Special Ops Capabilities Relevant Around The World, Commander Says

Jim Garamone at the DoD News offers the below piece:

WASHINGTON, July 22, 2017 — Special operations forces are relevant to most operations the U.S. military is involved with and are a good return on the investment, the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command said at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado yesterday.

Fox News reporter Catherine Herridge interviewed Army Gen. Raymond A. Thomas III for the forum and he used the occasion to debunk some myths about the command, which is based at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.

“We are not the world’s cop, we are not a panacea, we don’t do anything by ourselves and we aren’t doing things that aren’t highly supervised, there is no off the reservation activities,” Thomas said.

But special operations forces have been at the heart of most operations against violent extremism, he said, and have been key to turning the tide against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and al-Qaida wherever these groups raise the ugly heads.

“We are relevant to most if not all the national security challenges,” the general said.

The command consumes about 2 percent of the DoD budget and has about 2 percent of the personnel in the department. Some 8,000 special operators are in 80 countries around the world.

The question he gets most often -- and Herridge asked a version of it -- is whether special operations forces are being overused or overextended? “We are actively trying to work our way out of a job, whether that be in Afghanistan or against ISIS,” he said.

In Afghanistan, the general said, “we’re anxious to finish there. We’re anxious to win.”

Not the Time to Relax

That said, Socom is working with indigenous forces, proxies, allies and conventional U.S. forces to leverage special operations capabilities.

Thomas stressed that the force is having successes, but now is not the time to let up on the pressure being placed on enemy forces. He said the lesson from the Osama bin Laden operation in 2011 was, as good as it was to kill the al-Qaida leader, “if you don’t dismantle the whole network -- if you don’t address the ideology -- you’ve just killed one guy.”

The territory that ISIS controls is shrinking by the day and Syrian Democratic Forces are closing on Raqqa, the so-called capital of the ISIS caliphate. Thomas said he does not know if ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is alive, but if he is not dead “there is not a safe place for him on this Earth. We absolutely dismantled his network; everyone who worked for him initially is dead or gone. Everyone who stepped to the plate following [him] -- dead or gone. Down through a network where we have killed, at a conservative estimate, 60,000 of his followers -- his army.”

Baghdadi declared the caliphate and placed his army on the battlefield “and we went to war with it,” the general said.

Mosul has been liberated, but it is still “dicey” in the old city, he said. There are still pockets of ISIS fighters in Tal Afar and in western Iraq. “We are pursuing these people as hard as we can to affect the physical aspect of the caliphate while we deal with the harder part -- the ideological basis of it,” he said.

Coordinating Authority

Socom is the DoD coordinating authority for transregional terrorism and has been for going on two years, the general said. “This was a role and process that didn’t exist,” he said. “It tied together our disparate DoD efforts.”

Previously, Army Gen. Joe Votel would handle special operations in the Central Command region, and Marine Corps Gen. Thomas Waldhauser would handle Africa Command and Navy Adm. Harry Harris would handle Pacific Command. “They were good, focused activities but without any synchronization at the DoD level,” Thomas said. “We were thrust into that role.”

He said he is not sitting at MacDill moving special operators around the globe, but the change enables the command “to agitate or drive an assessment at the senior DoD level of what are we trying to do, how well are we doing it, and what do we need to change in terms of strategy and resourcing.”

Previously, the only person in the department who could do such a thing was the defense secretary.

He said his mission objectives from Defense Secretary Jim Mattis have changed. “It used to be 'Defeat ISIS,'” he said. “It is now, 'Annihilate ISIS.' [Mattis] put a non-doctrinal term out there to amp up the volume a bit, and we all got the message.”

Thomas wants Socom to be more agile and more networked.

He said the command has its eyes on Iran and its stated goal of building a Shia crescent through Iraq and Syria into Lebanon. Iranian officials are all throughout that area now, the general said, adding that they bear special attention.

ISIS is trying to export its “brand” through the world and they seized on Libya as a failed state, which, with its gap in governance could serve as a foothold in the region. In fact, ISIS leaders declared Libya a province in the caliphate, he said, and at its high-water mark in the country had around 2,000 fighters in and around the seaside city of Sirte. “They don’t exist anymore,” Thomas noted.

Special operations forces worked through proxies and surrogates to eliminate the ISIS threat in that area, he said. Still, the general said, Libya is another place that bears watching as some of the fighters escaped to southern Libya and are looking for a time and place to return.

The command is also invested in deterring Russia and there are special operators working with all the nations bordering Russia, Thomas said. “The people [of those nations] enjoy their freedom and want to keep it,” he added.

 Korea

Herridge asked about the command’s work on the Korean Peninsula. Thomas objected to the argument that there is no military option against North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as he continues to build a nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them. “There is always a military option,” he said. “That’s why you pay $600 billion a year. It is an ugly, ugly option, but you cannot play elements of power and then discount that there is no option."

“People say that Kim Jong Un can only put a warhead the size of the Hiroshima bomb on a missile,” he continued. “That’s not comforting to me. Everything I am hearing … is that he and the regime are inextricably tied to their nuclear program.”

For the future, the general wants Socom to be able to give decision-makers more options to choose from when a crisis develops. “My biggest concern is the need to transform,” Thomas said.

The general spoke of a senior private industry executive who visited the command and told him that though the command is getting the right people and prototyping new capabilities well, “you suck at deep learning.”

