United States Special Operations Forces

Author : Christopher J. Lamb,David Tucker
Publisher : Columbia University Press
Page : 490 pages
File Size : 55,6 Mb
Release : 2019-11-19
Category : History
ISBN : 9780231545228

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United States Special Operations Forces by Christopher J. Lamb,David Tucker Pdf

In this book, two national-security experts put the exploits of America’s special operation forces in historical and strategic context. David Tucker and Christopher J. Lamb offer an incisive overview of America’s turbulent experience with special operations. Starting with in-depth interviews with special operators, the authors illustrate the diversity of modern special operations forces and the strategic value of their unique attributes. Despite longstanding and growing public fascination with special operators, these forces and their contribution to national security are poorly understood. With this book, Tucker and Lamb dispel common misconceptions and offer a penetrating analysis of how these unique and valuable forces can be employed to even better effect in the future. The book builds toward a comprehensive assessment of the strategic utility of special operations forces, which it then considers in light of the demands of future warfare. This second edition of United States Special Operations Forces, revised throughout to account for lessons learned in the twelve years since its first publication, includes two new case studies, one on High Value Target Teams and another on Village Stability Operations, and two new appendixes charting the evolution of special operation missions and the best literature on all aspects of U.S. special operation forces.

Author : Andrew Feickert
Publisher : DIANE Publishing
Page : 14 pages
File Size : 40,9 Mb
Release : 2010-11
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781437936490

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U. S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) by Andrew Feickert Pdf

Contents: (1) Background: Command Structures and Components; Special Operations Forces in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine, and Joint; NATO Special Operations; (2) Current Organizational and Budgetary Issues: 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review Report SOF-Related Directives; 2010 USSOCOM Posture Statement; (3) Afghanistan-Related Issues; A Change of Command Relationship for U.S. SOF; U.S. SOF Direct Action Against Afghan Insurgents; Training Village Security Forces; (4) Issues for Congress: Are Current Command Relationships and Rules of Engagement Having a Detrimental Impact on Special Operations in Afghanistan?; Are We Making the Best Use of SOF in Afghanistan?

Author : Thomas K. Adams
Publisher : Psychology Press
Page : 398 pages
File Size : 41,6 Mb
Release : 1998
Category : History
ISBN : 9780714647951

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US Special Operations Forces in Action by Thomas K. Adams Pdf

This work argues for a shift in expectations for "unconventional warfare" with a greater willingness to accept lengthy commitments and incremental progress.

Author : Linda Robinson
Publisher : Council on Foreign Relations Press
Page : 50 pages
File Size : 44,8 Mb
Release : 2013-04-01
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 0876095503

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The Future of U.S. Special Operations Forces by Linda Robinson Pdf

U.S. special operations forces are doing more things in more places than ever before. They are now active in some seventy countries and, since 2001, have seen their combined budget nearly quintuple -- a trend that seems likely to continue. As the United States seeks ways to tackle a range of security threats worldwide, shore up the resilience of its friends and allies against terrorist and criminal networks, and minimize need for large-scale military interventions, the importance of special operations forces will grow. Yet, the strategic vision for special operations forces has not kept pace with the growing demands for their skills. Most people -- and, indeed, many policymakers -- associate the special operations forces with secret nighttime raids like the one that targeted Osama bin Laden: tactical operations against a particular individual or group. The abilities of special operations forces, however, extend much further, into military training, information operations, civil affairs, and more. As the United States shifts its focus from war fighting to building and supporting its partners, the author argues, it will become critical to better define these strategic capabilities and ensure that special operations forces have the staffing and funding to succeed. The author further calls on the Pentagon to remove bureaucratic and operational obstacles to cooperation among the special operations forces of each service, and between special and conventional forces. She also recommends that all special operations forces commands work to develop a pipeline of talented, motivated officers with expertise in these issues, and that the role of civilian leadership in budget and operational oversight be reinforced.

Author : U.S. Special Operations Command
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 76 pages
File Size : 42,8 Mb
Release : 1992
Category : Low-intensity conflicts (Military science)
ISBN : COLUMBIA:CU14308789

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United States Special Operations Forces Posture Statement by U.S. Special Operations Command Pdf

Author : Dwight Jon Zimmerman,John D. Gresham
Publisher : St. Martin's Press
Page : 324 pages
File Size : 47,6 Mb
Release : 2013-12-03
Category : History
ISBN : 9781466858428

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Beyond Hell and Back by Dwight Jon Zimmerman,John D. Gresham Pdf

