| United States Army Special Operations Command (Airborne) | |
|---|---|
Distinctive unit insignia of USASOC Headquarters[1] | |
| Founded | 1 December 1989[2] |
| Country |  United States of America |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| Type | Special warfare operations |
| Role | Organize, train, educate, man, equip, fund, administer, mobilize, deploy and sustain U.S. Army special operations forces to successfully conduct worldwide special warfare operations. |
| Size | 33,805 personnel authorized:[3]
|
| Part of |  |
| Headquarters | Fort Bragg, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Motto(s) | "Sine Pari" (Without Equal) |
| Color of Beret | Tan Maroon Rifle green |
| Engagements | Invasion of Panama Persian Gulf War Unified Task Force Operation Gothic Serpent |
| Website | Official Website |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | LTG Jonathan P. Braga |
| Notable commanders | LTG Francis M. Beaudette LTG Kenneth E. Tovo[2] Robert W. Wagner Edward M. Reeder Jr. John F. Mulholland Jr. Charles T. Cleveland |
| Insignia | |
| Combat service identification badge (metallic version of USASOC"s shoulder sleeve insignia) | The stylized spearhead alludes to the SSI worn by the 1st Special Service Force and signifies the heritage and traditions of USASOC. The unsheathed Fairbairn–Sykes fighting knife symbolizes total military preparedness and has long been associated with Army special operation forces.[4] |
| Beret flash of the command | |
The United States Army Special Operations Command (Airborne) (USASOC (/ˈjuːsəˌsɒk/ YOO-sə-sok[5])) is the command charged with overseeing the various special operations forces of the United States Army. Headquartered at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, it is the largest component of the United States Special Operations Command. It is an Army Service Component Command. Its mission is to organize, train, educate, man, equip, fund, administer, mobilize, deploy and sustain Army special operations forces to successfully conduct worldwide special operations.
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Main article: 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) |
The
Established in 1952, the Special Forces Groups, also known as the Green Berets, was established as a special operations force of the United States Army designed to deploy and execute nine doctrinal missions: unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, direct action, counter-insurgency, special reconnaissance, counter-terrorism, information operations, counterproliferation of weapon of mass destruction, and security force assistance.[7] These missions make special forces unique in the U.S. military because they are employed throughout the three stages of the operational continuum: peacetime, conflict, and war.[8] Often SF units are required to perform additional, or collateral, activities outside their primary missions. These collateral activities are coalition warfare/support, combat search and rescue, security assistance, peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance, humanitarian de-mining, and counter-drug operations.[8] Their unconventional warfare capabilities provide a viable military option for a variety of operational taskings that are inappropriate or infeasible for conventional forces, making it the U.S. military's premier unconventional warfare force.[8]
Today, there are seven special forces groups, each one is primarily responsible for operations within a specific area of responsibility:
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Main articles: 4th Psychological Operations Group and 8th Psychological Operations Group |
The mission of the 4th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne) and 8th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne), a.k.a. PSYOP units, are to provide fully capable strategic influence forces to Combatant Commanders, U.S. Ambassadors, and other agencies to synchronize plans and execute inform and influence activities across the range of military operations via geographically focused PSYOP battalions.[9][10]
Psychological operations are a part of the broad range of U.S. political, military, economic and ideological activities used by the U.S. government to secure national objectives. Used during peacetime, contingencies, and declared war, these activities are not forms of force but are force multipliers that use nonviolent means in often violent environments. Persuading rather than compelling physically, they rely on logic, fear, desire, or other mental factors to promote specific emotions, attitudes or behaviors.[9]
The ultimate objective of U.S. PSYOP is to convince enemy, neutral, and friendly nations and forces to take action favorable to the United States and its allies. The ranks of the PSYOP include regional experts and linguists who understand political, cultural, ethnic, and religious subtleties and use persuasion to influence perceptions and encourage desired behavior. With functional experts in all aspects of tactical communications, PSYOP offers joint force commanders unmatched abilities to influence target audiences as well as strategic influence capabilities to U.S. diplomacy.[9]
In addition to supporting commanders, PSYOP units provide interagency strategic influence capabilities to other U.S. government agencies. In operations ranging from humanitarian assistance to drug interdiction, PSYOP enhances the impact of those agencies' actions. Their activities can be used to spread information about ongoing programs and to gain support from the local populace.[9]
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Main article: 95th Civil Affairs Brigade |
The
They help host nations assess the needs of an area, bring together local and non-local resources to ensure long-term stability, and ultimately degrade and defeat violent extremist organizations and their ideologies. They may be involved in disaster prevention, management, and recovery, and with human and civil infrastructure assistance programs.[11]
The 95th Civil Affairs Brigade (Airborne) conducts its mission via five geographically focused operational battalions:
The soldiers in these units are adept at working in foreign environments and conversing in one of about 20 foreign languages with local stakeholders. Brigade teams may work for months or years in remote areas of a host nation. Their low profile and command structure allow them to solidify key relationships and processes, to address root causes of instability that adversely affect the strategic interests of the United States.[11]
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Main article: 528th Sustainment Brigade (United States) |
The
The Support Operations teams embed each regional theaters' staff to support planning and coordination with theater Army, U.S. Special Operations Command and U.S. Army Special Operations Command to ensure support during operations and training. Support Operations consists of four detachments: current operations, which manages five geographically aligned ARSOF Liaison Elements (ALEs), a future operations detachment, a commodity managers detachment, and an ARSOF support operations element.[13][16]
The
The
The
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Main article: U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command |
The
The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), newly subordinate to ARSOAC,[22] provides aviation support to special operations forces. Known as "Night Stalkers," these soldiers are recognized for their proficiency in nighttime operations striking undetected during the hours of darkness and are recognized as the pioneers of the US Army's nighttime flying techniques. Today, Night Stalkers continue developing and employing new technology and tactics, techniques and procedures for the battlefield. They employ highly modified heavy assault versions of the MH-47 Chinook, medium assault and attack versions of the MH-60 Black Hawk, light assault and attack versions of the MH-6 Little Bird helicopters,[23] and MQ-1C Gray Eagles via four battalions, two Extended-Range Multi-Purpose (ERMP) companies, a headquarters company, and a training company. The
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Main article: 75th Ranger Regiment |
The
Within the US special operations community, the 75th Ranger Regiment is unique with its ability to attack heavily defended targets of interest. The regiment specializes in air assault, direct action raids, seizure of key terrain (such as airfields), destroying strategic facilities, and capturing or killing high-profile individuals. Each battalion of the regiment can deploy anywhere in the world within 18 hours' notice. Rangers can conduct squad through regimental-size operations using a variety of insertion techniques including airborne, air assault, and ground infiltration. The regiment is an all-volunteer force with an intensive screening and selection process followed by combat-focused training. Rangers are resourced to maintain exceptional proficiency, experience and readiness.[25]
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Main article: John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School |
The
On any given day, approximately 3,100 students are enrolled in SWCS training programs. Courses range from entry-level training to advanced warfighter skills for seasoned officers and NCOs. The
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Main article: 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta |
The 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1st SFOD-D), commonly referred to as Delta Force, Combat Applications Group (CAG), "The Unit", Army Compartmented Element, or within the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) as Task Force Green,[27] is an elite special mission unit of the United States Army, under the organization of USASOC but is controlled by JSOC. It is used for hostage rescue and counterterrorism, as well as direct action and reconnaissance against high-value targets. 1st SFOD-D and its U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force counterparts, DEVGRU, "SEAL Team 6", and the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, perform the most highly complex and dangerous missions in the U.S. military. These units are also often referred to as "Tier One" and "special mission units" by the U.S. government.
| No. | Commanding General | Term | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Term Length | |
| 1 | Lieutenant General Gary E. Luck (born 1937) | 1 December 1989 | June 1990 | ~182 days | |
| 2 | Lieutenant General Michael F. Spigelmire (born 1938) | June 1990 | August 1991 | ~1 year, 61 days | |
| 3 | Lieutenant General Wayne A. Downing (1940–2007) | August 1991 | May 1993 | ~1 year, 273 days | |
| 4 | Lieutenant General James T. Scott (born 1942) | May 1993 | October 1996 | ~3 years, 153 days | |
| 5 | Lieutenant General Peter Schoomaker[28] (born 1946) | October 1996 | October 1997 | ~1 year, 0 days | |
| 6 | Lieutenant General William P. Tangney | October 1997 | 11 October 2000 | ~3 years, 10 days | |
| 7 | Lieutenant General Bryan D. Brown (born 1948) | 11 October 2000 | 29 August 2002 | 1 year, 322 days | |
| 8 | Lieutenant General Philip R. Kensinger Jr. | 29 August 2002 | 8 December 2005 | 3 years, 101 days | |
| 9 | Lieutenant General Robert W. Wagner | 8 December 2005 | 7 November 2008 | 2 years, 335 days | |
| 10 | Lieutenant General John F. Mulholland Jr.[29] (born 1955) | 7 November 2008 | 24 July 2012 | 3 years, 260 days | |
| 11 | Lieutenant General Charles T. Cleveland (born 1956) | 24 July 2012 | 1 July 2015 | 2 years, 342 days | |
| 12 | Lieutenant General Kenneth E. Tovo (born 1961) | 1 July 2015 | 8 June 2018 | 2 years, 342 days | |
| 13 | Lieutenant General Francis M. Beaudette | 8 June 2018 | 13 August 2021 | 3 years, 66 days | |
| 14 | Lieutenant General Jonathan P. Braga (born 1969) | 13 August 2021 | Incumbent | 1 year, 199 days | |
![Peter Schoomaker[28]](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d2/Gen._Peter_J._Schoomaker.jpg/200px-Gen._Peter_J._Schoomaker.jpg)
![John F. Mulholland Jr.[29]](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/John_F_Mulholland.jpg/200px-John_F_Mulholland.jpg)
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the 
