United States Special Operations Forces
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The United States Special Operations Forces is the official category where the United States Department of Defense lists the US 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).
Contents
General information
During peacetime, SOF units are usually under the operational command of their assigned branch of the military. But the Secretary of Defense can place Special Operations Forces (including all of the below, 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. US 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.
List of United States Special Operations Forces
Counter-Terrorist Units
- 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (SFOD-D) "Delta Force"
- Navy Special Warfare Development Group "DEVGRU"
Special Operation Forces
- Army Special Forces "Green Berets"
- 75th Ranger Regiment "Rangers"
- 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) "Night Stalkers"
- United States Army Civil Affairs, and Psycological Operations Command
- SEAL Teams
- Special Boat Teams (SBT's)
- Air Force Special Forces "Special Tactics" (Pararescuemen, Combat Controllers, Combat Weathermen)
- Tactical Air Control Parties (TACPs)
- Force Reconnaissance
- Reconnaissance
- Scout / Snipers
- Special Reaction Teams
- Combat / Special Reaction Teams
- Search and Rescue - Special Reaction Teams
- Combat / Search and Rescue - Special Reaction Teams
- Marine Security Guard Battalion
- Fleet Antiterrorism Security Teams
- Direct Action Platoons
- Expeditionary Units (Special Operations Capable)
- Maritime Special Purpose Force
- Port Security Units (overseas port security for U.S. Navy and allied civilian installations)
Joint Task Forces
- Gray Fox (aka Capacity Gear or Centra Spike ; former Intelligence Support Activity)
- Task Force 5
- Task Force 20
- Task Force 121
- Task Force 120
- Task Force 126
- Task Force 262
- Task Force 505
- Task Force 21
- SEAL Teams
- Special Boat Teams (SBT's)
- Air Force Special Forces "Special Tactics" (Pararescuemen, Combat Controllers, Combat Weathermen)
- Tactical Air Control Parties (TACPs)
- Force Reconnaissance
- Reconnaissance
- Scout / Snipers
- Special Reaction Teams
- Combat / Special Reaction Teams
- Search and Rescue - Special Reaction Teams
- Combat / Search and Rescue - Special Reaction Teams
- Marine Security Guard Battalion
- Fleet Antiterrorism Security Teams
- Direct Action Platoons
- Expeditionary Units (Special Operations Capable)
- Maritime Special Purpose Force
- Port Security Units (overseas port security for U.S. Navy and allied civilian installations)
Joint Task Forces
- Gray Fox (aka Capacity Gear or Centra Spike ; former Intelligence Support Activity)
- Task Force 5
- Task Force 20
- Task Force 121
- Task Force 120
- Task Force 126
- Task Force 262
- Task Force 505
- Task Force 21
- Force Reconnaissance
- Reconnaissance
- Scout / Snipers
- Special Reaction Teams
- Combat / Special Reaction Teams
- Search and Rescue - Special Reaction Teams
- Combat / Search and Rescue - Special Reaction Teams
- Marine Security Guard Battalion
- Fleet Antiterrorism Security Teams
- Direct Action Platoons
- Expeditionary Units (Special Operations Capable)
- Maritime Special Purpose Force
- Port Security Units (overseas port security for U.S. Navy and allied civilian installations)
Joint Task Forces
- Gray Fox (aka Capacity Gear or Centra Spike ; former Intelligence Support Activity)
- Task Force 5
- Task Force 20
- Task Force 121
- Task Force 120
- Task Force 126
- Task Force 262
- Task Force 505
- Task Force 21
Former
- Devil's Brigade (also 1st Special Service Force, WW II)
- Marine Raiders (WW II)
- Paramarines (WWII)
- Merrill's Marauders aka. 5307th Composite Unit (provisional) (WW II)
- Underwater Demolitions Team-formed in WW2 and tasked with the destruction of beach obstacles and collecting sand samples/
- MACV SOG- A joint Allied unit comprised of 2,000 American soldiers (mostly special forces) and over 8,000 highly trained South Vietnamese troops.
- Tiger Force
- Project Delta, Omega Group, Sigma Group - Vietnam War era special forces units, of which much is speculated, rumored to still exist in some form.
- Blue Light (early 1980s)
- Red Cell
U.S. Special Operations Centers, Schools, and Courses
- Air Assault School - Fort Campbell
- Ranger School and Course - Fort Benning
- John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School - Fort Bragg
- Marine Corps Combatant Diver Course - Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center
- Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training - Naval Special Warfare Center
- Air Force Special Operations School - Hurlburt Field
Associations
- The Special Forces Association
- UDT-SEAL Association
- USAF Pararescue Association
- Force Recon Association
- Army Ranger Association
- Civil Affairs Association
Foreign Exchange Units
- Groupe d'Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale
- French Foreign Legion
- Special Service Group
- Special Air Service
- Special Boat Service
- Special Reconnaissance Regiment
- Kommando Spezialkräfte
- Kampfschwimmer
- Grenzschutzgruppe 9
See also
External links
- http://www.specialoperations.com/Units/military.htm
- http://specwarnet.net/
- http://www.mh-53pavelow.com
References
- USDOD (June 5, 2003). [US DOD Dictionary of Military Terms]. United States Department of Defense. United States of America.
- USDOD (June 5, 2003). [US DOD Dictionary of Military Terms: Joint Acronyms and Abbreviations]. United States Department of Defense. United States of America.
- Inside Delta Force by CSM. Eric Haney (ret.) former Delta Force operator and founding member
- Masters of Chaos by Linda Robinson
- Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern Warfare by Mark Bowden
- Not a Good Day to Die : The Untold Story of Operation Anaconda by Sean Naylor
- http://www.specialoperations.com/Units/military.htm
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