“We are still trying to digest terabytes of data, and this company is way beyond that,” Thomas said. “If we can master that, we become Socom on steroids in terms of Seeing threats, seeing opportunities [and] applying our special capabilities.” 

Note: In the top U.S. Air Force photo taken by Tech. Sgt. Angelita Lawrence U.S. Army Gen. Raymond A. Thomas III, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, salutes after placing a wreath on a memorial in remembrance of Australian and New Zealand Army Corps Day on April 25, 2017 at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. Anzac Day i marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during WWI.

In the above U.S. Navy photo taken by Seaman Richard Miller  Army Lt. Gen. Raymond A. Thomas III, commander of, Joint Special Operations Command, participates in a riverine demonstration with members of Special Boat Team 22 at the Naval Small Craft Instruction and Technical Training School in Mississippi on March 12, 2015. 

U.S. Special Ops Commander Discusses Challenges, Priorities

Jim Garamone at DoD News offers the below piece:

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27, 2015 - Skill, precision, cultural acuity, cutting-edge capability, flexibility, professionalism and teamwork still are the hallmarks of America's special operations community, Army Gen. Joseph L. Votel said here today.

The commander of U.S. Special Operations Command left his Tampa, Florida, headquarters to journey to a snowy nation's capital to speak at the National Defense Industrial Association's Special Operations and Low-intensity Conflict Symposium.

"Our nation demands we have the people and capabilities to achieve success in the most pressing national challenges we face," Votel said. The command is prepared to offer options to U.S. leaders across the range of special operations missions, he added.

The command naturally has a global focus, the general said, but works with regional combatant commands to fill in the seams. He used the foreign fighter problem as an example, saying the number of foreign fighters going to Syria and Iraq to fight with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant is "staggering."

"More than 19,000 foreign fighters from 90 different countries have travelled to Syria and Iraq," he said. "Their ideology is overpowering."

ISIL Attracts Followers From Around the Globe

The terror group is attracting followers from around the globe, and the ISIL leaders are seeking legitimacy as a new caliphate, a form of Islamic rule. "Socom is playing a critical, leading role in pulling together our military efforts, both within the U.S. and with international partners -- for this global fight," Votel said.

The nexus of terrorism and transnational criminal networks concern the general, as does the rise of Boko Haram in Nigeria. The world's nations still are attempting to deal with the changes that arose from the Arab Spring, Votel said. "[And] a resurgent Russia is now employing coercive techniques against its neighbor using [special operations] forces, other clandestine capabilities, information operations, other cyber operations and groupings of ethnic proxies and surrogates to drive wedges into our key allies in East Europe," he added.

These threats and others have to be dealt with at a time when Defense Department funding is constrained, Votel noted, adding that any cuts to service budgets will adversely affect Special Operations Command and the capabilities needed to combat these threats.

Ensuring Readiness

One command priority is ensuring readiness, the general said. "This is about getting the right people with the right skills and capabilities now and in the future," he explained.

Communications remain a readiness priority, and Votel said he foresees a totally interconnected and networked force by 2020. "Like the threat networks we face, our unity of effort is directly correlated to our connectedness -- to information, to our partners and to the chain of command," he said.

Aerial intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems remain a priority to the command as well.

Another command priority is focused months before the "tip of the spear" begins an operation, Votel said, as special operations forces are key to preventing conflicts. "It is about understanding the environment. It is about developing relationships. It's about informing our broader military activities. It's about building partner capacity and advising and assisting others so they can meet their own national objectives," the general said.

This is happening in Afghanistan, in Iraq, the Middle East and Africa, he said, and he cited the Philippines as a case in point. Special operators have been in the country since 2002, working with Philippine military and law enforcement personnel to counter the terrorist threat. This patient, small-footprint approach has paid dividends to the Philippines and to the United States, Votel said.

Continuing to Build Relationships

Continuing to build relationships is yet another priority for the command, the general said. "We must eliminate the institutional friction that exists between us and our conventional force, international, interagency and intelligence community partners," he said.

Socom has relationships with 60 countries around the globe, Votel said, adding that he would like to see that expanded and strengthened.

Special Operations Command must plan for the future, looking at all data to determine what is happening and what will be needed, the general said, noting that demographic changes, technological advances and even climate change must be thought through. This calls for critical and innovative thinking and communicating that thinking to the force as a whole, he said.

But most important, he said, is taking care of the command's people so they can take care of their mission.

"In the end, people are our credentials," the general said. "We must put their short- and long-term well-being, and that of their families, first."

The command will leverage every service program to ensure that special operators and their families are mentally, physically, socially and spiritually prepared for the challenges ahead of them, Votel said.

"They have kept faith with us, and we will keep faith with them," he added.

Admiral McRaven: Special Ops Ready for Post-2014 Afghanistan

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr. at the American Forces Press Service offers the below piece:

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27, 2014 - Special operations forces will be prepared for any decision made on the post-2014 U.S. military presence in Afghanistan, the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command told Congress today.

Speaking to the House Armed Services Committee, Navy Adm. William H. McRaven cited "great strides" in dealing with current conflicts, preparing for future conflicts, and with the state of his workforce.

"Socom continues to provide the world's finest warriors to the fight in Afghanistan," he said. "As we approach the end of 2014, your special operations forces will be able to adjust to whatever decisions are made regarding our future employment in that country."

