6 May 2017

THREE DECADES LATER: A REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT OF OUR SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES 30-YEARS AFTER THE CREATION OF U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND

by RC Porter 

David Maxwell’s Comment: Happy to read this excerpt on north Korea. I just hope USSOCOM realizes there is a large role for SOF (US and Korean) beyond the CWMD mission (to include use of SOF information and influence capabilities).

North Korea. USSOCOM has recently focused more intently on the emerging threat that is of growing concern to us as well as most of our DoD teammates – the nuclear threat of an increasingly rogue North Korea. Although previously viewed as a regional threat, North Korea’s relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles, facilitated by a transregional network of commercial, military, and political connections, make it a threat with global implications. In response, United States Pacific Command (USPACOM) and United States Forces-Korea (USFK) are focused on sustaining credible combat power in the region, maintaining unrelenting resolve in the face of multiple provocations, and sustaining partnerships with our closest allies. We maintain a persistent and rotational presence on the peninsula, working with our increasingly capable South Korean partners to prepare for future crises. In the meantime, we are actively pursuing a training path to ensure readiness for the entire range of contingency operations in which SOF, to include our exquisite CWMD capabilities, may play a critical role. As previously noted, we are looking comprehensively at our force structure and capabilities on the peninsula and across the region to maximize our support to USPACOM and USFK. This is my warfighting priority for planning and support.



2118 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515

Three Decades Later: A Review and Assessment of Our Special Operations Forces 30-Years After the Creation of U.S. Special Operations Command

General Raymond A. Thomas 

Commander, Special Operations Command 

Ms. Theresa Whelan 

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations/Low-Intensity Conflict (ASD/SOLIC) 

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