United States Army Special Operations

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that the operational elements of the Army Special Forces can be traced to the units of the U.S. Office of Strategic Services, OSS, which infiltrated metropolitan France during World War II. The author points out that the Army's Special Forces, referred to as the legendary Green Berets, consist of a unique, unconventional combat arms organization, which are considered the most versatile special operations soldiers in the world. The paper relates that, today, special forces units, referred to as the "Quiet Professionals", are deployed throughout the world where they display their dominance through their unconventional warfare expertise and provide humanitarian assistance and training to indigenous forces.

From the Paper:

"After World War II, Colonel Aaron Bank, Colonel Wendell Fertig and LTC Russell Volckmann took their OSS experience and formulated the principles of "unconventional warfare" that became the foundation of the Special Forces. According to the Army's official Lineage and Honors, the Special Forces Groups are linked to the regiments of the First Special Service Force, that elite group of Canadian-American forces who fought in North Africa, Italy, and Southern France. The SF sprung from the Special Operations Division of the Psychological Warfare Center that was established at Fort Bragg, North Carolina in May 1952, now known as the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Dyhouse, Tim. (2004 February 01). 'Black ops' shine in Iraq War: the scope of U.S. special operations in the Iraq War was the largest in American military history. VFW Magazine. Retrieved July 02 2006 from HighBeam Research Library.
• Kennedy, Harold. (2002 February 01). Special ops equipment: Newest-and Oldest. National Defense. Retrieved July 02 2006 from HighBeam Research Library.
• Special Forces: History. Special Operations Recruiting Battalion. Retrieved July 02 2006 from:http://www.bragg.army.mil/specialforceshttp://www.bragg.army.mil/specialforces/History.htm
• Sutherland, Ian. (2002 June 01). The OSS Operational Groups: Origin of Army Special Forces. Special Warfare. Retrieved July 02 2006 from HighBeam Research Library.

More papers on United States Army Special Operations:

• Essay # 55421 : "Leadership in the United States Army"
• Analytical Essay # 134812 : "Information Systems in the United States Army"
• Analytical Essay # 128345 : "Information Systems: United States Army"

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