United States special operations forces

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United States Special Operations Forces (SOF) are components of the Department of Defense's United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM).

The U.S. military definition of Special Operations Forces according to the Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms is "Those Active and Reserve Component forces of the Military Services designated by the Secretary of Defense and specifically organized, trained, and equipped to conduct and support special operations. Also called SOF".^[1] The definition in the DOD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms references Joint Publication 3-05.1 - Joint Special Operations Task Force Operations (JP 3-05.1) as its source.^[1]^[2]

List of SOF units

★ Represents a unit led by a Brigadier General or Rear Admiral (lower half)

★★ by a Major General or Rear Admiral (upper half)

★★★ by a Lieutenant General or Vice Admiral

Joint Special Operations Command

Joint Special Operations Command ★★★^[3]

United States Army

Army Rangers during a training course, 2011

United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) ★★★^[3]
- 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) (Provisional) ★★^[3]
  - Special Forces Regiment^[3]
    - 1st Special Forces Group^[3]
    - 3rd Special Forces Group^[3]
    - 5th Special Forces Group^[3]
    - 7th Special Forces Group^[3]
    - 10th Special Forces Group^[3]
    - 19th Special Forces Group (Army National Guard)^[3]
    - 20th Special Forces Group (Army National Guard)^[3]
  - Military Information Support Operations Command^[3]
    - 4th Military Information Support Group^[3]
    - 6th Military Information Support Group^[3]
  - 95th Civil Affairs Brigade^[3]
    - 91st Civil Affairs Battalion^[3]
    - 92nd Civil Affairs Battalion^[3]
    - 96th Civil Affairs Battalion^[3]
    - 97th Civil Affairs Battalion^[3]
    - 98th Civil Affairs Battalion^[3]
  - 528th Sustainment Brigade^[3]
    - 112th Signals Battalion^[3]
    - Special Troops Battalion^[3]
    - 195th Support Company (National Guard)^[3]
    - 197th Support Company^[3]
- 75th Ranger Regiment^[3]
  - 1st Ranger Battalion^[3]
  - 2nd Ranger Battalion^[3]
  - 3rd Ranger Battalion^[3]
  - 75th Ranger Special Troops Battalion^[3]
- US Army Special Operations Aviation Command (ARSOAC) ★^[3]
  - 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR)^[3]
  - Special Operations Aviation Training Battalion^[3]
- John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School ★★^[3]
  - Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne)^[3]
  - Special Warfare Education Group (Airborne)^[3]
  - Special Warfare Medical Group (Airborne)^[3]

United States Marine Corps

Marine Raiders conduct combat operations in eastern Afghanistan

United States Navy

Navy SEALs desert training exercise, 2004

Naval Special Warfare Command (NSWC) ★★^[3]
- Naval Special Warfare Group 1^[3]
  - SEAL Teams 1, 3, 5, 7^[3]
  - Logistics Support Unit 1^[3]
  - Naval Special Warfare Unit 1^[3]
  - Naval Special Warfare Unit 3^[3]
- Naval Special Warfare Group 2^[3]
  - SEAL Teams 2, 4, 8, 10^[3]
  - Logistics Support Unit 2^[3]
  - Naval Special Warfare Unit 2^[3]
  - Naval Special Warfare Unit 4^[3]
  - Naval Special Warfare Unit 10^[3]
- Naval Special Warfare Group 3^[3]
  - SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1^[3]
  - Logistics Support Unit 3^[3]
  - SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1 Detachment 1^[3]
- Naval Special Warfare Group 4^[3]
  - Special Boat Team 12^[3]
  - Special Boat Team 20^[3]
  - Special Boat Team 22^[3]
  - NAVSCIATTS^[3]
- Naval Special Warfare Group 10^[3]
  - Support Activity 1^[3]
  - Support Activity 2^[3]
  - Mission Support Center^[3]
  - Cultural Engagement Unit^[3]
- Naval Special Warfare Group 11^[3]
  - SEAL Teams 17, 18 (Navy Reserve)^[3]
- Naval Special Warfare Center^[3]
  - Basic Training Command^[3]
  - Advanced Training Command^[3]
- United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group^[3]

