United States special operations forces explained

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.^{[1] [2]} All active and reserve special operations forces are assigned to the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM).^[2]

Composition

Component commands

• United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM)^[3]
  • Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC)
  • United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC)
  • United States Marine Corps 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)^[4]
    • Special Operations Command North (SOCNORTH)^[5]
    • 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) ★★★^[6]

• 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, Reconnaissance, & Surveillance)
  • 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)
  • RRD Team 1
  • RRD Team 2
  • RRD Team 3
• 24th Special Tactics Squadron (24th STS) (USAF)
  • Black Team
  • Blue Team
  • Gold Team
  • Gray Team
  • Silver Team
  • Integrated Survey Program Team
  • Green Team (OTC – Assessment, Selection, Training)
• Joint Communications Unit^[7] (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^[8] (USAF)
• Intelligence Support Activity (USA)

United States Army

• United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) ★★★
  • 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) ★★
    • 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne)
      • Headquarters Company
      • 1st Battalion
      • 2nd Battalion
      • 3rd Battalion
      • 4th Battalion
      • Group Support Battalion
    • 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
      • Headquarters Company
      • 1st Battalion
      • 2nd Battalion
      • 3rd Battalion
      • 4th Battalion
      • Group Support Battalion
    • 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
      • Headquarters Company
      • 1st Battalion
      • 2nd Battalion
      • 3rd Battalion
      • 4th Battalion
      • Group Support Battalion
    • 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
      • Headquarters Company
      • 1st Battalion
      • 2nd Battalion
      • 3rd Battalion
      • 4th Battalion
      • Group Support Battalion
    • 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
      • Headquarters Company
      • 1st Battalion
      • 2nd Battalion
      • 3rd Battalion
      • 4th Battalion
      • Group Support Battalion
    • 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne) (Army National Guard)
      • Headquarters Company
      • 1st Battalion
      • 2nd Battalion
      • 3rd Battalion
      • Group Support Company
    • 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne) (Army National Guard)
      • Headquarters Company
      • 1st Battalion
      • 2nd Battalion
      • 3rd Battalion
      • Group Support Company
    • 4th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne)
      • Headquarters Company
      • 6th POB(A) Battalion
      • 7th POB(A) Battalion
      • 8th POB(A) Battalion
    • 8th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne)
      • Headquarters Company
      • 1st POB(A) Battalion
      • 5th POB(A) Battalion
      • 9th POB(A) Battalion
    • 95th Civil Affairs Brigade (Airborne)
      • 91st Civil Affairs Battalion
      • 92nd Civil Affairs Battalion
      • 96th Civil Affairs Battalion
      • 97th Civil Affairs Battalion
      • 98th Civil Affairs Battalion
    • 528th Sustainment Brigade, Special Operations (Airborne)
      • Special Troops Battalion
        • 197th Special Troops Support Company (Texas Army National Guard)
      • 112th Special Operations Signal Battalion
      • 389th Military Intelligence Battalion (Airborne)
  • 75th Ranger Regiment
    • 1st Ranger Battalion
    • 2nd Ranger Battalion
    • 3rd Ranger Battalion
    • Regimental Military Intelligence Battalion (Intelligence, Reconnaissance, & Surveillance)
      • Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment
      • Cyber Electromagnetic Activities (CEMA) Company
      • Military Intelligence Company
    • Special Troops Battalion
      • Regimental Reconnaissance Company
  • U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command (USASOAC) ★
    • 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne)
      • Headquarters Company
      • 1st Battalion
      • 2nd Battalion
      • 3rd Battalion
      • 4th Battalion
    • USASOC Flight Company (UFC)
    • Special Operations Training Battalion (SOATB)
    • Systems Integration Management Office (SIMO)
    • Technology Applications Program Office (TAPO)
    • Special Operations Aviation Training Battalion
  • United States Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (USAJFKSWCS) ★★
    • 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne)
    • 2nd Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne)
    • Special Warfare Education Group (Airborne)
    • Special Warfare Medical Group (Airborne)

United States Marine Corps

• United States Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) ★★
  • Marine Raider Regiment
    • 1st Marine Raider Battalion
    • 2nd Marine Raider Battalion
    • 3rd Marine Raider Battalion
  • Marine Raider Support Group
    • 1st Marine Raider Support Battalion
    • 2nd Marine Raider Support Battalion
    • 3rd Marine Raider Support Battalion
  • Marine Raider Training Center

