This publication outlines the planning process as it relates to a Special Forces (SF) operational detachment-alpha (ODA) conducting deliberate planning for special operations. Planning is an essential task common to all aspects of SF operations. More content available at: doguedebordeauxsurvival.com
Planning, Command and Control of Special Forces Unconventional Warfare Operations.TC 18-01.3 provides practical procedures and examples useful to mission planning of unconventional warfare (UW). This publication is designed primarily for use at national and international training centers and home station unit training events. It is intended to be used in conjunction with current relevant doctrine and supporting products. TC 18-01.3 is a UW mission planning guide designed specifically for the operational detachment-charlie (ODC) level. This ODC level incorporates all basic element functions that occur in or outside but in support of the unconventional warfare operating area (UWOA). It isbased on the traditional ODC, but is deliberately inclusive of any size element (including special activities elements) appropriate to this echelon and is based primarily not on specific units but on functions required (command, operational planning and support, joint and interagency coordination, military information support operations [MISO], Civil Affairs [CA], and so on). Planning guidance designed specifically for the operational detachment-alpha (ODA) may be found in TC 18-01.1, and guidance designed specifically for the operational detachment-bravo (ODB) may be found in TC 18-01.2.The principal audience for TC 18-01.3 is commanders, staff officers, and operational personnel at the ODA, ODB, and ODC levels, and all observers/controllers responsible for evaluation and training assistance to those units. TC 18-01.3 is also useful to conventional force commanders and staffs in better understanding the parameters of special operations forces (SOF) and conventional forces (CF) interdependence when SOF is engaged in UW.This publication is a collaborative effort between the Special Operations Training Detachment Joint Readiness Training Center cadre and the Special Forces (SF) Doctrine Division at the U.S. Army Special Operations Center of Excellence, USAJFKSWCS. It is intended to be revised on a regular basis based on interaction between observers/controllers, the using units, and the publication authors.
In this book, two national-security experts put the exploits of America’s special operation forces in historical and strategic context. David Tucker and Christopher J. Lamb offer an incisive overview of America’s turbulent experience with special operations. Starting with in-depth interviews with special operators, the authors illustrate the diversity of modern special operations forces and the strategic value of their unique attributes. Despite longstanding and growing public fascination with special operators, these forces and their contribution to national security are poorly understood. With this book, Tucker and Lamb dispel common misconceptions and offer a penetrating analysis of how these unique and valuable forces can be employed to even better effect in the future. The book builds toward a comprehensive assessment of the strategic utility of special operations forces, which it then considers in light of the demands of future warfare. This second edition of United States Special Operations Forces, revised throughout to account for lessons learned in the twelve years since its first publication, includes two new case studies, one on High Value Target Teams and another on Village Stability Operations, and two new appendixes charting the evolution of special operation missions and the best literature on all aspects of U.S. special operation forces.
"There are plenty of Special Operations Forces and plenty of elements that claim to be Special or Special Operations Forces, but there is only one organization that is Special Forces--the Green Berets ... Mark Boyatt's new book is an insider's guide to the U.S. military's Green Beret Special Forces--who they are, what they do, and what their role is in unconventional warfare ... The term 'special forces' is often misused by well-meaning but ill-informed people, including the news media, pundits, and even those in the military. The Army's Green Berets are the only Special Forces in the United States military and represent the most adaptable and specialized organization in the nation's arsenal. And their exploits hold a special fascination for the American public. Special Forces also defines 'unconventional warfare.' Boyatt makes the case that unconventional warfare is a U.S.-supported and conceivably inspired insurgency or revolution. It is total warfare for the indigenous population, who must use every means at their disposal to effect regime change, whether they are a tyrannical government or an occupying power. The Green Berets' adopted motto, 'De Oppresso Liber,' which is Latin for 'to free the oppressed,' is a call to duty special to this elite military force. While attending the Army War College, Colonel Boyatt authored a paper that originated and defined the term 'through, with and by,' which is now codified in military doctrine and is the subtitle of his book. It describes the manner in which Special Forces meet the military and political objectives of the United States, working 'through, with and by' other people, such as indigenous populations, rebels and revolutionaries, the oppressed and persecuted, displaced persons and refugees. Special Forces accomplishes this unique work by living with, training with, fighting alongside and even, at times, leading these groups"--Publisher's website.
Containing over one hundred selections—most of them published in English for the first time—The Colombia Reader presents a rich and multilayered account of this complex nation from the colonial era to the present. The collection includes journalistic reports, songs, artwork, poetry, oral histories, government documents, and scholarship to illustrate the changing ways Colombians from all walks of life have made and understood their own history. Comprehensive in scope, it covers regional differences; religion, art, and culture; the urban/rural divide; patterns of racial, economic, and gender inequalities; the history of violence; and the transnational flows that have shaped the nation. The Colombia Reader expands readers' knowledge of Colombia beyond its reputation for violence, contrasting experiences of conflict with the stability and significance of cultural, intellectual, and economic life in this plural nation.
The life of a ruler is ephemeral. A lucky few exit office through retirement or old age, but most rulers have short tenures, often ended by violent means. The overthrow of rulers by their rivals is a common theme throughout world history, and this strategy remains a popular choice in contemporary warfare. However, despite the frequency of regime change, very little is discussed in international relations about covert regime change and its effects on leader survival. Predicting Leader Survival in Covert Operations from Congo to Cuba explores the unique relationship between covert action and leader survival, specifically discussing how leadership styles and personality traits influence this relationship.