United States Special Operations Command

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For the videogame series, see SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALS. For the firearm, see MK23 SOCOM.
File:USSOCOM.emblem.jpg
Emblem of the United States Special Operations Command.

The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM or USSOC) is charged with overseeing the various Special Operations Commands (SOC or SOCOM) of each branch of the U.S. military. The command is part of the U.S. Department of Defense. When Special Operations Forces (SOF) of different branches are used for the same operation, USSOCOM acts as the Joint Command Center (JCC) of all the forces used in the operation. USSOCOM is headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida.

List of USSOCOM commanders

Name and Affiliation Start of Term End of Term
Gen. James J. Lindsay, US Army April 1987 June 1990
Gen. Carl W. Stiner, US Army June 1990 May 1993
Gen. Wayne A. Downing, US Army May 1993 February 1996
Gen. Henry H. Shelton, US Army February 1996 September 1997
Rear Adm. Raymond C. Smith, Jr., US Navy (interim)   September 1997 November 1997
Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker, US Army November 1997 October 2000
Gen. Charles R. Holland, US Air Force October 2000 September 2003
Gen. Bryan D. Brown, US Army September 2003 present

Component Commands (incomplete)

Each SOC is unique and capable of running their own operations, but when the different SOF need to work together for an operation, USSOCOM becomes the JCC of the operation, instead of a SOC of a specific branch. Joint Special Operations Command is under the command of USSOCOM.

Air Force

The Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) is in charge of the different SOF of the U.S. Air Force. The command currently oversees:

Active-duty


Reserves & National Guard

Army

The U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) is in charge of the Special Operations Forces (SOF) of the U.S. Army. The command currently oversees:

  • United States Army Special Forces Command (USASFC)(Green Berets)
    • 1st Special Forces Group - 1st Battalion stationed in Okinawa, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions headquartered at Fort Lewis, Washington. 1st SFG has responsibility for the Pacific.
    • 3rd Special Forces Group - Headquartered at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. 3rd SFG has responsibility for all of Africa except for the eastern Horn of Africa.
    • 5th Special Forces Group - Headquartered at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. 5th SFG has responsibility for the Middle East, Persian Gulf, Central Asia and the Horn of Africa (HOA).
    • 7th Special Forces Group - Headquartered at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. 7th SFG has responsibility for Latin and Central America as well as the Caribbean (along with 20th SFG).
    • 10th Special Forces Group - 1st Battalion stationed near Stuttgart, Germany, and the 2nd and 3rd Battalions are headquartered at Fort Carson, Colorado. 10th SFG has responsibility for Europe, mainly Central and Eastern, the Balkans, Turkey, Israel and Lebanon.
    • 19th Special Forces Group - National Guard unit for the Special Forces. 19th SFG has responsibility over Southeast Asia (shared with 5th SFG), as well as the Pacific (shared with 1st SFG).
    • 20th Special Forces Group - National Guard unit for the Special Forces. 20th SFG has an area of responsibility covering 32 countries, including Latin America south of Mexico, the waters, territories, and nations in the Carribean sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and the southwestern Atlantic Ocean. The total area covers 15.6 square miles, and is shared with 7th SFG.
  • 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (SFOD-D, Delta Force)
  • 75th Ranger Regiment (U.S. Army Rangers, Light Infantry)
  • 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Night Stalkers, Helicopters)
  • 4th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne) Psychological Operations (PSYOP)
  • 96th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne) Civil Affairs (CA)
    • U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (USACAPOC) was recently moved under the control of U.S. Army Reserve Command and is responsible to overseeing all Reserve Civil Affairs and PSYOP units. The 96th Civil Affairs Bn (A) and the 4th PSYOP Group (A) represent active duty Civil Affairs and PSYOP and fall directly under USASOC. USASOC retrains proponency for all Civil Affairs and PSYOP doctrine and training.
  • Special Operations Support Command (Airborne)
    • 112th Special Operations Signal Battalion (Airborne)
    • 528th Special Operations Support Battalion (Airborne)
    • Material Management Center (Airborne)
    • five Special Operations Theater Support Elements
  • John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center (USAJFKSWCS) and its schools:

The U.S. Naval Special Warfare Command (NAVSPECWARCOM) is in charge of the different SOF of the U.S. Navy, particularly the different SEAL Teams. The command currently oversees:

Marine Corps

Marine Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC), as the US Marine Corps component of USSOCOM, trains, organizes, equips and, when directed by the Commander, USSOCOM, deploys task organized, scaleable, and responsive U.S. Marine Corps special operations forces worldwide in support of combatant commanders and other agencies.

  • Marine Special Operations Regiment (consisting of two Marine Special Operations Battalions)
  • 24 planned Foreign Military Training Units (FMTUs)
  • Marine Special Operations Support Group

The FMTU has been operating since 2005; before MARSOC formally existed. MARSOC was formally activated in a February 24th ceremony at Camp Lejeune, N.C., where MARSOC is now headquartered. Fox Company, 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion, was the first of the Marine Special Operations Battalions' companies to activate in the Spring of 2006. Drawing its manpower from the core of 2nd Force Reconnaissance Co., Fox Company's creation came at the expense of 2nd Force Reconnaissance Co., which stood down upon the transfer of its platoons to both MARSOC's 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion, and a new company (Delta) of 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion.

JSOC

The JSOC (Joint Special Operation Command) is the USSOCOM branch working on counter terrorism. It controls the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (SFOD-D, Delta Force), which is administratively under U.S Army command; the DEVGRU (Navy Special Warfare Development Group, formerly SEAL Team 6); parts of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne); and ISA and SMU, which is a secret unit that often changes name and carries out special missions.

Joint Special Operations University (JSOU)

Official sites

References

  1. USDOD. U.S. DOD Dictionary of Military Terms. United States of America: U.S. Department of Defense. June 5, 2003.
  2. USDOD. U.S. DOD Dictionary of Military Terms: Joint Acronyms and Abbreviations. United States of America: U.S. Department of Defense. June 5, 2003.
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