In response to today’s dynamic nonlinear operating environment, the United States Air Force Security Forces is executing a dramatic transformation of its Doctrine, Organization, Training, Materiel, Leadership, Personnel, and Facilities. These...
The emphasis on special operations and specifically unconventional warfare (UW) has grown significantly since the end of the Gulf War. The contemporary operational environment (COE) in which the U.S. military operates today is dictating this...
United States Army Special Forces (SF) has played a critical role in prosecuting the Global War on Terror. Their ability to wage unconventional warfare remains their trademark. Operations in Afghanistan and northern Iraq demonstrated SF's ability...
Since the end of the “Cold War” in 1989, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has had a reduction in its ability to perform its tenet missions: Foreign Intelligence Collection, Covert Action, and Counter Intelligence. This is primarily due to...
This monograph examines the doctrinal mission focus of U.S. Army Special Forces to determine if it is appropriate to prepare the force to meet the requirements of the post-Cold War environment. The study suggests that current doctrine, largely...
The current task organization of Army Special Forces was developed fifty years ago to execute missions in a very specific operational environment against a threat that was simple to template. In the twenty-first century this organization is no...
Our nation is at war, but this war is unlike any we have ever fought. It is a war fought without formal declaration and without concrete resolution. Our adversaries are willing to circumvent our military forces by striking directly against the U.S....
The American people expect the military to win future engagements with greater efficiency to reduce costs. Our National Military Strategy, Joint Vision 2010, and other keystone joint publications seek to answer their expectation by espousing...
Special Forces (SF) has several characteristics that distinguish it from other forces in the U. S. military. Among these characteristics are a high level of maturity, a broader experience level, and regional orientation. Because of these...
The Sunni tribal uprising against Al Qaeda in Iraq, known as the Anbar Awakening, was the decisive event in the counterinsurgency campaign in Iraq. To capitalize on discontent between the Sunni population and Al Qaeda, U.S. commanders on the ground...
This thesis focuses on the impact of character in Special Forces (SF), or its lack thereof, through the historical analysis of various warrior sects and key historical figures. This research then contrasts current perceptions of character within SF...
Operational interoperability, the ability of units to provide services to and accept services from other units or forces and to use the services so exchanged to enable them to operate effectively together, is critical and central to effective joint...
This study investigates the contributions made by the U.S. Army Special Forces (SF) during the Persian Gulf conflict. Particular emphasis is placed on each mission performed by the SF during operations DESERT SHIELD/ DESERT STORM. Emphasis is...
This monograph examines the use of Foreign Internal Defense (FID) and Unconventional Warfare (UW) as the primary means of preventing global insurgency. The paper is broken into four sections. The History section gives a basic background of Special...
The 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review directs the Military Services to develop, within their general-purpose forces (GPF), the capability to conduct security force assistance, more specifically to train, advise, and assist foreign security forces....
This study investigates the aspects and nature of unconventional warfare operations from pre-Cold War, Cold War, and post-Cold War environments. The case studies examined are: unconventional warfare operations in the Philippines (World War II),...
This study examines the historical utility of the Ranger units since World War II. The research concept employs the study of three representative historical examples from World War II, Korea, and Ranger operations during Operation Just Cause....
In this interview MAJ Haskell discusses his deployment to Afghanistan in support of OEF in 2004. MAJ Haskell has deployed four times in support of the Global War on Terror (GWOT) but for him this was his crucible experience as a leader and a SF...