United States Air Force

Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) ★★★^[3]
- 1st Special Operations Wing^[3]
  - 1st Special Operations Group^[4]
- 24th Special Operations Wing^[3]
  - 720th Special Tactics Group^[5]
    - 17th Special Tactics Squadron^[5]
    - 21st Special Tactics Squadron^[5]
    - 22d Special Tactics Squadron^[5]
    - 23d Special Tactics Squadron^[5]
    - 26th Special Tactics Squadron^[5]
  - 724th Special Tactics Group^[5]
    - 24th Special Tactics Squadron^[5]
    - 724th Intelligence Squadron^[5]
- 27th Special Operations Wing^[3]
  - 27th Special Operations Group^[6]
- 193d Special Operations Wing (Air National Guard)^[3]
  - 193d Special Operations Squadron
- 919th Special Operations Wing (Air Force Reserve)^[3]
  - 919th Special Operations Group^[7]
    - 2d Special Operations Squadron (Nellis AFB)^[7]
    - 5th Special Operations Squadron^[7]
    - 711th Special Operations Squadron^[7]
- 352d Special Operations Wing (Provisional)^[3]
- 353rd Special Operations Group^[3]
  - 1st Special Operations Squadron^[9]
  - 17th Special Operations Squadron^[9]
  - Detachment 1, 43rd Intelligence Squadron^[9]
  - 320th Special Tactics Squadron^[9]
- Air Force Special Operations Air Warfare Center ★★^[3]
  - 19th Special Operations Squadron^[10]
  - 551st Special Operations Squadron^[10]
  - 5th Special Operations Squadron (USAF Reserves)^[10]
  - 371st Special Operations Combat Training Squadron^[10]
  - 280th Combat Communications Squadron^[10]
  - 18th Flight Test Squadron^[10]
  - 6th Special Operations Squadron^[10]
  - United States Air Force Special Operations School^[10]

SOF career fields

United States Army

Enablers^[11]

Sustainers
Army Special Operations Aviators
Military Information Support Operators (Psychological Operations)
Civil Affairs Soldiers
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^[11]

Special Operations Capabilities Specialist
Combat Services Specialist

United States Navy

Navy SEALs
Special warfare combatant-craft crewmen (SWCC)
Special amphibious reconnaissance corpsman (SARC)

Enablers^[11]

United States Air Force

Officers

Combat Rescue Officer (CRO) - PJ officers
Special Tactics Officer (STO) - CCT/SOWT officers
Air Liaison Officer (ALO)* - TACP officers

Enlisted

Combat Control (CCT)
Pararescue (PJ)
Special Operations Weather Technician (SOWT)
Tactical Air Control Party (TACP)*

* Note: ALO/TACP are not inherently designated SOF, only ALO/TACP belonging to Special Tactics Squadrons which are under AFSOC, the vast majority of TACPs/ALOs are in Air Support Operations Squadrons which belong to Air Combat Command.

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
Recon and Surveillance Leaders Course (RSLC) - Fort Bening, 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)
Marine Special Operations School – 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 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^[12]
JTAC Advanced Instructor Course – Nellis AFB, NV^[13]
Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center, Naval Air Station Fallon, NV
US Navy Rescue Swimmer school, Pensacola, Florida
US Coast Guard Special Mission Training Center, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

Commands

United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM)^[11]
- Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC)^[11]
- United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC)^[11]
- United States Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC)^[11]
- United States Naval Special Warfare Command (NSWC)^[11]
- United States Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC)^[11]
- Special Operations Command – Joint Capabilities (SOC-JC)
- Theater Special Operations Commands
  - Special Operations Command Africa (SOCAFRICA)^[11]
  - Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT)^[11]
  - Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR)^[11]
    - Joint Special Operations Air Component Europe
  - Special Operations Command Pacific (SOCPAC)^[11]
  - Special Operations Command South (SOCSOUTH)^[11]^[14]
  - Special Operations Command North (SOCNORTH)^[15]^[11]
  - Special Operations Command Korea (SOCKOR)^[11]

Notes

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 special operations forces. Dtic.mil. Retrieved on 2014-05-24.
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↑ http://www.yumasun.com/news/military_news/air-force-becomes-newest-ypg-tenant/article_86301f97-82f9-57a8-8f72-c741ed862483.html
↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
↑ Special Operations Command South
↑ U.S. Special Operations Command, North (Provisional Command) > U.S. Northern Command > Article View. Northcom.mil (2013-05-16). Retrieved on 2014-05-24.

