What are “special operations forces?
” A: These are units of highly specialized warriors trained to conduct difficult, covert or unusual missions: hostage rescue, reconnaissance, psychological operations. They usually work in small teams, away from the front lines. Many are traditional commandos, but some are pilots, technical experts or psychological warfare specialists. Q: Who are they? A: About 46,000 people belong to U.S. special operations forces, including support staff and civilians. Each branch of the military trains its own. Relatively few are trained for conventional combat operations. The Army has Rangers, Green Berets and Delta Force. Rangers are infantry shock troops who are usually borne by helicopter into battle. Green Berets can train resistance fighters. Delta Force is a highly secretive counterterrorist team. The Army also has the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment the “Night Stalkers” to slip commandos behind enemy lines aboard MH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook helicopters. The Navy has SEALS,
First, a definition – a proper one. Special Operations Forces are defined by how they are trained, not by how they happen to be employed. In the U.S. military, virtually all SOF are three-time volunteers. They volunteer to enter one of the four branches of the armed forces and undergo basic training, followed by advanced training in their military occupational specialty such as the infantry or combat engineers. They volunteer for airborne school, which is usually the second phase of their training, although Navy SEALs actually undergo their Basic Underwater Demolition/SEALs (BUD/S) course before going to jump school. Then they volunteer for the SOF school itself, such as the Army s Special Forces Q Course or Ranger school. Nor is that the end. Even once the volunteer is officially SOF, with that jaunty green beret or Ranger tab, he cross-trains in other special schools, such as a Special Forces soldier taking an intensive language course or going through HALO (high altitude-low opening
