The Global War on Terror and the Department of Defense have thrust change upon the Marine Corps and the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). Because the Secretary of Defense mandated that the Marine Corps would create a component in...
Since 1999, the European Union has significantly increased its effort to create a viable military force. A natural part of a military force in the contemporary environment is Special Operations Forces. The purpose of this monograph is to determine...
The national security and national military strategies describe the objectives (ends) of U.S. national security policy. Special operations provide ways to achieve these ends, to include direct action. The tools for direct action include small teams...
The 2002 US national security strategy is a proactive, world integrated strategy against terrorism. The US chose to highlight preemption as a viable option to deal with terrorists or rogue states. The aim of this thesis is to address the planning...
Hungary has hardly begun the development process of her own special operations capability (SOC). In a way, the Hungarian Defense Forces (HDF) is in an advantageous position. There are role models, examples and proven methods available to adopt from...
In the early 1980s, the United States' Secretary of Defense, Caspar Weinberger, ordered that all services re-emphasize special operations in their organizations. The United States Marine Corps (USMC) took this as a challenge to make changes. The...
The military is increasingly using and relying on the term "narrative" in its lexicon. United States strategic guidance documents generally implore commanders to "shape the narrative," doctrinal publications recommend commanders to "exploit a...
This study details the events of 10 May 1940 at Fort Eben Emael, Belgium, and the elements which led to the successful seizure of the fort by the German military. The central focus of this thesis is the following question. Was the use of emerging...
This thesis focuses on the impact of character in Special Forces (SF), or its lack thereof, through the historical analysis of various warrior sects and key historical figures. This research then contrasts current perceptions of character within SF...
Combat operations in the urban area are not new to warfare. The United States' military conducted large-scale urban operations in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. During the last sixty years, the United States' Army approached the urban area by...
United States. Army. Engineer Center and Fort Leonard Wood.
The Essayons, originally published as the Fort Leonard Wood Guidon in 1966 then as the Guidon from 1966 to 1987. Became Essayons in 1988 and remained that way until 1999 when it reverted back to Guidon. It has been and continues to be a record of...
Contingency operations are currently taking place in dangerous, unpredictable, and highly volatile environments where local government institutions have weakened or collapsed. In view of these conflict situations, it is recognized that the initial...
Is the targeted killing of United States citizens legal? There are two competing models which address the legality of targeted killings: the law-enforcement model and the armed-conflict model. This paper examines arguments for and against each...
The United States has been engaged in active conflict against Violent Extremist Organizations for over 11 years. This has given the U.S. the ability to effectively track and target hostile organizations before they could materialize enough manpower...
This qualitative thesis examines the Coast Guard's historic participation in special operations and a potential national requirement for designated Coast Guard special operations forces. Some observers have rejected the label, “Global War on...
This study examines naval special warfare's roles, missions, and command structures from various periods in its evolution to determine a set of principles for effective and efficient command and control. The study examines selected case studies...
The purpose of this monograph is to offer some practical solutions to building unity of effort between Special Operations Forces (SOF) and conventional forces using operations in Afghanistan from 2001 until 2009 as a case study. In researching U.S....
Throughout the history of the United States, the American military has integrated capabilities from diverse military units. From the regulars under Washington and the local militias in the American Revolution to the airborne Divisions of World War...
Since the events of September 11th 2001, the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has taken the lead in fighting the Global War on Terror. In spite of this new charter, however, USSOCOM continues to conduct operations with antiquated...
The purpose of this monograph is to ascertain what organizational changes within SOF would enhance unified direction in the Global War on Terrorism? In the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the United States Government began developing its...