United States Navy

• 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^{[9] [10]}
    • SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1 (SDVT-1)
    • SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 2 (SDVT-2);^[11] was reactivated on 8 March 2019^[12]
    • Logistics Support Unit 3
    • Special Reconnaissance Team 1^[13]
    • 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

• Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) ★★★
  • 1st Special Operations Wing
    • 1st Special Operations Group^[14]
      • 4th Special Operations Squadron
      • 8th Special Operations Squadron
      • 9th Special Operations Squadron
      • 15th Special Operations Squadron
      • 23rd Weather Squadron
      • 34th Special Operations Squadron
      • 319th Special Operations Squadron
  • 24th Special Operations Wing
    • 720th Special Tactics Group^[15]
      • 17th Special Tactics Squadron
      • 21st Special Tactics Squadron
      • 22nd Special Tactics Squadron
      • 23rd Special Tactics Squadron
      • 26th Special Tactics Squadron
      • 720th Operations Support Squadron
    • 724th Special Tactics Group
      • 24th Special Tactics Squadron
      • 724th Operations Support Squadron
      • 724th Intelligence Squadron
      • 724th Special Tactics Support Squadron
  • 27th Special Operations Wing
    • 27th Special Operations Group^[16]
      • 3rd Special Operations Squadron
      • 9th Special Operations Squadron
      • 16th Special Operations Squadron
      • 20th Special Operations Squadron
      • 33rd Special Operations Squadron
      • 56th Special Operations Intelligence Squadron
      • 73rd Special Operations Squadron
      • 318th Special Operations Squadron
      • 524th Special Operations Squadron
  • 137th Special Operations Wing (Air National Guard)^[17]
  • 193d Special Operations Wing (Air National Guard)
    • 193d Special Operations Squadron
  • 919th Special Operations Wing (Air Force Reserve)
    • 919th Special Operations Group^[18]
      • 2d Special Operations Squadron
      • 5th Special Operations Squadron
      • 711th Special Operations Squadron
  • 352d Special Operations Wing (Provisional)
    • 7th Special Operations Squadron^[19]
    • 67th Special Operations Squadron
    • 321st Special Tactics Squadron
  • 353rd Special Operations Group
    • 1st Special Operations Squadron^[20]
    • 17th Special Operations Squadron
    • Detachment 1, 43rd Intelligence Squadron
    • 320th Special Tactics Squadron
  • 492nd Special Operations Wing ★
    • 19th Special Operations Squadron^[21]
    • 6th Special Operations Squadron
    • 18th Flight Test Squadron
    • 280th Combat Communications Squadron
    • 371st Special Operations Combat Training Squadron
    • 551st Special Operations Squadron
    • United States Air Force Special Operations School

SOF career fields

United States Army

• Special Forces
• Rangers
• Psychological Operations (Military Information Support Operators)
• Civil Affairs Soldiers
• Army Special Operations Aviators
• Military Intelligence and other Special Operations/Support with enlisted Special Qualification (SQI) Identifier "S" or "K9" for Officers.

United States Marine Corps

• United States Marine Corps Critical Skills Operator (CSO)
• Enablers
• Special Operations Capabilities Specialist
• Combat Services Specialist

United States Navy

• Navy SEALs
• Special warfare combatant-craft crewmen (SWCC)
• Special amphibious reconnaissance corpsman (SARC)
• United States Navy EOD (EOD)
• Enablers (TECH)

United States Air Force

• Combat Rescue Officer
• 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)
• Psychological Operations

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.^[22]

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.^[23]

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

• International Special Training Center (ISTC) – Pfullendorf, Federal Republic of Germany
• 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)
• 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^[24]
• JTAC Advanced Instructor Course – Nellis AFB, NV^[25]
• Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center, Naval Air Station Fallon, NV
• US Navy Rescue Swimmer school, Pensacola, Florida
• US Coast Guard Special Missions Training Center, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
• US Coast Guard Aviation Survival Technician Training Center, Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina

See also

• United States Marine Corps Special Operations Capable Forces
• U.S. Coast Guard Deployable Specialized Forces
• U.S. Coast Guard MSST & MSRT teams
• Military Liaison Element
• Special Activities Center
• Intelligence Support Activity