References

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External links

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

[autogeneratedmil-1] 1.0 ^1.1 special operations forces. Dtic.mil. Retrieved on 2014-05-24.

[2] Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

[2015_socom_fact_book-3] 3.00 ^3.01 ^3.02 ^3.03 ^3.04 ^3.05 ^3.06 ^3.07 ^3.08 ^3.09 ^3.10 ^3.11 ^3.12 ^3.13 ^3.14 ^3.15 ^3.16 ^3.17 ^3.18 ^3.19 ^3.20 ^3.21 ^3.22 ^3.23 ^3.24 ^3.25 ^3.26 ^3.27 ^3.28 ^3.29 ^3.30 ^3.31 ^3.32 ^3.33 ^3.34 ^3.35 ^3.36 ^3.37 ^3.38 ^3.39 ^3.40 ^3.41 ^3.42 ^3.43 ^3.44 ^3.45 ^3.46 ^3.47 ^3.48 ^3.49 ^3.50 ^3.51 ^3.52 ^3.53 ^3.54 ^3.55 ^3.56 ^3.57 ^3.58 ^3.59 ^3.60 ^3.61 ^3.62 ^3.63 ^3.64 ^3.65 ^3.66 ^3.67 ^3.68 ^3.69 ^3.70 ^3.71 ^3.72 ^3.73 ^3.74 ^3.75 ^3.76 ^3.77 ^3.78 ^3.79 ^3.80 ^3.81 ^3.82 ^3.83 ^3.84 ^3.85 ^3.86 ^3.87 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

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[12] ttp://www.yumasun.com/news/military_news/air-force-becomes-newest-ypg-tenant/article_86301f97-82f9-57a8-8f72-c741ed862483.html

[13] Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

[14] Special Operations Command South

[15] U.S. Special Operations Command, North (Provisional Command) > U.S. Northern Command > Article View. Northcom.mil (2013-05-16). Retrieved on 2014-05-24.

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v t e United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM)
Portal:Military of the United States
United States Army USASOC	Units U.S. Army Special Forces Command U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School 75th Ranger Regiment 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment 4th Military Information Support Group 8th Military Information Support Group 95th Civil Affairs Brigade 528th Sustainment Brigade Types Special Forces Rangers Psychological Operations	100px
United States Marine Corps MARSOC	Units Marine Raider Regiment Marine Raider Support Group Marine Special Operations School Types United States Marine Corps Critical Skills Operator
United States Navy NAVSPECWARCOM	Units Naval Special Warfare Group 1 Naval Special Warfare Group 2 Naval Special Warfare Group 3 Naval Special Warfare Group 4 Naval Special Warfare Group 10 Naval Special Warfare Group 11 Naval Special Warfare Center Types Navy SEALs Special warfare combatant-craft crewmen
United States Air Force AFSOC	Units 1st Special Operations Wing 24th Special Operations Wing 27th Special Operations Wing 352d Special Operations Wing 353d Special Operations Group Types Pararescue Combat Control Team Special Operations Weather Technician Combat Rescue Officer Special Tactics Officer
Special Mission Units JSOC	DoD Joint Communications Unit Army 1st SFOD - Delta (Delta Force) Intelligence Support Activity Navy Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU / SEAL Team Six) Air Force 24th Special Tactics Squadron
Theater Special Operations Commands	SOCAFRICA SOCCENT SOCEUR SOCKOR SOCPAC SOCSOUTH SOCJFCOM
Source: SOCOM 2013 Fact Book

United States special operations forces

Contents

List of SOF units

Joint Special Operations Command

United States Army

United States Marine Corps

United States Navy

United States Air Force

SOF career fields

United States Army

United States Marine Corps

United States Navy

United States Air Force

U.S. Special Operations centers, schools, and courses

Commands

Notes

References

External links

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