Earlier this week, President Barack Obama ordered Pentagon leaders to prepare for the possibility of a full withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan by the end of the year if a signed bilateral security agreement is not in place.

"Globally, we are developing plans to better serve the geographic combatant commanders, who, owing to the past 12 years of engagement in Iraq and Afghanistan, have gone under-resourced with special operations forces," McRaven said.

The admiral referred to Socom as the Defense Department's "synchronizer for the planning of the war on terrorism," noting the work special operations forces are doing to better coordinate activities locally, regionally and globally with both the geographic combatant commanders and the U.S. ambassadors.

"I believe the future of special operations will be in helping to build partner capacity with those willing nations who share our interests," he said.

This will mean strengthening existing allied relationships, McRaven said, and building new ones. "No nation alone can stem the rise of extremism," he said. "We need our friends and allies more now than ever before."

The admiral said Socom's future is "inextricably linked" to the general-purpose force and government agencies outside DOD.

"The past 12 years have shown us that a whole-of-government effort is required to be successful," McRaven said. "In special operations, we have always known that without our fellow soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines, we are destined to fail."

McRaven said the command has also gone to great lengths to take care of what he called his most precious resource: his people.

"The preservation of the force and family ... has already seen a marked improvement in the morale and well-being of those who serve in [special operations forces]," he said. While there are still issues to be addressed, McRaven acknowledged, he expressed confidence in the health of the force and their families going forward.

"I believe that we have laid the foundation for keeping our force, and their families, strong and resilient into the future," he said.

U.S. Special Operations Command Planning For Future Missions, Admiral McRaven Says

Karen Parrish at the American Forces Press Service offers the below piece:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 18, 2013 - U.S. special operations forces are postured to take on the global counterterrorism challenges the nation faces in the years ahead, the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command said Nov. 16.

Navy Adm. William H. McRaven took part in a panel discussion at the first Reagan National Security Forum at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, Calif., examining what will be required to effectively fight terrorism in 2025.

Numerous senior Defense Department officials, including Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, attended the forum. McRaven's panel included Michael G. Vickers, undersecretary of defense for intelligence, along with U.S. Sen. Carl Levin and U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry. Washington Post national security reporter Craig Whitlock moderated the panel.

McRaven said the role of U.S. special operations forces in the coming decade-plus is "a very timely topic." Through the 1990s, he said, "the international special operations community had a lot of great [special operations] forces. And frankly, there were many that were as good, if not better, than we were."

Since 9/11 and continuing today, however, "I can tell you, there is nobody in the world who can compare to U.S. special operations forces and U.S. counterterrorism forces," the admiral said.

Thanks to the support of Congress, he reported, Socom has since 2001 doubled its people, tripled its budgets and quadrupled its capability -- not just in the areas of hardware and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets, but also in noncommissioned officer training, officer education, and language and cultural studies.

The question now, McRaven said, is whether the special operations force that has evolved to fight the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is also adaptable to today's threats. He said it absolutely is.

The admiral noted that the U.S. special operations forces now postured in Afghanistan will, as the drawdown of troops in 2014 proceeds, be available for new missions.

"A lot of what we will do as we go forward in this force is build partner capacity. ... We will always be the best in the world at rescuing Americans and taking care of threats to the nation, but a large part of what we will do [in future] is build partner capacity," he said.

U.S. forces have worked over the past decade with partners in Colombia, the Philippines, Chad and a dozen other countries around the world to strengthen their special operations programs, he said. U.S. allies and partners including NATO, the Arab states of the Persian Gulf, and Asian and Latin American nations "are absolutely essential to how we're doing business," he added.

Interagency collaboration across the U.S. government is also crucial, McRaven said. "I have special operations support teams, liaison officers, in 38 agencies and departments within Washington, D.C.," he noted.

Socom's relationships with other agencies such as the CIA and FBI are "phenomenal," he reported.

"Lives are important, and the security of the nation is important, and it has brought us together," the admiral said. "My concern is that as we draw down in Afghanistan, and we don't have the opportunity that, unfortunately, war brings you to continue to work together, we've got to be careful about moving apart."

The whole-of-government approach is "absolutely crucial to getting after these threats," he said.

"At the end of the day, it doesn't make any difference to me whether it's a Department of Defense guy, or a law enforcement individual or an intelligence individual that takes care of the threat," McRaven said. "We've got to work together to make sure that those threats don't end up on our shores."

McRaven said his special operators also rely on regular U.S. forces.

"I am the biggest supporter of the conventional forces, because frankly, we can't do our special operations job without support from the big Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps," the admiral said. He added, "If we are going to have a viable force in 2025, it's all about the people."

He pointed out that 12 years of war have exacted a high price from his troops. "We have had more suicides this year than [at] any point ... in the history of special operations forces," McRaven said. While that "single data point" can't capture the overall health of his force, the admiral said, it is important.

"The stress on the force is pretty significant," he said. "We are going out of our way to work with the services to make sure that the individual soldiers, sailors, airmen or Marines are healthy physically, mentally and spiritually."

Resilience within families is equally important, he said, and Socom's "preservation of the force and families" initiative is one approach the command is taking to help families learn adapting and coping skills.

"If you want a strong [special operations] force for 2025, or frankly for 2014 and 2015, we have got to take care of our force," he emphasized.

