Policy
Lawmakers, Army headed for a fight over cuts to special operations forces
“It doesn’t pass the smell test,” said one Senate staffer.
Policy
Women face misogyny, barriers to promotion in special operations forces, US Army study says
The “very small percentage” of respondents who espoused such views included officers and senior enlisted leaders.
Policy
Future wars will turn on space-cyber-special operations triad: Army SOF chief
The success of information ops is “the most important lesson learned from Ukraine right now.”
Policy
Army Mulls 10-20% Cut to Special Operations Forces
Lawmakers and Army officials have discussed cuts through decade’s end, including to Green Berets, psyops, and enablers.
Ideas
Defense One Radio, Ep. 125: The Army’s recruiting crisis; the science of special forces; and NATO’s Mircea Geoană
Can the Army pull itself out of a two-year recruiting slump? And what sort of gear is drawing the attention of America's special operators?
Ideas
DOD Managers Need a New Approach. SOCOM Can Lead the Way
The Pentagon's McNamara-era philosophy is woefully insufficient to a world that changes daily. U.S. Special Operations Command is working to craft a better one.
Exclusive
Ideas
How Special Operations Forces Must Meet the Challenges of a New Era
To the commander of U.S. SOCOM, what matters most is whether we solve the problem our nation needs solved.
Science & Tech
Tomorrow’s Special Operator? Less Iron Man, More 007
But first, SOCOM must reverse a trend of “falling behind, not just linearly but exponentially” to Chinese and Russian tech.
Threats
With Lessons from Ukraine, US Special Forces Reinvents Itself for a Fight with China
A recent exercise was Army SOCOM’s first to explicitly name China as the adversary.
Policy
Special Operations Seeks 20% R&D Budget Bump
Collaborative autonomy and better contested communications top the wish list, while supply-chain risk becomes a top concern.
Science & Tech
The Reaper UAV Is Getting Its Own Drone Swarm
Air Force special operators are rigging the venerable uncrewed aircraft with an ISR swarm that may take just one person to control.
Policy
Army Special Operators Seek to Reduce Suicide with ‘Bottom-Led’ Approach
Units have been ordered to develop anti-suicide efforts based on the USASOC's new strategy.
Policy
Ukraine, Irregular-War Changes Are Reshaping Pentagon’s Info-Ops Strategy
Civilians reporting military movements and a return to proxy war will inform the first IO update in seven years.
Policy
Special Operators Lack ‘Seat at the Table’ in Post-Counterterror Pentagon, SOF Leaders Say
Even as U.S.-trained Ukranians show their mettle, SOF is getting lost in the transition to great power competition, says the assistant defense secretary for special ops.
Threats
The US’s New Tool for Deterrence Isn’t Ready
The “SOF, space, and cyber triad” is meant to serve as an integrated deterrent, much like the nuclear triad.
Threats
Army Special Ops Is Changing Psyops Training to Reflect Ukraine War
Even as some operators chafe at rules that keep them out of the fight, they are keenly interested in how Ukrainians are applying their U.S. training.
Policy
Oversight of Special Operations Forces Requires Better Data, Watchdog Says
The data collected by U.S. Special Operations Command lacks consistency and transparency, the Government Accountability Office found.
Threats
This Gen-Z Value Could Spell Trouble for Spec Ops Community
CNA looked at the leadership traits valued by today’s youth, special operators, and strategists of tomorrow.
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