Disclaimer and Notes on Inclusion and Exclusion

Special Operations.Com has been created to provide a glimpse inside the world of elite military and civilian units tasked with unconventional and oftentimes very hazardous duties.  This site does not deal EXCLUSIVELY with Special Operations Forces, as defined by the Department of Defense.  Instead, it is intended to provide an overview of SOF, CT, Hostage Rescue and scores of issues related to Low Intensity Conflict.  Of course, the emphasis of this site is geared toward SOF, and that remains its primary goal.

"Special Operations: Operations conducted by specially organized, trained, and equipped military and paramilitary forces to achieve military, political, economic, or informational objectives by unconventional military means in hostile, denied, or politically sensitive areas. These operations are conducted across the full range of military operations, independently or in coordination with operations of conventional, non-special operations forces. Political-military considerations frequently shape special operations, requiring clandestine, covert, or low visibility techniques and oversight at the national level. Special operations differ from conventional operations in degree of physical and political risk, operational techniques, mode of employment, independence from friendly support, and dependence on detailed operational intelligence and indigenous assets. Also called SO."

As you can see, even this definition opens the door for a wide variety of related units, not to mention the fact that the term "Special Operations" has now been applied to scores of units and missions carried out by not only military, but federal and civilian law enforcement agencies. The US Marine Corps has also recently completed qualifications of some elements to "Special Operations-capable" (such as MEU (SOC).   This definition also changes on the international level, where the term "Special Forces" is often used in the place of "Special Operations".  

Following is a list of units and groups that are designated the U.S. Department of Defense as Special Operations (or in the case of the U.S. Navy, "Special Warfare").  Please note that this list is not complete, but intended to provide a guide to the reader as to which units actually bear the official designation:

	U.S. Army Rangers - Rapidly deployable airborne light infantry organized and trained to conduct highly complex joint direct action operations in coordination with or in support of other special operations units of all Services. Rangers also can execute direct action operations in support of conventional nonspecial operations missions conducted by a combatant commander and can operate as conventional light infantry when properly augmented with other elements of combined arms.
	U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Berets) - US Army forces organized, trained, and equipped specifically to conduct special operations. Special forces have five primary missions: unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, direct action, special reconnaissance, and counterterrorism. Counterterrorism is a special mission for specially organized, trained, and equipped special forces units designated in theater contingency plans. Also called SF.
	U.S. Army Psychological Operations (PSYOP) - Planned operations to convey selected information and indicators to foreign audiences to influence their emotions, motives, objective reasoning, and ultimately the behavior of foreign governments, organizations, groups, and individuals. The purpose of psychological operations is to induce or reinforce foreign attitudes and behavior favorable to the originator's objectives. Also called PSYOP. See also consolidation psychological operations; overt peacetime psychological operations programs; perception management.
	U.S. Army Civil Affairs - The activities of a commander that establish, maintain, influence, or exploit relations between military forces and civil authorities, both governmental and nongovernmental, and the civilian populace in a friendly, neutral, or hostile area of operations in order to facilitate military operations and consolidate operational objectives. Civil affairs may include performance by military forces of activities and functions normally the responsibility of local government. These activities may occur prior to, during, or subsequent to other military actions. They may also occur, if directed, in the absence of other military operations.
	U.S. Navy SEALs - A naval force specially organized, trained, and equipped to conduct special operations in maritime, littoral, and riverine environments. Also called SEAL team.
	U.S. Navy Special Boat Units - Those US Navy forces organized, trained, and equipped to conduct or support naval special warfare, riverine warfare, coastal patrol and interdiction, and joint special operations with patrol boats or other combatant craft designed primarily for special operations support. Also called SBU.
	U.S. Air Force Combat Control Teams - A team of Air Force personnel organized, trained, and equipped to conduct and support special operations. Under clandestine, covert, or low-visibility conditions, these teams establish and control air assault zones; assist aircraft by verbal control, positioning, and operating navigation aids; conduct limited offensive direct action and special reconnaissance operations; and assist in the insertion and extraction of special operations forces. Also called SOCCT.
	U.S. Air Force Pararescue - Specially trained personnel qualified to penetrate to the site of an incident by land or parachute, render medical aid, accomplish survival methods, and rescue survivors.

As you can see, this still does not cover other units such as the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), Special Operations Chemical Recon Detachments, the vital AFSOC aviation elements, and dozens of other units.  I do not expect this page to settle the arguments as to which units "belong" on this site.  Over the past five years I have found that no amount of explanation or discussion will satisfy everyone.  This page is merely intended to outline my goals and objectives and to provide an overview of the focus of Special Operations.Com.  If you would like to read about other DOD definitions, there is an excellent official resource here.