But McRaven said that overall, he is confident the nation's special operators are ready to take on current and future missions. "I think we're going to be ready to go now and in the future," he said. He noted that Socom is channeling more troops into language and cultural training that will make them effective in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

"Up to 2025, this building partner capacity is going to be important," he explained. "You can't build that partner capacity well unless you speak their language, unless you understand their culture, and unless you have gained their trust."

Such engagement is not effective if it's episodic, the admiral said. Special operations forces bring sustained engagement, backed by language and cultural knowledge, to the task of improving partner forces, he noted. "Episodic engagement with our partners will not get us to the point where they have a competent and capable force that can deal with the threat," he said. "We've got to have persistent engagement."

Vickers addressed a question from Whitlock on how the Pentagon determines who the enemy is as terrorist groups shift membership and affiliation.

"It is a governmentwide issue," he replied. While al-Qaida has many branches and all of them are considered enemies, he said, other groups claim ideological similarities with terrorist organizations while not, themselves, posing a threat to America or its allies.

Vickers said fusion of intelligence and operations, and sustained pressure on terrorist groups, are both vital to addressing counterterrorism missions effectively. During the years when America was fighting in both Iraq and Afghanistan, he said, al-Qaida wasn't pressured and was able to reconstitute, resulting in significantly increased threats to the United States.

"Our government then responded quite effectively, and we've beaten those threats back," Vickers said. "But even when there have been smaller pauses in the pressure on these groups, whether it's in Yemen or Pakistan or elsewhere for, say, just months, you see them reconstituting. It emphasizes the real importance of sustained pressure, but also precision application of power."

McRaven said the best solution the United States can work toward with partners and allies in many parts of the world is to "train them to deal with their own problems." The admiral said U.S. special operations forces are currently in 81 countries. In some cases, that may mean one or two people working in an embassy, he said, while other times it may mean a couple hundred trainers on the ground.

In each case, he said, "we do a very, very thorough review, and we understand those risks ahead of time."

The State Department plays a big role in deciding what forces the U.S. military will train with, he noted. Special operations forces don't train with other nations unless the regional combatant commander, the ambassador and the country team all give the go-ahead, McRaven said.

"We shouldn't lose sight of the fact that there are forces out there that ... have questionable reputations," the admiral pointed out. "I think we need to assume some risk in helping them. Libya would be a prime example. So right now, as we go forward to try and find a good way to build up the Libyan security forces so they are not run by militias, we are going to have to assume some risks."

McRaven said the Libyan training mission, which Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Steve Warren said today will take place in Bulgaria, will involve both conventional and special Libyan forces.

Between 5,000 and 7,000 Libyan conventional forces will take part, he said, while a U.S. special operations component will train "a certain number of their forces to do counterterrorism."

Special Operations Admiral Cites Progress, Challenges In Afghanistan

Donna Miles at the American Forces Press Service offers the below piece:

TAMPA, Fla., May 15, 2013 – Outlining his top priorities as he shapes U.S. Special Operations Command for the future, Navy Adm. William H. McRaven, the Socom commander, told a forum of special operators and defense contractors yesterday that it all starts with winning the current fight in Afghanistan.

“Every commander that is in my position realizes that you have to take care of the 25-meter target first. For us, that is Afghanistan,” McRaven told several hundred participants in the 2013 Special Operations Forces Industry Conference here.

“And I think we are making great strides in Afghanistan,” he said, citing the success of a new command structure that aligns various NATO and U.S. special operations forces under a two-star headquarters.

“We have pulled together the three components of the special operations forces that were in Afghanistan … under a single command,” McRaven explained. This includes the NATO component, Green Berets from Army Special Forces and Navy SEALs focused on building Afghan partnerships, and “the kinetic piece” that involves “capturing or killing bad guys,” McRaven said.

“And let me tell you, we are achieving in the [special operations forces] world probably the best result we have seen in many, many years in terms of synchronizing the effect on the ground on the battlefield by pulling together all three of the SOF components,” he said.

Asked by a reporter about Afghan allegations about misconduct by special operators -- which International Security Assistance Force officials have denied -- McRaven said it’s “easy and shortsighted” to view conditions on the ground through snapshots in time rather than over the long term.

“My perspective is 10 years of watching the development of Afghanistan,” he said. “And what I see is we now have incredible Afghan national security forces. We have a very credible Afghan [special operations force].”

McRaven noted the Afghans’ increasing role in military operations and their country’s security. “We don’t do anything today that the Afghan’s aren’t on the lead on,” he said. As a result, he reported better relations with the Afghan government, which he said had “concerns based on an American footprint forward.”

“Now that we have put the Afghans in the lead, we are getting less pushback from the government of Afghanistan. So we understand that,” McRaven said.

“We understand that Afghanistan is difficult,” he acknowledged. “It is complex, as they say. There are still problems with corruption. There are a lot of problems out there.”

But recalling 2003, when the Afghan capital of Kabul was “a war zone,” the admiral noted progress seen today. The roads are paved and street vendors are out in force, he said. Meanwhile, outside Kabul, an “incredible economic boom” is underway with new buildings rising from the ground.

“They have come a long way,” he said.

As Socom focuses on winning the current fight, McRaven said, he is leading the command on other lines of operation in support of his Special Operations 2020 vision. They include strengthening the global special operations forces network, preserving the force and families, and resourcing responsively in support of special operations forces.

