http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/
U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF):
Background and Issues for Congress
Andrew Feickert
Specialist in Military Ground Forces
September 18, 2013
Summary
Special Operations Forces (SOF) play a significant role in U.S. military operations, and the
Administration has given U.S. SOF greater responsibility for planning and conducting worldwide
counterterrorism operations. U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has about 67,000
active duty, National Guard, and reserve personnel from all four services and Department of
Defense (DOD) civilians assigned to its headquarters, its four components, and one sub-unified
Command.
In February 2013, based on a request from USSOCOM and the concurrence of Geographic and
Functional Combatant Commanders and Military Service Chiefs and Secretaries, the Secretary of
Defense reassigned the Theater Special Operations Commands (TSOCs) to USSOCOM. This
means that USSOCOM now has the responsibility to organize, train, and equip TSOCs as it
previously had for all assigned SOF units. While USSOCOM is now responsible for the
organizing, training, and equipping of TSOCs, the Geographic Combatant Commands will
continue to have operational control over the TSOCs.
The current Unified Command Plan (UCP) stipulates USSOCOM is responsible only for
synchronizing planning for global operations to combat terrorist networks. This limits its ability
to conduct activities designed to deter emerging threats, build relationships with foreign
militaries, and potentially develop greater access to foreign militaries. USSOCOM is proposing
changes that would, in addition to its current responsibilities, include the responsibility for
deploying and, when directed, employing SOF globally with the approval of the Geographic
Combatant Command.
In March 2013, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel directed a DOD-wide Strategic Choices
Management Review (SCMR). SCMR proposals include a possible reduction of USSOCOM and
Service Component Headquarters by as much as 20%, a reduction in headquarters intelligence
staff and capabilities, and possible reductions to SOF force structure.
USSOCOM’s FY2014 budget request was $7.483 billion for Operations and Maintenance;
$373.693 million for Research, Development, Test, & Evaluation; $1.614 billion for
Procurement; and $441.528 million for Military Construction funding. These totals reflect both
base budget and Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) requests.
The House and Senate versions of the FY2014 National Defense Authorization Act recommended
selected cuts in Operations and Maintenance funding, including limitations on spending for
selected proposed family support programs, Regional SOF Coordination Centers, and the
USSOCOM National Capitol Region. The House and Senate Defense Appropriations bills also
recommended cuts to the Operations and Maintenance budget request and had similar limitations
on family support programs, Regional SOF Coordination Centers, USSOCOM National Capitol
Region as well as expressed concern “regarding the quality of the operation and maintenance
budget justification submitted by the Special Operations Command (SOCOM).”
Potential issues for Congress include U.S. SOF, the SCMR, and the upcoming 2014 QDR and the
Global SOF Network and related concerns about its necessity and how certain aspects of this
network will be developed in a highly resource-constrained budgetary environment. This report
will be updated.
Your link is to an older version of the report. Thanks, Caryn
ReplyDelete