H.R. 1960—FY14 NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BILL

The 82 page bill is at this link: http://docs.house.gov/meetings/AS/AS26/20130522/100877/BILLS-113HR1960ih.pdf

 A lot of interesting parts.  The HASC is happy with SOCOM education initiatives (page 68)  but appears unhappy with regional SOF Coordination centers (page 59) as it has limited funding to only those authorized by statute.  I wonder if this is a signal of displeasure with the Global SOF Network?  Note also I have been told that the Defense News article got the SOCOM budget numbers wrong.  The SOCOM budget will not be $12 billion but instead $9.9 billion with a $7.7 billion base and $2.2 billion for OCO.  Will be interesting to see what actually becomes law.

Excerpt:

a) LIMITATION.—None of the funds authorized to

5 be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available

6 for fiscal year 2014 for the Department of Defense may

7 be obligated or expended to plan, prepare, establish, or

8 implement any ‘‘Regional Special Operations Forces Co9

ordination Center’’ (RSCC) or similar regional coordina10

tion entities.

11 (b) EXCLUSION.—The limitation contained in sub12

section (a) shall not apply with respect to any RSCC or

13 similar regional coordination entity authorized by statute,

14 including the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Special

15 Operations Headquarters authorized under section 1244

16 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year

17 2010 (Public Law 111–84; 123 Stat. 2541).

Here is the language that was referenced in the Defense News report yesterday regarding the SECDEF review and assessment  of US Special Operations Command.

1 SEC. 10ll[Log 50976]. REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT OF

2 UNITED STATES SPECIAL OPERATIONS

3 FORCES AND UNITED STATES SPECIAL OPER

4 ATIONS COMMAND.

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall

6 conduct a review of the United States Special Operations

7 Forces organization, capabilities, and structure.

8 (b) REPORT.—Not later than the date on which the

9 budget of the President is submitted to Congress under

10 section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code, for fiscal

11 year 2015, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the

12 congressional defense committees a report on the review

13 conducted under subsection (a). Such report shall include

14 an analysis of each of the following:

15 (1) The organizational structure of the United

16 States Special Operations Command and each subor

17 dinate component, as in effect as of the date of the

18 enactment of this Act.

19 (2) The policy and civilian oversight structures

20 for Special Operations Forces within the Depar

t21ment of Defense, as in effect as of the date of the

22 enactment of this Act, including the statutory struc

23tures and responsibilities of the Office of the Sec-

retary of Defense for Special Operations and Low

2 Intensity Conflict within the Department.

3 (3) The roles and responsibilities of United

4 States Special Operations Command and Special

5 Operations Forces under section 167 of title 10,

6 United States Code.

7 (4) Current and future special operations pecu8

liar requirements of the commanders of the geo9

graphic combatant commands, Theater Special Op10

erations Commands, and command relationships be11

tween United States Special Operations Command

12 and the geographic combatant commands.

13 (5) The funding authorities, uses, and oversight

14 mechanisms of Major Force Program–11.

15 (6) Changes to structure, authorities, oversight

16 mechanisms, Major Force Program–11 funding,

17 roles, and responsibilities assumed in the 2014

18 Quadrennial Defense Review.

19 (7) Any other matters the Secretary of Defense

20 determines are appropriate to ensure a comprehen21

sive review and assessment.

22 (c) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after the

23 date on which the report required by subsection (b) is sub24

mitted, the Comptroller General of the United States shall

25 submit to the congressional defense committees a review

1 of the report. Such review shall include an assessment of

2 United States Special Operations Forces organization, ca3

pabilities, and force structure with respect to conventional

4 force structures and national military strategies.

.

HASC Panel Adopts Administration's Special Ops Budget Request

Note the required reporting (if the bill passes into law with the language in the house bill).  Seems to me the HASC is giving SOCOM all the funding requested but is also asking for some detailed explanation of command relationships and support to the geographic combatant commanders as if they really want the Global SOF Network spelled out for them in detail.  Furthermore, the review and assessment of the organization, missions, and authorities can be interpreted in a number of ways but perhaps it is time for a thorough assessment of SOF some 26 years after Nunn-Cohen.  I think the HASC wants an azimuth check of SOF (despite the fact that everyone is enamored with SOF these days).  It will be interesting to do a detailed analysis of the language to determine the real intent of the committee.

But perhaps someone could explain to Mr. Bennett that there will never, ever be 70,000 commandos in the US military.  I think if you add together every SOF "operator" in a ground tactical billet (in Special Forces, SEALs/Naval Special Warfare, MARSOC, the Ranger Regiment, Special Tactics Teams, Combat Control Teams, and the Special Mission Units) you might have a total of 10,000 "of the most lethal killers."  There is no way that the operational force is going to grow by another 10,000 "commandos"  (and we should note that the only commandos we have in SOF are the Air Commandos of the Air Force Special Operations Command – nonie of our US SOF whether Rangers, SF, SELAS, or MARSOC go by the name commando).  

Excerpts:

The legislation also would require Pentagon brass to "review and assess the organization, missions, and authorities related to U.S. special operations forces and U.S. Special Operations Command and to provide a report to the congressional defense committees." 

If enacted in the final version of the National Defense Authorization Act later this year, that report would have to spell out all "policy and civilian oversight structures for special operations forces within the Department of Defense. 

Notably, the legislation would require the report to cover "current and future special operations peculiar requirements of the commanders of the geographic combatant commands, theater special operations commands, and command relationships between United States Special Operations Command and the geographic combatant commands."

V/R

Dave

HASC Panel Adopts Administration's Special Ops Budget Request

By JOHN T. BENNETT
Posted: Wednesday May 22, 2013

http://mobile.defensenews.com/article/305220022

Legislation approved Wednesday by a US House subcommittee fully supports the Obama administration's plan to budget special operations forces for more than $12 billion in 2014.

Moments before the House Armed Services intelligence, emerging threats and capabilities subpanel approved its part of the full panel's 2014 Pentagon policy bill, Chairman Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, said the legislation fully funds the administration's special operations request.

In its military budget request, delivered to Congress in April, the White House proposed spending $12.4 billion on America's elite commandos next fiscal year. If enacted by Congress, that would make special ops one of the few parts of the Pentagon's annual budget expected to grow during the sequestration era.

The $12.4 billion would help grow the ranks of the nation's most-lethal killers by 10,000, to a force over just over 70,000 commandos.

Subcommittee leaders said they authorized the administration's funding level because special operators are taking on a larger role in U.S. military operations, a trend they expect will expand in coming years.

(Continued at the link below)

http://mobile.defensenews.com/article/305220022