Special Operators Depend On Good Partners, Admiral McRaven Says

Karen Parrish at the American Forces Press Service offers the below piece:

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29, 2013 - Close partnership with U.S. geographic combatant commanders will be crucial to keeping the nation's special operations forces effective as budgets and formations dwindle, U.S. Special Operations Command's leader said here today.

Navy Adm. William H. McRaven talked about special operations support to national strategy during a speech at the National Defense Industrial Association's 24th Annual Special Operations and Low-intensity Conflict Symposium.

Socom troops around the world, McRaven said, are "doing exceedingly well, operating as an integral part of the geographic combatant commanders' strategy."

The admiral said while his forces operate in more than 70 countries around the world, Afghanistan remains a key focus. U.S. Central Command is the geographic combatant command responsible for Afghanistan, with NATO's International Security Assistance Force in charge of operations there.

McRaven noted all coalition special operations forces in Afghanistan now are united under one special operations joint task force, commanded by Army Maj. Gen. Tony Thomas.

"His headquarters, which reached its full operational capability on 1 January, has done a phenomenal job," the admiral said. "During my most recent visit there, I was impressed to see [the headquarters] integrating, coordinating and fully synchronizing all [special operations activities] -- not only with each other, but with ISAF."

Village stability operations and support to Afghan local police –- both programs aimed at growing security and extending governance in rural areas -- are among the "most compelling success stories" special operations forces are logging in Afghanistan, McRaven said.

"These programs have been game-changers to our efforts," he noted.

McRaven said he recently visited some of the places where Afghan local police groups have established outposts. "I was amazed at the relationships forged with our Afghan counterparts," he told the symposium audience. "These relationships, built on trust, have clearly paved the way for greater security in the remote areas of the country. They have also helped bridge the gap between the local, district and provincial governments."

The thinning of U.S. conventional forces in Afghanistan this year and in 2014, McRaven said, will give special operations troops "more opportunity to do more in places that we have neglected."

While he doesn't yet know the number of special operations forces that will be needed in Afghanistan beyond 2014, he said, one approach now under way to bridge the anticipated gap is a "surge" in Afghan local police.

The local police program across Afghanistan now numbers close to 19,000 "guardians," he said, which Afghan leaders want to build to 45,000. Around 60 Special Forces or SEAL units, working with Afghan counterparts, support the program as trainers, he added.

McRaven said Thomas has a plan to sustain the program, with coalition special operations forces shifting to a "train the trainer focus," helping the Afghan uniformed police and Afghan special operations forces to take over training local forces.

"I think [the program is] on a good glide path right now," he said. The post-2014 special operations contribution in Afghanistan isn't yet known, he added, but officials are making plans to enable helping the Afghans continue to build the local police program even if special operations forces draw down to a small number.

Special operators also are achieving "similar positive results" around the world, their commander said. He noted that in the Philippines, "our Green Berets and [Navy] SEALs are doing a terrific job with our Filipino partners."

McRaven said on a recent visit to the Philippines, he stopped in two places that "10 years ago ... were safe havens for Abu Sayyaf and other extremist organizations." A decade ago, security for the people in such places depended on "how well they knew the enemy," McRaven said.

"Beheadings, bombings, and families fleeing their homes were a constant part of life," he said. "Today, largely through the magnificent efforts of our [special operations forces] advisory teams and their Filipino counterparts, the threat is contained. Security has greatly improved."

McRaven said improvement in the Philippines, where economic progress and stable local government have followed security gains, rivals similar success in Colombia, where U.S. special operators have worked for decades. Such special efforts are also taking place now in Africa, he added, where U.S. special operations troops are "working with our African counterparts to end the [Lord's Resistance Army] tyranny in Central Africa."

All of these efforts, he said, demonstrate the ability special operators bring geographic combatant commanders: to "counter regional challenges before they become global problems."

Those 70-plus countries where his troops operate, McRaven said, often are "places we don't hear about on the news."

"[Socom's missions in such places] are not secretive. They are not sexy," he said. "Nor do they involve low-flying black helicopters in the dead of night." Socom troops work at the invitation of the host government, are approved by the appropriate U.S. embassy, and are commanded by the U.S. geographic combatant commander for the region, he explained.

"These missions involve supporting an embassy country team, building partner capacity, or increasing [special operations forces] interoperability," he said. "It is hard, slow and methodical work that does not lend itself to a quick win. Instead, it is about patience, persistence, and building trust with our partners -- a trust that cannot be achieved through episodic deployments or chance contacts."

Special operations leaders always have known that "you can't surge trust," said McRaven, noting trust "is developed over years by personal one-on-one interaction."

Socom troops' ability to build such trust, along with language and cultural expertise and the "ability to think through ambiguity," he said, increases both the command's credibility and the demand for its capability.

The past year, the admiral said, has offered a glimpse of the future that includes reduced defense budgets, a drawdown in Afghanistan troop levels and ongoing demands for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

"Socom is prepared to deliver properly organized, trained and equipped forces to the combatant commanders," he said. "Our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines are ready to address these and other challenges that our nation will face."

McRaven noted that current defense strategy "directs us to rebalance to the Asia-Pacific region." Special operations forces have maintained a persistent presence in the region that will benefit conventional-force commanders who "fall in" on long-established partnerships, he said.

"We have always been there, in a quiet and persistent way," McRaven said. "Whether capacity building in Thailand, advising in the Philippines, training with our Aussie and Kiwi [special operations] counterparts, or rendering assistance in the time of natural disaster, our efforts have been consistently focused on the region, our partners and our allies."

