Thread by @JJSchroden

Tonight begins my new course @ElliottSchoolGW: “Understanding U.S. Special Operations”

In it, we’ll learn what special ops/#SOF are & how these differ from conventional ops/forces; how US SOF came to be; how they’ve been used over time; & what major issues they face today. 1/n

If you want to follow along at home, I’ll be posting key topics & readings in this THREAD.

Week 1 is course overview & class intros, so while you wait for substance, you can buy our main text (Oppose Any Foe by @MarkMoyar) & watch this cool #SOF vid😎 2/n

Week 2/We baselined knowledge on definitions of #SOF & special ops, core activities of US SOF & @USSOCOM, & the organizational structure of the US SOF enterprise. BL: US SOF are far more than the popular portrayals of them in movies & video games. 3/n

@USSOCOM Week 2 Key Readings (use Google to find them):
• Joint Publication 3-05, Special Operations, Chapters 1 and 2
• US Code, Title 10 Sections 164, 165, and 167
• US Special Operations Command, “SOCOM Factbook 2021”

Next week: #SOF Theory! 4/n

@USSOCOM Week 3/We explored 3 theories of special ops, w/the goal of answering 4 Qs:
1) How are special ops different from conventional ops?
2) Why would anyone conduct a special operation in the first place?

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@USSOCOM 3) Once a decision is made to conduct a special operation, what can one do to maximize its chances of success?
4) How do those things differ for direct action versus unconventional warfare?

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@USSOCOM The answers to these question can be found in our readings:
1. J. Schroden, Why Special Operations? A Risk-Based Theory, CNA COP-2020-U-028160-Final, Sep 2020: cna.org/CNA_files/PDF/…

7/n

@USSOCOM 2. W.H. McRaven, The Theory of Special Operations (Monterey, CA: Naval Postgraduate School 1993): afsoc.af.mil/Portals/86/doc…
3. W. Driver & B. DeFeyter, The Theory of Unconventional Warfare: Win, Lose & Draw (Monterey, CA: Naval Postgraduate School 2008): soc.mil/SWCS/DOTDP/AY_… 8/n

@USSOCOM Next week: What makes #SOF "special?"

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Week 4/What Makes #SOF Special?

Two required readings:
1. R.G. Spulack, Jr., “A Theory of Special Operations: The Origin, Qualities, and Use of SOF,” JSOU Report 07-7, October 2007, pp. 10-19 (jsou.libguides.com/ld.php?content…)

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2. J. Faunce, “A History of Assessment and Selection,” Special Warfare (Jul-Dec 2016), pp. 12-18.

Recommended supplemental viewing:
- The SOF Operator:
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- Rangers:
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- SF Q-Course:
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- Difference between Ranger School & SF Q-Course:
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- SEALs:
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- SWCCs:
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- MARSOC:
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- 160th SOAR:
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12/n

- PSYOP:
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- PJs:
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- CROs:
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- TACPs:
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- CCTs:
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Next week: US SOF Pre-History!

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Week 5/US #SOF Pre-History: We learned about the earliest incarnations of "special" USMIL units, including Darby's Rangers, Marine Raiders, 1st Special Service Force, & Frogmen + various other special Navy units.

Req'd reading: @MarkMoyar, Oppose Any Foe (Chaps 1 & 2). 14/n

Recommended reading/viewing:
- K. Finlayson, “Wars Should be Fought in Better Country than This: The First Special Service Force in the Italian Mountains,” Veritas 5:2 (2009), pp. 48-63.

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- F. Whitlock, “U.S.-Canadian 1st Special Service Force in World War II,” World War II Magazine (Jan 2000).
- The Devil’s Brigade (film, 1968)
- R.W. Jones, Jr. “Beyond the Beach: The 2nd Rangers Fight Through Europe,” Veritas 5:1 (2009), pp. 16-32.

16/n

- Steve Balestrieri, “William Darby, Army SOF Legend and Old School Badass,” SOFREP, Feb 21, 2020.
- Darby’s Rangers (film, 1958)
- “Marine Corps Raiders,” Marine Corps University History Division
- Larry Slawson, “The Marine Raiders: A Brief History”
- Gung Ho! (film, 1943)
17/n

- “SEAL History: Origins of Naval Special Warfare—WWII,” Navy SEAL Museum.
- “Naval Special Warfare,” Naval History and Heritage Command ( history.navy.mil/browse-by-topi…)
- The Frogmen (film, 1951)

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- @RobinsonL100, et al., “Improving the Understanding of Special Operations,” @RANDCorporation, 2018, Chap 2 (Creation of 6th Army Special Reconnaissance Unit).

Next week: US #SOF Birth (WWII)

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@RobinsonL100 @RANDCorporation Week 6/#SOF Birth (WWII). We learned about the birth of OSS & early days of the SEALs (among others).

Req'd reading:
@MarkMoyar's "Oppose Any Foe" Chap. 3

Recommended:
- Michael Warner, “The Office of Strategic Services: America’s First Intelligence Agency,” CIA, May 2000. 20/n

@RobinsonL100 @RANDCorporation @MarkMoyar - J.W. Chambers II, “Office of Strategic Services Training During World War II,” Studies in Intelligence 54:2 (Jun 2010), 1-28
- T. Sacquety, “The OSS: A Primer on the Special Operations Branches and Detachments of the Office of Strategic Services,” Veritas 3:4 (2007), 34-51 21/n

@RobinsonL100 @RANDCorporation @MarkMoyar - @RobinsonL100, et al., “Improving the Understanding of Special Operations,” @RANDCorporation, 2018, Chapter 3 (Creation of the Office of Strategic Services).
- Operation Overlord: OSS and the Battle for France () 22/n

@RobinsonL100 @RANDCorporation @MarkMoyar - Navy SEAL History: Part One
(dvidshub.net/video/617190/n…)

Next week: #SOF development in #Korea & #Vietnam
23/n

@RobinsonL100 @RANDCorporation @MarkMoyar Week 7/#SOF Development in #Korea & #Vietnam: We learned about activities of the newly-created @CIA, the 10th SF Group (followed by others), SEALs & several other new units.

Req'd reading:
@MarkMoyar's "Oppose Any Foe" Chaps. 4 & 5

24/n

@RobinsonL100 @RANDCorporation @MarkMoyar @CIA Recommended:
- @RobinsonL100, et al., “Improving the Understanding of Special Operations,” @RANDCorporation, 2018, Chap 4 (Creation of US Army SF), Chap 5 (SF Expansion Under Kennedy & Contraction Through the Vietnam War) & Chapt 6 (CIA-SOF Coop in SE Asia: 1961–1975). 25/n

@RobinsonL100 @RANDCorporation @MarkMoyar @CIA - “Military Assistance Command – Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG),” History of MACV-SOG (sogsite.com).

- Piasecki, “Civilian Irregular Defense Group: The First Years: 1961-1967,” Veritas 5:4 (2009), pp. 19-28.

26/n

@RobinsonL100 @RANDCorporation @MarkMoyar @CIA - @USASOCNews PAO, “MACV-SOG”
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- Navy SEAL History: Part 2
(allhands.navy.mil/Stories/Displa…)

Next week: Institutionalization - Desert One and the Nunn/Cohen Amendment

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