The sky was blue with a few clouds in the background as the Para-Commandos freefall into the Everbank Stadium for the Oct. 7, during the Jacksonville Jaguars game against the Chicago Bears with 67,000 fans in attendance. The half time demonstration had many fans cheering as the U.S. flag came in from the sky, followed by the POW/MIA Flag. Lt. Col. Ken Ates jumped in with the Jaguars Team flag. As the jump team was leaving the field, many fans let them know they enjoyed the demonstration. Geoff Barker received his second Outstanding Civilian Service Medal in a ceremony Sept. 10, in the Donovan room at USSOCOM’s headquarters, paying tribute to his work with the Special Operations Memorial Foundation from June 1997 to July 2012. Although the medal recognizes his work from the past 15 years, he has had a remarkable career for more than 50 years. Less than two months after winning the 135-mile Badwater Ultramarathon in Death Valley, Calif., Army Master Sgt. Mike Morton traveled to Europe where he not only won the 24-hour world championship, but also shattered the United States record. Command Sgt. Maj. Chris Faris, the senior enlisted advisor for U.S. Special
Operations Command, and his wife, Lisa, answer questions during a
presentation to special operations personnel and their spouses at Joint Base
Lewis McChord Aug. 23. Standing at 5 feet 4 inches, and weighing in at 130 pounds, Army Master Sgt. Mike Morton is a giant in the ultramarathon community. In support of Special Operations Command South (SOCSOUTH), Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen (SWCC) attached to Naval Special Warfare Group 4 (NSW4), participated in a Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) event in Uruguay May 15 to June 15. With the advice and assistance of Special Operations Command South (SOCSOUTH) Civil Affairs planners, Paraguayan Military Civil Affairs soldiers teamed up with Paraguayan National Police units to provide medical attention and education to rural Paraguayans June 2-3. The two security services provided medical care to over 2,400 rural residents at the ’12 de Abril’ school, Arroyito, District of Horqueta, Department of Concepcion. Retired Air Force Master Sgt. and Pararescueman Scott Fales received U.S. Special Operations Command’s highest honor when he was awarded the 2012 Bull Simons Award in Tampa, Fla., May 23. This lifetime achievement award, named for Army Col. Arthur “Bull” Simons, honors the spirit, values, and skills of the unconventional warrior. MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Tampa, Fla. – The United States Special Operations Command is inviting the public to watch U.S. and international Special Operations Forces (SOF) demonstrate their combined combat capabilities outside the Tampa Convention Center next Wednesday, May 23 at 1 p.m. MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Tampa, Fla. – The United States Special Operations Command will host U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton as keynote speaker for the International Special Operations Forces Week conference Gala Dinner at the Tampa Convention Center Wednesday, May 23. |
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The continued evolution and development of modern SOF is a
result of 50 years of experience, including a world war, three
large regional wars, many similar conflicts and operations other
than war. SOF have witnessed periods of improvisation, rapid
build-ups and subsequent rapid drawdowns, some magnificent
successes and some equally spectacular failures. The following
SOF Truths capture the essence of lessons learned over the past
decades, and provide a foundation for thinking about SOF today
and in the future.
Hover over the
Truths above to learn more.
Humans are more important than hardware.
People – not equipment – make the critical difference. The
right people, highly trained and working as a team, will
accomplish the mission with the equipment available. On the
other hand, the best equipment in the world cannot
compensate for a lack of the right people.
Quality is better than quantity.
A small number of people, carefully selected, well trained,
and well led, are preferable to larger numbers of troops,
some of whom may not be up to the task.
Special Operations Forces cannot be mass
produced.
It takes years to train operational units to the level of
proficiency needed to accomplish difficult and specialized
SOF missions. Intense training – both in SOF schools and
units – is required to integrate competent individuals into
fully capable units. This process cannot be hastened without
degrading ultimate capability.
Competent Special Operations Forces cannot
be created after emergencies occur.
Creation of competent, fully mission capable units takes
time. Employment of fully capable special operations
capability on short notice requires highly trained and
constantly available SOF units in peacetime.
Most special operations require non-SOF
assistance.
The operational effectiveness of our deployed forces cannot
be, and never has been, achieved without being enabled by
our joint service partners. The support Air Force, Army,
Marine and Navy engineers, technicians, intelligence
analysts, and the numerous other professions that contribute
to SOF, have substantially increased our capabilities and
effectiveness throughout the world.
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