The future of special operations in Asia and elsewhere lies in how well Socom supports the geographic combatant commanders, McRaven reiterated. His suggestion for how best to improve regional support is to bolster theater special operations commands, which he calls TSOCs.

"As a sub-unified command under the [combatant command], they, the TSOCs, work for the combatant commander and serve as their primary command-and-control node for special operations in theaters," he explained. "Simply put, the TSOCs are the center of gravity for [special operations forces] in theater. And if we want to adequately address current and emerging challenges with a SOF solution, we need to increase their capability."

Socom is now rebalancing its manpower -- without increasing its budget -- to better support the TSOCs, McRaven said.

Regionally focused special operations commands are an adaptation to the changing world, he added, and will position Socom forces to meet global challenges.

Socom also has to consider, he said, how to move Special Forces "A" teams, Marine special operations teams, Navy SEAL platoons and the platforms that support them in and out of theater quickly. That requires working closely with each of the services, he noted.

"The relationship between the services and Socom is at an all-time high. ... We cannot do the job without the services," McRaven said.

The nation's special operations forces, he said, "are the sum of the parts of the greatest military in history. It is the services' people, their traditions, their culture that makes SOF what it is."

Socom also relies on interagency partners -- "all the three-letter agencies" -- on every mission, McRaven said.

Interagency partners stand right beside special operators as they "secure a target, treat an injured child, or provide a much-needed water well or school," he said. "They are always there to provide expert analysis, the authority to arrest a criminal, or a new capability."

That level of cooperation would have been thought impossible before 9/11, but is commonplace today, he said. Work with coalition partner nations has progressed in a like way, McRaven noted.

"The level of trust and friendship has so greatly expanded our network," he said. "It has given our nation a tangible edge over those who would threaten us. These partnerships give us our strength, based on a trust forged of mutual hardships, common cause, and shared ties. This is what will provide the best defense for the homeland and for our partners abroad."

Responding to audience questions, McRaven underscored his emphasis on engaged partnership. One lesson he draws from his experience, he said, applies to Mali, where U.S. forces are supporting French-led efforts against insurgent groups. The United States was never able to establish a persistent presence for its special operations forces in Mali, he observed.

"We had an episodic presence in Mali," the admiral said. "And while I don't know whether or not a persistent presence would have changed our relationship with the Malian forces, ... one lesson we've learned from years of doing this is ... to work with the host country, you really have to have that persistent presence."

Admiral McRaven Says No Evidence Pakistan Knew Bin Laden's Location

Claudette Roulo at the American Forces Press  Service offers the below piece on Admiral Willaim H. McRaven at the Hero Summit.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15, 2012 - The commander of U.S. Special Operations Command said yesterday that a post-raid assessment concluded there is no evidence that the Pakistani government knew the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden.
Navy Adm. William H. McRaven told attendees at the Hero Summit that Pakistan wasn't informed of the raid that led to the death of bin Laden because the initial assumption was "How could they not know he was there?"

Senior leaders, he said, believed informing Pakistan about the raid in advance would have put the mission at risk. McRaven said he doesn't believe the Pakistani government knew bin Laden's whereabouts. "We have no intelligence that indicates the Pakistanis knew he was there," he added.

McRaven, interviewed on stage by PBS' Charlie Rose, said there was never a moment he doubted the raid would succeed. "We hand-picked the guys," he said. "They were the best of the best, all across the board. They had extensive combat experience, and consequently ... I was very confident."

Though bin Laden is dead, nonstate actors still present a threat, the admiral said.

"We've done a terrific job of taking care of the core of al- Qaida," McRaven said. But, he added, "there's no such thing as a local problem anymore. ... Everything in the world is connected." This interconnectedness means the future of special operations lies in partnerships with other nations, he added.

"We understand ... to minimize the rise of violent extremism, you have to create the conditions on the ground where people have good jobs, where there is the rule of law, where there is stability [and] where there is good governance," he said. "We think, from a military standpoint, we can certainly help with the security that will be required to help begin to build some of that stability.

"The raids get all the media attention," he continued, "but the reality of the matter is the bulk of what we do is building partner capacity and working with host nations. I think that's the future of special operations."

The admiral said he recently returned from Afghanistan, where partnership building is ongoing, and he feels the relationship is the best he's ever seen it. The relationship between Afghans and their local, regional and national governments is taking serious root, he said.

Afghanistan will be a better version of itself in 2014, McRaven said, noting that the Afghan army is one of the most respected institutions in the country.

"It's an entirely different paradigm for the people of Afghanistan, but I'm convinced we're on the right path," he said.

Note: The above DoD photo by Claudette Roulo show Navy Admiral McRaven on the right and PBS' Charlie Rose on the left.

Admiral McRaven On The Role Of Special Operations In America's Post-9/11

By Claudette Roulo
American Forces Press Service

ASPEN, Colo., July 26, 2012 - The nation expects special operations forces to be successful every time they are called upon, but they're not wholly about combat, the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command said here yesterday during a discussion moderated by CNN's Wolf Blitzer at the Aspen Institute's annual security forum.

"We get a lot of notoriety for the raids, for the rescue operations, and frankly we're very proud of that," Navy Adm. William H. McRaven said. "But the fact of the matter is that's a small portion of what we do."