An inside look at seven of the most harrowing and significant Special Operations missions ever. Courage beyond reason. Loyalty beyond faith. Perseverance in the face of overwhelming adversity. These are just some of the qualities of the members of the U.S. Special Operation Forces. BEYOND HELL AND BACK details the seven defining Special Ops missions that have made the Special Operation Forces the best fighting unit in the world, including: *THE RESCUE OF BAT-21: The largest and longest Combat Search and Rescue mission in the Vietnam War lasted 17 days and cost the lives of 13 Americans—all to rescue one man and the invaluable knowledge he alone possessed. * TASK FORCE NORMANDY: Planned in secrecy and executed with flawless efficiency, Task Force Normandy was an Army/Air Force Special Operations joint op that fired the opening shots behind enemy lines in Operation Desert Storm. *OPERATION EAGLE CLAW: The devastating Special Forces operation mounted to retrieve 52 American hostages in Iran resulted in the deaths of eight members of the rescue team. This failure ultimately led to the creation of Special Operations Command. *BASHER 52: Captain Scott O'Grady was shot down over the "no fly" zone above Bosnia, and his daring rescue was one of the Marine Corps' finest operations ever. These are a few of the dramatic true tales that represent the defining moments that helped shape the operational methods, planning, and deployment for all future Special Ops missions. BEYOND HELL AND BACK is the greatest collection of Spec Ops missions ever assembled.

Author : Jessica Glicken Turnley,Kobi Michael,Eyal Ben-Ari
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 541 pages
File Size : 52,7 Mb
Release : 2017-08-09
Category : History
ISBN : 9781351802673

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Special Operations Forces in the 21st Century by Jessica Glicken Turnley,Kobi Michael,Eyal Ben-Ari Pdf

This book sets out the major social scientific approaches to the study of Special Operations Forces. Despite consistent downsizing, over the past two decades the armed forces of the industrial democracies have seen a huge growth in Special Operations Forces (SOF). Through increasing numbers of personnel and more frequent deployments, SOF units have wielded considerable influence in conflicts around the world, with senior SOF officers having led major strategic operations. This increased presence and unprecedented expansion for SOF is largely a result of the ‘new’ kinds of conflicts that have emerged in the 21st century. At the same time, even with this high profile in the military, policy and media and popular cultural arenas, there is relatively little social scientific research on SOF. This volume aims to fill this gap by providing a series of studies and analyses of SOF across the globe, since the end of World War II. Analysing SOF at the micro, mezzo and macro levels provides broad and diverse insights. Moreover, the volume deals with new issues raised by the use of such forces that include emerging modes of civilian control, innovative organizational forms and the special psychological characteristics necessitated by SOF operatives. It concludes with a discussion of a question which continues to be debated in today’s militaries: what makes SOF ‘special’? Filling a clear gap in the literature, this book will be of much interest to students of strategic studies, civil-military relations, irregular warfare, security studies, and international relations.

Author : Geoffrey T. Barker
Publisher : ABC Computers
Page : 218 pages
File Size : 47,6 Mb
Release : 1988
Category : History
ISBN : 0922004005

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A Concise History of US Army Special Operations Forces, with Lineage and Insignia by Geoffrey T. Barker Pdf

Author : Linda Robinson,Patrick B. Johnston,Gillian S. Oak
Publisher : Rand Corporation
Page : 184 pages
File Size : 47,9 Mb
Release : 2016-04-06
Category : History
ISBN : 9780833092908

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U.S. Special Operations Forces in the Philippines, 2001–2014 by Linda Robinson,Patrick B. Johnston,Gillian S. Oak Pdf

This report examines the 14-year experience of U.S. special operations forces in the Philippines from 2001 through 2014 and the activities and effects of special operations capabilities employed to address terrorist threats in Operation Enduring Freedom—Philippines through training and equipping Philippine security forces, providing operational advice and assistance, and conducting civil–military and information operations.

Author : Mark Moyar
Publisher : Basic Books
Page : 432 pages
File Size : 43,9 Mb
Release : 2017-04-25
Category : History
ISBN : 9780465093014

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Oppose Any Foe by Mark Moyar Pdf

