Special Operations.Com

Myth vs. Reality

A somewhat humorous look at the misperceptions and realities of modern special operations...

Are you active duty or retired and want to see a myth dispelled?

Myth

The best special operations warriors are those who go it alone.

Reality

There is no "I" in T-E-A-M.  Special operations is, and always has been, a team effort.  To be sure, it requires remarkable individuals, but selection and initial training programs are designed, in part, to weed out the Lone Wolfs and Rambos.  It is those types of individuals who put others needlessly in harm's way, and can prove to be just as dangerous to a mission than any enemy.  If you want to learn what special ops is not looking for in it's warriors, rent Rambo.  Oh, and Charlie Sheen in Navy SEALs, never would have made it through BUD/S.  Prospective tadpoles should not consider him a role model.

Myth

Green Beret is the correct term to use when referring to a member of the US Army Special Forces.

Reality

A Green Beret is a woolen hat.  While the reference may have a long history and seem correct, especially after hearing so often in the movies, it is not correct.  SF, Special Forces - these are both proper terms to use when referring to the Army's unconventional warriors.

Myth

The SAS/Israelis/Delta Force/GIGN/SASR/___________ are the best special operations force in the world.

Reality

There is no one single unit that is the "best" - all elite units such as those mentioned above are excellent.  Some are better at certain things, while other are better at others.  The proof is in the pudding - it is the results that count.  If a given team can accomplish a hostage rescue mission with no loss of hostages and no casualties, it has done its job - it has done the "best" that can be done.  The same is true for "SEALs vs. Special Forces" arguments.   The truth is that each group has its specialty, or an area in which is trains more than another group.  For example, the SEALs train primarily for maritime operations, especially direct action, and excel in these actions.  Are they more capable, on the whole, than Rangers or SF in this regard as a result?  Of course.  Rangers train primarily for lightning raid/assault type actions and airfield seizures.  Are they more capable than the SEALs or SF in this regard?  Yep.  You see the pattern developing.

Myth

"I want to look cool to my friends and win alot of medals. I can't wait to be called a Green Beret (see Green Beret myth) and get into some combat. It sure is gonna be glorious!"

Truth

As it is often noted, SF is a very quiet profession. As one former SF person put it, alot of times the only way you know a man in SF has been killed is a pair of jump boots on the steps of JFK Chapel  at Ft. Bragg. Look around various articles even here on the web (you can find them by accident sometimes) where Rangers and SF are killed in training. Also look at some of the articles from the incident in Mogadishu in 1993 at all the Rangers and Delta guys who died. Alot of people know about MSG Gordon and SFC Shugart but there are others that were killed that nobody heard about. And these were all brave men.

Myth

Army Special Forces will be a good place for me to go because I LOVE action and all they do is they blow up stuff and shoot guns all the time.

Truth

SF is designed to train foreign soldiers (properly known as "Foreign Internal Defence"). That is its main purpose. Due to their high level of competence in small unit tactics, however,  military commanders have found that they do direct action, counterterrorism, recon, and other activites well also.

Myth

Special Forces is a generic term that can be used for Rangers, SEALs, Marine Recon, Pararescue, and any other special unit.

Truth

The term Special Forces when used for U.S. military units refers only to the U.S. Army Special Forces. Maybe it was a little unthoughful
for SF's founding fathers to pick such an unoriginal name for their organization but anyways, they did so if someone tells you they were a  SEAL, don't think "wow this guy was in special forces!" think "wow this guy was in a special operations unit!"  The term Special Forces is used outside of the US, however, to describe SOF units of other nations.