The discussion, titled "At the Point of the Spear: The Role of Special Operations Forces in America's Post-9/11, Post-Iraq/Afghanistan Defense Strategy," opened the annual three-day forum. Topics ranged from the raid that killed Osama bin Laden to what made McRaven decide to become a Navy SEAL.

McRaven said special operations forces are deployed to 79 countries, and the majority of those deployments are for partner capacity-building, not for combat missions.

"We're trying to teach other nations how to deal with their own problems so they don't grow violent extremists," he said. "We're building wells in places. We're doing civil affairs operations. ... There is a whole spectrum of things that special operations do that rarely get the press's attention because it's not 'sexy.'"

Some nations have not followed the extremist route because special operations forces have been working there for decades, McRaven said.

The admiral also presented his views on a variety of topics that came up during the wide-ranging discussion:

-- Pulling together defense and civilian agencies to make the bin Laden raid happen was easy, he said, because the interagency team has been built steadily over the last decade. "I've got to tell you, today it hums," he added.

-- "At the end of the day, all we care about is whether you carry your rucksack and you do your job," he said when the discussion turned to gays in the military.

-- On the Arab Spring: "What I know is democracy is hard," he said. "I've watched it as we've tried to build democracies in Iraq and Afghanistan. ... It took us a long time as a nation to build a strong democracy, and it will probably take them some time."

-- On Afghanistan's forces: "When you spend time with the guys that we spend time with, you realize they are just as patriotic, just as committed, just as tough, just as courageous as the American soldier that's partnered with them," McRaven said. "For the folks that we work with, I don't think trust has ever been an issue."

-- Women have proven to be up to the task of serving in the nation's special operations forces, the admiral said. "We have a lot of females who serve in special operations," he noted. "They do a fantastic job across the board. ... We couldn't do the job without them."

-- McRaven credited a Green Beret soldier with helping him decide to become a SEAL. "This young Army captain came to meet my sister for a date," he said. "My sister, as usual, was late, so I had an opportunity to talk to him for a little while. ... He said, 'If you're going to go in the Navy, you ought to be a Navy SEAL.'"

Special Ops Provide Great Return On Investment, Commander Says

By Karen Parrish,
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 6, 2012 - U.S. special operations forces remain focused on Afghanistan, but they also are active across the globe, the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command said today.

Navy Adm. William H. McRaven testified with Marine Corps Gen. James N. Mattis, U.S. Central Command commander, before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

About 80 percent of McRaven's troops support Centcom's mission in Afghanistan, and much of the remaining force is spread across nearly 80 other countries, he said.

The Centcom focus "doesn't diminish the effort we are putting into the cultural training or the language training with respect to those other folks that are deployed globally," the admiral said.

Preparing special operations forces for post-Afghanistan operations "will be a function of ... reemphasizing some languages and some cultures as we move from a Centcom-centric environment to a more globally balanced environment over time," he said.

The roughly 66,000 service members who make up Socom support U.S. policy objectives in the Pacific, Africa, Latin America, Europe and other regions, he noted.

Special operations forces have "unique skills, cultural knowledge and the ability to work with partners [that create] effects far above our relatively small numbers," the admiral said.

McRaven said he is committed to strengthening "embedded" special operations forces support to geographical combatant commanders by reinforcing theater special operations commands.

The traditional "hearts and minds" mission of training other nations' special operations forces also continues, he said.

Since service-specific special operations forces were established in the the 1960s, followed by Socom's stand-up in 1987, McRaven said "our relationship with our allied partner force around the world has strengthened each nation's [special operations forces] and each nation's ability to deal with their own security problems. We must continue to build these relationships wherever possible."

McRaven noted that his predecessor at Socom, retired Navy Adm. Eric T. Olson, drew attention last year to the "fraying around the edges" special operations troops experienced during a decade of extremely high demand for their talents.

Olson set up a task force to study the issue, McRaven said, and he has followed through with his own efforts.

"I have put a general officer and my command sergeant major in charge of the preservation of the force and families," he said. "They are empowered to implement innovative solutions across the Socom enterprise to improve the well-being of our warriors and their families."

Recruiting is up from previous years among special operations forces, McRaven noted. He cautioned that retaining those forces requires a considered approach to any change in future benefits.

"I think if you polled a lot of those young men and women coming in, they probably wouldn't cite the health care and retirement benefits as the reason that they are joining," he acknowledged. "However, it could very well be the reason they stay after a certain point in time."

Any changes in future retirement and health care benefits should be "prudent and careful ... so that we keep those experienced noncommissioned officers and officers in and take care of them for the service that they have rendered," McRaven added.

Socom is a force already in line with Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta's strategy calling for a smaller, leaner and more agile military, the admiral said.

Special operations forces remain relevant, in high demand and offer "an unparalleled return on the nation's investment," he said.

Demand Will Increase For Special Ops Forces, Admiral Eric T. Olson Says

By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8, 2011 - Special operations forces will become more important in the future, said Navy Adm. Eric T. Olson, who turned over the reins of U.S. Special Operations Command today.

Navy Adm. William H. McRaven succeeded Olson, who will retire from the Navy later this month.

Olson was the first Navy SEAL to become a four-star admiral, and he has been in charge of the command since July 2009. While special operations forces come from all services, they have a similar mindset, he said.