References

• Book: Inside Delta Force: The Story of America's Elite Counterterrorist Unit. CSM Eric Haney (retired, former Delta Force operator and founding member). 2002. Delacorte Press. 0-385-33603-9.
• Book: Masters of Chaos: The Secret History of the Special Forces. Linda Robinson. 2004. PublicAffairs. 1-58648-249-1.
• Book: Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern Warfare. Mark Bowden. 1999. 0-87113-738-0. Atlantic Monthly Press.
• Book: Not a Good Day to Die: The Untold Story of Operation Anaconda. Sean Naylor. The Berkeley Publishing Group. 2005. 0-425-19609-7.
• Web site: Special Forces Units. 8 October 2006.
• Book: Feickert. Andrew. U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF): Background and Issues for Congress. 6 January 2017. Congressional Research Service. Washington, DC. 18 April 2018.

External links

• David Ignatius: Learning to Fight a War – Washington Post, 2008-02-10
• US Special Operation Forces – 2009 SOCOM Factbook
• American Special Operations Forces

Notes and References

1. Book: Joint Chiefs of Staff. Special Operations. Joint Publication 3-05. 16 July 2014. I-3-I-4, GL-11. Department of Defense. Washington, DC. https://web.archive.org/web/20161201152006/http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/new_pubs/jp3_05.pdf. 1 December 2016.
2. Web site: 10 U.S. Code § 167 - Unified combatant command for special operations forces . Legal Information Institute . Cornell Law School . 3 November 2023.
3. Web site: SOCOM 2014 Factbook . 2014 . 21 April 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131204133407/http://www.socom.mil/News/Documents/USSOCOM_Fact_Book_2014.pdf . 4 December 2013 . dead .
4. http://www.socso.southcom.mil/default.aspx 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
6. Book: SOCOM Public Affairs . SOCOM Fact Book 2015 . 2015 . SOCOM Public Affairs.
7. Web site: Joint Communications Unit | JCU | Fort Bragg, NC. jcu.mil. 27 October 2019.
8. Web site: Shedding Some Light on the Pentagon's Most Shadowy Aviation Units. Joseph. Trevithick. The Drive. 27 October 2019.
9. Web site: 25 August 2021 . U.S. Naval Special Warfare Command Establishes Group Eight, Disestablishes Groups Three and Ten . https://web.archive.org/web/20210829121215/https://www.dvidshub.net/news/403911/us-naval-special-warfare-command-establishes-group-eight-disestablishes-groups-three-and-ten . 29 August 2021 . 21 July 2022 . DVIDSHUB.
10. Web site: Atlamazoglou . Stavros . 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 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220707022230/https://www.businessinsider.com/new-naval-special-warfare-group-created-amid-great-power-competition-2021-9 . 7 July 2022 . 21 July 2022 . Business Insider.
11. NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE . May 2013 . . NWP 3-05 . 5 February 2019.
12. News: Faram . Mark D. . 25 February 2019 . SEALs revive stealthy submarine delivery team in Virginia . Navy Times . 17 March 2019.
13. Web site: 2022 . Fact Book 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220704041607/https://www.socom.mil/FactBook/2022%20Fact%20Book.pdf . 4 July 2022 . 21 July 2022 . SOCOM.
14. Web site: 1st Special Operations Group fact sheet. 1 July 2015.
15. Web site: 24th Special Operations Wing fact sheet. 1 July 2015.
16. Web site: 27th Special Operations Wing fact sheet. 1 July 2015.
17. Web site: 2022 . Fact Book 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220704041607/https://www.socom.mil/FactBook/2022%20Fact%20Book.pdf . 4 July 2022 . 21 July 2022 . SOCOM.
18. Web site: 919th Special Operations Wing fact sheet. 1 July 2015.
19. Web site: 352d Special Operations Wing fact sheet. 1 July 2015.
20. Web site: 353rd Special Operations Group fact sheet. 1 July 2015.
21. Web site: Air Force Special Operations Air Warfare Center . 1 July 2015 . 7 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304121352/http://www.afsoc.af.mil/Units/AirForceSpecialOperationsAirWarfareCenter.aspx . 4 March 2016 . dead .
22. Web site: Unit Info. 19 January 2015. 27 October 2019.
23. Web site: Policy changes allow Airmen to retrain into special ops. U.S. Air Force. 27 October 2019.
24. Web site: Air Force becomes newest YPG tenant. WULLENJOHN. CHUCK. Yuma Sun. 27 October 2019.
25. Web site: Enlisted heroes receive graduate-level education at Weapons School. 6 February 2013. 21 March 2013.