Army Special Operations Leaders Describe Their Role in a Large-Scale War

Task & Purpose reports that Army Special Operations Command leaders are weighing how their small teams would fit into a war fought by large conventional formations. Two generals discussed it at the annual Association of the United States Army conference.

Key points

• The speakers: Lt. Gen. Lawrence "Gil" Ferguson, who leads USASOC, and Brig. Gen. Joseph Wortham, commander of 1st Special Forces Command.
• The force: USASOC has 22,000 soldiers and about 10,000 civilian employees, spread across the 75th Ranger Regiment, seven Special Forces groups, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, seven PSYOP battalions and five Civil Affairs battalions.
• Beyond combat: Both generals pointed to reconnaissance, psychological operations and work with allied forces. Wortham called his troops one of the "sensors" feeding the joint force.
• Freeing up divisions: Ferguson said Civil Affairs units could take over work with host-nation partners after big units seize ground, so division and corps combat power can keep moving.
• Relationships: Ferguson said Green Berets spend most of their careers in one region and often know senior military leaders in allied countries.

Quick take

The article notes that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan relied heavily on small special operations teams, while a war with China or Russia would look more like past division-scale fights. Wortham would not detail how special operators have been used in the Iran war but said they have not lacked missions.

Read the full story at Task & Purpose.