategies were immeasurable during World War II and the Korean War. President Kennedy’s administration would lead the way for the Army’s Green Berets and later the Navy SEALS. However, it wasn’t until the Vietnam War that unconventional warfare, or guerilla warfare as it became known, was utilized in a capacity that would expand the effectiveness and duties of the Special Forces Units.

Lack of coordination even among one government agency with some leaning towards aggression while others opted for negotiations shows the level of unpreparedness to move forward with the mission. The government knew that they had been compromised but instead of adopting less risky options, they decided to move in with little or incorrect intelligence about the