Special Forces
US Army Special Forces, sometimes known as 'the Green Berets', are a versatile army unit made up of 'quiet professionals'
Special Forces - Roles
- unconventional warfare
- foreign internal defense (FID)
- special reconnaissance
- direct action
- counter-terrorism
- counter-proliferation
- information operations
Special Forces - Video
Officially-released footage of 3rd Special Forces Group soldiers in action in Afghanistan...
more special ops videos
Special Forces - Organization
US Army Special Forces are organized into Special Forces Groups (SFG), each focused on a specific geographic area, or Area Of Responsibility (AOR).
The regular Special Forces groups (Active Duty) are:
- 1st Special Forces Group
AOR - Pacific
- 3rd Special Forces Group
AOR - sub-Saharan Africa
- 5th Special Forces Group
AOR - Middle East, Persian Gulf, Central Asia & the Horn of Africa
- 7th Special Forces Group
AOR - Latin America, Central America, and the Caribbean
- 10th Special Forces Group
AOR - Europe
The 2 Army National Guard (ANRG) Special Forces groups are:
- 19th Special Forces Group
AOR - South East Asia & Pacific
- 20th Special Forces Group
AOR - Latin America, Central America, and the Caribbean
Each Special Forces Group consists of :
- 3 Battalions, comprising:
- 1 Operational Detachment-Charlie (ODC)
Battalion command and control, responsible for:
- operations
- training
- signals
- logistics
- 3 Companies
- 6 Operational Detachment-Alpha (ODA).
ODAs are usually 12-men units, lead by a captain.. The ODA is the primary fighting force of the Special Forces. Each SF Company usually contains 6 ODAs.
more info : Special Forces ODAs
- 1 Operational Detachment-Bravo (ODB)
A SF Company usually contains one ODB, of around 12 men, which provides support and command and control to the SF Company's ODAs. ODBs provide support in:
- training
- intelligence
- counter-intelligence
more info : Special Forces ODBs
Special Forces - Selection & Training
Soldiers wishing to become a Green Beret must pass the Special Forces Assessment and Selection (SFAS) course before undergoing the Special Forces Qualification Course.
more info : Special Forces Selection
Special Forces - Weapons
Special Forces soldiers carry a range of carbines, pistols, machine guns and other weapons. more info : Special Forces Weapons
Special Forces - Operations
- The Cold War
The 10th Special Forces group prepared for a Soviet invasion of Western Europe. In such a scenario, the Green Berets were to carry out guerilla operations.
- 1961 - South East Asia
Special Forces acted as advisors to indigenous forces, first in Laos, then in Vietnam. Throughout the Vietnam war, the Green Berets trained and fought with the South Vietnamese forces, usually operating from fire bases set up by themselves
- 1970 - Son Tay
Green Berets attempted to rescue American Prisoners of War (POWs) from a North Vietnamese camp
- 1980s - El Salvador
American Special Forces trained Salvadorians to fight against communists
- Late 80s - Columbia
Special Forces carried out counter-drug and counter-terrorism operations.
- 1989 - Panama - Operation Just Cause
- 1990/1991 - Operation Desert Shield / Desert Storm
Special Forces help train coalition forces as part of the defence of Saudi Arabia (Desert Shield). During the offensive stage of operations (Desert Storm), small 3-man ODAs carried out tactical reconnaissance operations in Kuwait and Iraq, watching Iraqi troop movements. Green Berets also provided troops for Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) operations.
- 2001 - Afghanistan - Operation Enduring Freedom
Special Forces ODAs were among the first US military units to enter Afghanistan, October 2001. Worling closely with CIA teams, the Northern Alliance and the 160th SOAR, they formed Task Force Dagger.
more info : Special Forces - Task Force Dagger
- 2003 - Iraq - Operation Iraqi Freedom
During the US-led invasion of Iraq, Special Forces units, working with Kurdish militia, carried out operations in the North of the country.
Special Forces Resources
external links :
« American Special Ops
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