Oppose Any Foe is the epic story of America's most elite warriors: the Special Operations Forces. Born as small appendages to the conventional armies of World War II, the Special Operations Forces have grown into a behemoth of 70,000 troops, including Navy SEALs, Army Special Forces, Air Force Night Stalkers, Special Operations Marines, Rangers, and Delta Force. Weaving together their triumphs and tribulations, acclaimed historian Mark Moyar introduces a colorful cast of military men, brimming with exceptional talent, courage and selflessness. In a nation where the military is the most popular institution, America's Special Operations Forces have become the most popular members of the military. Through nighttime raids on enemy compounds and combat advising of resistance movements, special operators have etched their names into the nation's registry of heroes. Yet the public knows little of the journey that they took to reach these heights, a journey that was neither easy nor glamorous. Fighting an uphill battle for most of their seventy-five year history, the Special Operations Forces slipped on many an occasion, and fell far on several. Presidents from Franklin Roosevelt to Barack Obama have enthusiastically championed Special Operations Forces, but their enthusiasm has often surpassed their understanding, resulting in misuse or overuse of the troops. Lacking clearly defined missions, Special Operations Forces have had to reinvent themselves time and again to prove their value in the face of fierce critics-many of them from the conventional military, which from the start opposed the segregation of talent in special units. Highlighting both the heroism of America's most elite soldiers and the controversies surrounding their meteoric growth, Oppose Any Foe presents the first comprehensive history of these special warriors and their daring missions. It is essential reading for anyone interested in America's military history-and the future of warfare.

Author : Samuel A. Southworth
Publisher : Da Capo Press
Page : 290 pages
File Size : 50,8 Mb
Release : 2009-03-25
Category : History
ISBN : 9780786730810

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U.s. Special Forces by Samuel A. Southworth Pdf

President George W. Bush has told all Americans that the war against terrorism would be like no other war. But what does this mean? Who will fight? How will they fight? What weapons will be used? Most informed commentators agree that the war against terrorism will be fought largely by "special forces"—that is, by a relatively new community within the American military known as Special Operations Forces, or SOF's. This new "branch" of the armed forces was created in the mid–1980s and is organized under its own unified command, called U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM). Consisting of special units from the other branches of the armed forces, such as Green Berets, Rangers, SEALs, and Delta Force, this new fighting command is recognized internationally as the most well-trained and well-equipped special operations force in the world. Their missions are varied—including combat terrorism, search and rescue, reconnaissance, humanitarian assistance, peacekeeping duty, and conventional and unconventional warfare.Despite special forces' international reputation for excellence, Americans know little about this remarkable fighting force. U.S. Special Forces provides a handy and comprehensive compendium, including descriptions of the units and their operational specialties, training, and organization, as well as the equipment and technological gadgetry, weapons, armor, planes, helicopters, and support vehicles used by each unit.

Author : Susan Marquis
Publisher : Brookings Institution Press
Page : 348 pages
File Size : 42,8 Mb
Release : 2011-02-01
Category : History
ISBN : 0815720297

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Unconventional Warfare by Susan Marquis Pdf

For four decades after World War II, U.S. Special Operations Forces—including Army Special Forces, Navy SEALs, Air Force special operations aircrews and Special Tactics Group—suffered from mistrust and inadequate funding from the military services. They were nearly eliminated from the active force following the Vietnam War. But in the past fifteen years, special operations forces have risen from the ashes of the failed 1980 rescue of American hostages in Iran to become one of the most frequently deployed elements of the U.S. military. They are now adequately funded, better-equipped, and well-trained. Special operations forces are often the nation's first military response when faced with a crisis in today's uncertain and unstable international security environment. What caused this dramatic turnaround? As this book shows, it was a long way from congressional outrage at TV images of burned bodies of U.S. servicemen in the Iranian desert to the establishment of a special operations force of nearly 45,000 active and reserve personnel. The drama of how this happened sheds light on how public policy is made and implemented. It illustrates the complex interaction between internal forces within the special operations community, as well as between the executive and legislative branches of the U.S. government. The implementation of legislation establishing a special operations capability is seen to rebuild and protect these forces to an extent never imagined by the early "quiet professionals." While offering insights into how the U.S. government makes policy, Susan Marquis also offers a revealing look at the special operations community, including their storied past, extreme training, and recent operational experience that continues to forge their distinctive organizational mission and culture. She describes the decade-long struggle to rebuild special operations forces, resulting in new SOF organizations with independence that is unique among U.S. militar

Author : Fred J. Pushies
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 134 pages
File Size : 44,6 Mb
Release : 2003
Category : Iraq War, 2003-2011
ISBN : 1610606906

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Special Ops- America's Elite Forces in 21st Century Combat by Fred J. Pushies Pdf

Author : Anonim
Publisher : Turner Publishing Company
Page : 180 pages
File Size : 49,7 Mb
Release : 2006-01-31
Category : Special forces (Military science)
ISBN : 9781596521568

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Special Operations Association by Anonim Pdf

Author : John M. Collins
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 192 pages
File Size : 47,8 Mb
Release : 1987
Category : Soviet Union
ISBN : PSU:000012889846

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United States and Soviet Special Operations by John M. Collins Pdf