"It was with purpose and focus, agility and talent, tenacity and courage, celebration and mourning that our forces moved forward," he said during the transfer of command ceremony in Tampa, Fla. "Special operations forces by nature do not own mass or terrain. What they have is agility and speed, innovation and wisdom. They value knowledge over doctrine, experience over theory."

Special operations forces form a community of "self-starters, deep thinkers, imagineers, problem solvers, aggressive leaders and teammates to whom they can and often do trust with their lives," Olson said.

Special operations forces are a small part of the overall military, but they have become essential in two major lines of operation in Afghanistan – counterterrorism and the enduring local security force activities. Special operators also are key in training Afghan commandos and special forces.

"Their proven abilities to arrive unexpectedly, to kill those who plan to do us harm, to take precise action when required, to inspire their counterparts, all combine to make them a force in high demand," Olson said. "To be closely associated with such forces is a true privilege. To serve as their commander is the highest of honors."

The admiral said he has worked mostly with senior officers and senior noncommissioned officers during his time at the command, but he has tried to get out and speak with those on the ground at combat outposts and forward locations when possible. Roughly 85 percent of special operations deployments have been to Iraq and Afghanistan. "I'm proud to note that our ranks are solid, [and] the future is bright," he said.

Special operations forces have become the solution of choice for many of America's military challenges, Olson said.

"They punch above their weight, and they absorb blows with abnormal toughness and stamina," he said. "Our nation deserves and expects to have such a force that operates without much drama or fanfare, and whose greatest heroes are among the least acknowledged. This force is it. The yin and the yang – hunting enemies and bringing value to the people and places we go, are in close harmony."

This is a force that America can and should be intensely proud of, and it is a force that America needs to face the threats of the future, the admiral said.

"Osama bin Laden is dead, but al-Qaida version 2.0 is brewing," he added. "Conflicts over natural resources, borders, ideologies and theologies will continue. Cyber war looms. The lines between terrorism and crime will become less distinct. Global friction will intensify, and special operations forces will be necessary to turn down the heat."

Olson said he is concerned about some aspects of the force, including the "conventionalization" of special operations forces and a potential decrease in support from the services because of budget pressures. He has expressed concern about the effects of persistent warfare on personnel and their families.

Senators Quiz Vice Admiral McRaven For Top Special Operations Slot

By Karen Parrish, American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, June 28, 2011 - Navy Vice Adm. William H. McRaven appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee today as the senators met to consider his promotion to the rank of admiral and appointment as commander of U.S. Special Operations Command.

McRaven currently commands Joint Special Operations Command. His previous assignments include service commanding Special Operations Command Europe, Naval Special Warfare Group 1 and SEAL Team 3.

"I have been very fortunate to have spent the past 34 years in special operations, and I can tell you from my personal experience that ... we have the best-trained, the best-equipped, and most experienced special operations force in the history of the U.S., and possibly the world," McRaven said.

If confirmed, McRaven said, he will train, organize, equip and deploy special operations troops, as directed by the secretary of defense, across the spectrum of conflict.

"We will, at all times, be prepared to answer the nation's call with experienced forces whose intellect, maturity and courage allows them to operate in politically and militarily complex environments," he said.

McRaven called Socom's joint troops, "... men and women who relish challenges, and who willingly go where the threat to America is at its greatest."

As good as the force is, McRaven said, he knows one of his primary challenges if he is confirmed as commander will be to ensure special operations forces and their families are well taken care of, physically and emotionally.

"In his 2011 posture hearing, [current Socom commander] Admiral Eric Olson noted that as a result of 10 years of continuous combat, the force is frayed at the edges," McRaven said. "Admiral Olson and his wife, Marilyn, were exceptionally engaged in the welfare of the [special operations forces] soldiers and their families, particularly our wounded warriors."

If he is confirmed, McRaven said, he and his wife, Georgeann, "will follow their lead and put forth every effort to ensure the well-being of the individuals under my command and the families that support them."

In a written response to advance questions before today's hearing, McRaven gave his views on Socom's operational tempo, troop morale, and the command's cooperation with the military services and other governmental agencies.

The "new normal" for special operations forces is a "persistently engaged, forward-based force to prevent and deter conflict and, when needed, act to disrupt and defeat threats," McRaven wrote.

The long-term engagement that new normal represents, he added, "translates into increased demand for [special operations forces]. The pace of the last 10 years is indicative of what we expect for the next 10 years."

Special operations forces by doctrine rely on the military services for critical support in missions longer than 15 days, McRaven wrote, adding that like conventional units, they "struggle to obtain enough ... [explosive ordnance disposal], [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance], communications personnel, medical and security personnel support."

While special operators have deployed frequently over the past decade, McRaven wrote, "In most cases, [special operations forces] are doing what they expected and wanted, and they feel good about their impressive contributions."

However, increasing deployment predictability and avoiding last-minute demand for forces will be important to maintaining troops' job satisfaction, he wrote.

The recent operation resulting in Osama bin Laden's death highlights Socom's success in providing skilled forces and working effectively with other agencies, McRaven wrote.

Maintaining high standards [and] challenging training environments and encouraging ingenuity develops unique and valuable operators," he wrote. "Finally, continuing to break down barriers between the various agencies and departments allows for increased cooperation and synchronization, allowing the U.S. government to successfully accomplish the mission."

After the committee reports on today's hearing, McRaven's nomination will move to the full Senate for a confirmation vote.