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Revision as of 08:32, 8 March 2007

The United States Special Operations Forces is the official category where the United States Department of Defense lists the U.S. military units that have a training specialisation in unconventional warfare and special operations. Special Operations Forces are often referred to incorrectly as US Special Forces, which, in actuality, is the official name for the Green Berets.

The Department refers to such units (and similar foreign organisations) as Special Operations Forces (SOF).

General information

During peacetime, SOF units are usually under the operational command of their assigned branch of the military. However, the Secretary of Defense can place all Special Operations Forces, as well as US Navy SEAL units, selected units of the US Air Force, and other units under the direct control of the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM), usually in time of active hostilities.

U.S. SOF units have the same basic role in warfare as the special forces of most other countries, supplying small, elite units that can operate far behind enemy lines on sabotage, reconnaissance, counter-insurgency and other missions. Most have extensive airborne training.

Rangers on patrol

List of United States Special Operations Forces

Counter-Terrorist Units

Special Operation Forces

United States Army

United States Navy

United States Air Force

United States Air Force

United States Marine Corps

United States Coast Guard

Intelligence Community Special Units

Disbanded or Inactive Units

In the modern U.S. military structure since World War II, dozens of special operations units have been formed and later disbanded. Many were created for a specific, limited objective (such as Task Force 11), or for a specific conflict. In some cases, a special operations unit is reconstituted under a different name, usually for reasons of security, or evolves from a pilot project into a more permanent force. See Former United States special operations units.

U.S. Special Operations Centers, Schools, and Courses

Federal Law Enforcement Special Units

Foreign Exchange Units

Australia

Canada

United Kingdom

France

Germany

Israel

Mexico

See also

References

  • CSM Eric Haney (retired, former Delta Force operator and founding member. Inside Delta Force: The Story of America's Elite Counterterrorist Unit. Delacorte Press. ISBN 0-385-33603-9.
  • Linda Robinson (2004). Masters of Chaos: The Secret History of the Special Forces. PublicAffairs. ISBN 1-58648-249-1.
  • Mark Bowden (1999). Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern Warfare. Atlantic Monthly Press. ISBN 0-87113-738-0.
  • Sean Naylor (2005). Not a Good Day to Die : The Untold Story of Operation Anaconda. The Berkeley Publishing Group. ISBN 0-425-19609-7.

External links

  1. "U.S. Armed Forces: Special Operations, Special Mission and Counterterrorist Units". SpecialOperations.com. Retrieved 2006-10-08.
  2. http://specwarnet.net/
  3. http://www.mh-53pavelow.com
  4. ShadowSpear.com - The Premier Special Operations Forces Community Website!
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