Battle cries like "Rangers Lead The Way," "Night Stalkers Don't Quit," "Who Dares Wins," and "Oppressor Libre" represent the special operations units that have become an increasingly critical part of the U.S. armed forces. Special operations forces (SOF), though small in numbers, provide the National Command Authority a critical capability anywhere on the globe. Comprised of select servicemen from all services, they capitalize on the human dimension of warfare enhanced by technology. In SOF units, people are more important than hardware. They operate best in the asymmetrical environment, which is full of uncertainty, ambiguous requirements, fleeting enemies, and austere environmental conditions. These characteristics make them ideally suited for the war on terrorism.
SOF warriors are generally older than their brethren service members, have survived the rigors of extraordinary physical and mental testing, have demonstrated maturity, leadership, self-confidence, tolerance for stress, and have the savvy to function in different cultures and isolation. These quiet warriors can contribute to all operations, from humanitarian assistance to combat, adapting rapidly from one to another. Unit readiness for joint and combined operations in any theater is maintained at the highest levels through optimum resourcing and robust training. The SOF provide theater commanders with a low-visibility, flexible, economy-of-force option capable of land, sea, and air infiltration. They can support conventional forces or operate independently. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, they have been active in no less than 40 countries around the world—as part of the conflicts in Panama, the Persian Gulf, Somalia, Haiti, the Balkans—and now wherever the war on terrorism will take them.
The principal missions of SOF are special reconnaissance, unconventional warfare, direct action, combating terrorism, counterproliferation (weapons of mass destruction), information operations, and foreign internal defense. They also contribute to coalition support, security assistance, humanitarian assistance, combat search and rescue, countermine activities, and counterdrug operations. As was the case during Operation Desert Storm, special reconnaissance teams infiltrate to observe and verify information on enemy and environmental characteristics. SOF are ideally suited for unconventional warfare (guerrilla warfare and low-visibility operations) conducted primarily with indigenous or surrogate forces, as in the Vietnam War. In a direct action mission, such as Operation Just Cause in Panama, SOF conduct short-duration strikes to destroy, capture, seize, or recover designated personnel or material. At the extreme end of sensitive missions are the specially trained counterterrorist units ready for hostage rescue and counterproliferation. Civil affairs SOF exploit and influence relations between the military and civilian authorities and the civilian population. Psychological warfare conveys selected information to foreign audiences to shape behaviors favorable to friendly force objectives. Participation in foreign internal defense efforts—like the United States is providing to Colombia—provides the civilian and military agencies of host nations with the ability to protect their society from insurgency and nonstate subversion.
SOF have been involved continuously in humanitarian assistance operations, such as in Somalia and Haiti. Downed pilots were saved using SOF combat search-and-rescue teams during the war over Kosovo. Countermine activities in Southeast Asia and Africa have been organized and led by SOF teams. Their contribution to detecting, monitoring, and countering illegal drug trafficking has been invaluable to our nation's counterdrug efforts.
Army SOF is made up of Rangers, Special Forces, special operations aviation, civil affairs, psychological warfare, and counterterrorist units. Rangers are experts in airfield seizures, raids, ambushes, and prisoner of war recovery operations. Unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, and strategic reconnaissance fall to Special Forces. The finest Army aviators are in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, which employs sophisticated helicopters with advanced navigation, communications, and weapon packages. Civil affairs units win the hearts and minds of the local populace, while psychological warfare units shape perceptions and rally support for the U.S. efforts. The Army's counterterrorist unit is the best hostage rescue force in the world.
Navy special operations forces, consisting of Sea-Air-Land (SEAL) teams and special boat units, provide an unequaled maritime unconventional warfare capability. The SEALs conduct direct action, special reconnaissance, and unconventional warfare. Maritime special operations are supported by special boat units employing high-speed watercraft for insertion and extraction of SEAL teams.
The Air Force's fixed- and rotary-wing SOF aircraft allow medium- to long-range insertion, extraction, resupply, and fire support during periods of limited visibility deep within hostile territory. The Special Tactics Group consists of combat controllers, weathermen, and pararescuemen equipped to: establish and control aircraft landings, takeoffs, and resupply drops; administer emergency medical support; and provide terminal guidance for air-delivered munitions.
The Marine Corps continuously trains special operations forces on a cyclic basis in support of amphibious force deployments. These Marine Expeditionary Units (Special Operations Capable) are ideally suited for noncombatant evacuation operations, raids in the littorals, combat search and rescue, and in-extremis hostage rescues.
Special operations forces provide theater commanders rapidly deployable, flexible capabilities throughout the range of conflict to support allied and coalition operations. These highly trained warriors with language and regional expertise can adapt to the complex, uncertain, and demanding reality of asymetric warfare. Their sense of camaraderie, brotherhood and care for each other expressed as "never leave a fallen comrade" was displayed in the Mogadishu battle of October 1993.
Retired Army Major General Grange was commander of the 75th Ranger Regiment and he commanded the 1st Division before retiring two years ago. He is the Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of the Robert R. McCormick Tribune Foundation.
Who Are Our Quiet Warriors?
By Major General David L. Grange, USA (Ret.)