Special Operations Forces · 8:08am Feb 18th, 2014
First off, it's important to note that the term Special Operations Forces (SOF) is different than Special Forces (SF). SF refers to a particular kind of US Army unit. Got it?
I was originally going to do just SEALs, but this is a bigger, better blog.
Special Operations Forces are more highly trained than regular troops and typically perform unconventional, often high-risk missions. This can include reconnaissance in dangerous territory, hostage rescue, counter-terrorism, sabotage, and just general mayhem. Lesser-known missions include training foreign fighters and interfacing with local populations to win hearts and minds.
And other, even lesser-known missions.
But in all seriousness, they do a lot of stuff besides merely shooting people in the face.
So, you probably want to know how SOF got started. Ever heard of ninjas? Moving on, specialized units became more popular as time went on, advancing with technology. When muskets were the norm, sniper units were considered hot stuff.
The concept of modern SOF came about during World War Two. The British Commandos were arguably the first real unit. They were followed by the Special Air Service (SAS). The United States formed the Office of Strategic Services, which later became the CIA Special Activities Division. In the Pacific, the Marine Corps Raiders were established for amphibious operations. Along the model of the British Commandos, the US Army Rangers were formed. The Axis powers used some SOF, but not to the same extent.
President Kennedy kicked off a revolution in US SOF in the early sixties. It was he who authorized the famous green beret. The idea came from the British Commandos. They named the Army's Kennedy Special Warfare Center after him.
The Vietnam War provided a good place for SOF to grow and flourish. This is where the Navy Underwater Demolition Teams (UDT, later SEALs) started to become more high profile.
Numerous small conflicts like Grenada and Panama involved SOF. Lot of coalition guys operated behind the lines in both Iraq conflicts and Afghanistan. Some of those guys are still operating there.
Even the bunny operators. Watch the whole thing here.
SOF by country-
Just about every military has some form of SOF. Some of the more well-known groups include:
Canada:
Joint Task Force 2 - Primarily for counter terrorism. Details are sparse, but rumors are that they're pretty darn good.
North Korea:
With 180,000 troops, North Korea has the largest SOF group in the world.
Poland:
Operational Maneuver Response Group (GROM) has been very active in recent NATO operations.
Russia:
Spetsnaz is what the Russians call SOF, not a specific unit. There are a whole bunch of Russian military and intelligence SOF groups.
United Kingdom:
SAS is an army unit and is the most famous UK SOF. New Zealand and Australia also have units called SAS.
Special Boat Service (SBS) is the UK Navy SOF.
United States:
The Army's most elite unit is Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (SFOD-D) "Delta Force."
The Air Force has the 24th Special Tactics Squadron.
The previous two, plus the Navy SEAL Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU) make up the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) and are considered Tier 1 forces.
JSOC is a component of United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM)
Top left: Delta Top right: SEAL Bottom left: 24th STS Bottom right: JSOC logo Center: SOCOM logo
"Tip of the Spear"
Other Army units include Special Forces (green berets), and Rangers (tan berets). SF do more intelligence gathering, interfacing with the locals, training foreign fighters, and specialty stuff. Rangers just shoot people. That's oversimplifying it. Regular Army Airborne wear maroon berets. The Army also operates the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) which uses special helicopters for special missions.
The Navy is known for SEALs. They claim to capable of operating everywhere, but of course are focused on amphibious operations. They are divided into teams. Team 6 was replaced by DEVGRU. The Navy operates boat and submersible teams for transporting SEALs.
The Marines have their Force Recon, but that is part of a larger Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC). Historically, Force Recon performed both deep reconnaissance and direct action operations.
The Air Force has several units. Some do pararescue. Some are combat controllers for guiding in close air support. There are also SOF weather guys and whatnot. Seriously, the Air Force has like six different colors of berets for all their special guys.
In the end, we're left with only general information. That's partially because I attempted to cover the history of SOF around the entire world, but also because these units are secretive. There are lots of rumors out there, and I'm sure the comments will be full of them.
Fun fact: There have been two SEAL astronauts. I was also able to find evidence of one Ranger.
Well if you've got the balls to get into a SOF group, you have more than enough balls to get yourself strapped to enough explosives to level a city.
And the Australian and New Zealand SOFs are technically the SAS-R, the Special Air Service Regiment.
The Green Berets are a front organization for the Blue Homburgs, a group of top-secret internet operators and hackers who enjoy slacktivism and insisting every single kind hat is a fedora.
And the Australian SAS-R tested explosives and chemical weapons on themselves because they had no idea how the human body would react.
Stuff like standing feet away from explosives when the recommended safe distance was more than a kilometer. Or setting off a tear gas grenade designed for outside use in a bus.
We also have the 1st Commando Regiment, part-time special forces soldiers.
memecrunch.com/meme/1I92V/marine-force-recon/image.png
1848357 'Next I suppose you have ARMY meaning Ain't Really Marines Yet?
fimfiction-static.net/images/story_images/169605.jpg?1392726259
1848367
SASR are the only SOF that matters. All others are fighting for second place!
1848367 So they're part time soldiers, full time badasses?
1848357 What about "Never Again Volunteering Yourself"
Who were the astronauts?
Can you please cover acronyms next?
Well... looks like I've got some reworking to do on my ERG SpecOps units, or at least two of them. This could probably stand a second post, but still well done
Austria - Jagdkommando
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4b/Jagdkommando_Truppenabzeichen.jpg
The ones with the Sci-fy guns.
farm3.staticflickr.com/2506/3929972093_a88b3b16b6.jpg
Thats all
1848629 Christopher Cassidy and William Shepherd. Pat Forrester went to Ranger school.
Well, this was interesting to read.
1849421 No, I just didn't put it, because then the Amy would be equal to the Marines. Which they aren't!
You see, this is exactly why I follow you on fimfiction. It's nice to know that somebody actually cares to be educated. And be educated about awesome stuff. Thank you.
1849647 I saw one that had a HUGE guy in Army fatigues with five boxes of pizza, the top one open, a slice in hand.
Oh man! Thanks for taking my suggestion!
1849647
Apple Core = Best Corps
Navy
memecrunch.com/meme/PQPJ/navy-seals/image.png
Army
photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/993595_626075670736724_1643318431_n.jpg
Marines
outofregs.com/postImages/1356904857.jpg
Air Force
funny-games.biz/images/pictures/765-us-air-force.jpg
Coast Guard
outofregs.com/postImages/1367610210.jpg
JTF2 Boarding Exercise:
1850480 Come on man, leave the coasties alone. They provide interdiction, rescue, and security both at home and abroad with limited resources and funding, and almost no media support.
1848522 Damn straight.
1851805 Haha I know I know I'm just poking fun. I actually went to a Coast Guard training for my NJROTC and I'll say some of those Coasties are regular badasses. The one leading the training was so skilled you'd swear he was an operator. That being said, I've also met a few Coasties (especially near the Great Lakes, as there aren't many Canadian drug-smugglers out there) who do even less than my Sea Cadet division, AND get paid for it. I really have no respect for those guys...
That being said, I think the people who REALLY deserve the flak are many of the people in the Army reserves. They only meet like once a month and the only reason they joined the Army in the first place was to get money for college. I guarantee if the military called upon the reserves because they desperately needed them for war, a significant portion would go to jail instead of picking up a rifle for their country like they're meant to...but, because I'm not enlisted yet, I really shouldn't judge
My dad has a couple of stories about the Rangers. That picture of "Special Forces" biting into a snake isn't...exactly fiction.
Those bunnies are badass