Emblem of the United States Special Operations Command.

The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) is charged with overseeing the various Special Operations Commands (SOC) of each branch of the U.S. military. The command is part of the U.S. Department of Defense. When Special Operations Forces (SOF) of different branches are used for the same operation, USSOCOM acts as the Joint Command Center (JCC) of all the forces used in the operation. USSOCOM is headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida.

Commands (incomplete)

Each SOC is unique and capable of running their own operations, but when the different SOF need to work together for an operation, USSOCOM becomes the JCC of the operation, instead of a SOC of a specific branch. The United States Coast Guard does not have a substantial contribution to USSOCOM.

Air Force

The U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (USAFSOC) is in charge of the different SOF of the U.S. Air Force. The command currently oversees:

Active-duty

• 16th Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, FL
• 347th Rescue Wing, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia
• 352nd Special Operations Group, RAF Mildenhall, England
• 353rd Special Operations Groups, Kadena Air Base, Japan
• 563rd Rescue Group, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona
• 720th Special Tactics Group, Hurlburt Field, FL
• Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, Langley Air Force Base, VA
• U.S. Air Force Special Operations School, Hurlburt Field, FL
• 18th Flight Test Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL

Reserves & National Guard:

• 919th Special Operations Wing, Duke Field, FL
• 920th Rescue Group, Patrick Air Force Base, FL
• 106th Rescue Wing, Gabreski Field, NY
• 129th Rescue Wing, Moffett Field, CA
• 193rd Special Operations Wing, Harrisburg International Airport, PA
• 123rd Special Tactics Squadron, Standiford Field, KY
• 209th Civil Engineer Squadron, Gulfport, MS
• 280th Combat Communication Squadron, Dothan, AL
• 107th Weather Flight, Selfridge Air Naitonal Guard Base, MI
• 146th Weather Flight, Pittsburgh, PA
• 181st Weather Flight, Dallas, TX

Army

The U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) is in charge of the different SOF of the U.S. Army. The command currently oversees:

• 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (SFOD-D, Delta Force)
• 75th Ranger Regiment (Rangers, Light Infantry)
• 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Night Stalkers, Helicopters)
• John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center (USAJFKSWCS) and its schools:
  • Military Free Fall School – HALO/HAHO
• Special Forces

Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command

The U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (USACAPOC) is the headquarters for Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations units. The command currently oversees:

• Civil Affairs
• Psychological Operations (PSYOP)

Navy

The U.S. Naval Special Warfare Command (NAVSPECWARCOM) is in charge of the different SOF of the U.S. Navy, particularly the different SEAL Teams. The command currently oversees:

• Naval Special Warfare Group One (Navy SEALs, Naval Air Base, Coronado, CA)
• Naval Special Warfare Group Two (Navy SEALs, Naval Air Base, Little Creek, VA)
• Naval Special Warfare Group Three (Navy SEALs, Naval Air Base, Coronado, CA)
• Naval Special Warfare Group Four (Navy SEALs, Naval Air Base, Little Creek, VA)
• Special Boat Squadron 1 (Coastal Patrol Boats, Naval Air Base, Coronado, CA)
• Special Boat Squadron 2 (Coastal Patrol Boats, Naval Air Base, Little Creek, VA)
• Naval Special Warfare Development Group (Counter-terrorist DEVGRU, fmr. SEAL Team 6, Dam Neck, VA)

Marine Corps

The United States Marine Corps has assigned an 86-man unit known as Marine Corps Detachment One, U.S. Special Operations Command (Del Mar, CA),often abbreviated DET1, to USSOCOM. DET1 operates in conjunction with Naval Special Group One.

External links

Official sites

• U.S. Special Operations Command (http://www.socom.mil)
• U.S. Army Special Operations Command (http://www.soc.mil)
• U.S. Naval Special Warfare Command (http://www.navsoc.navy.mil/default.asp)

Former SOF soldier websites

• SpecialOperations.com: U.S. Special Operations (http://www.specialoperations.com/usspecops.html)

References

1. USDOD. US DOD Dictionary of Military Terms (http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/jel/doddict/). United States of America: US Department of Defense. June 5, 2003.
2. USDOD. US DOD Dictionary of Military Terms: Joint Acronyms and Abbreviations (http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/jel/doddict/). United States of America: US Department of Defense. June 5, 2003.