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Absolutely MG.... DA, CT IMO needs to go back to being a subset mission of an operation underneath our umbrella specialties of UW, COIN and FID. The way tier 1 approaches CT is different than the way we approach it we serve different purposes and that should not be forgotten. Our contribution to fighting the enemy is paid for through our activities which happen left of phase 1 and ends once a conflict is handed over. Without our expertise and development of nets there is no GCC the SECDEF will allow to put escalating levels of presence and capability in any trouble country without the years of development we do to prepare the way. From capable indigenous to an in depth knowledge of who the good guys and bad guys are and what the infrastructure can support someone has to shape the picture for the GCC's decision making. Can you imagine flying over any country knowing that there is no capability to recover the technology or people? Can we say SECDEF denial?? Our activities are the most critical of what it takes to establish the ground work for any full spectrum requirement.
Now to expand on where I believe DA fits…..it is a capability where an ODA can conduct it if no other better suited resources are available. The criteria should be if no DA assets are available, the mission is time sensitive and we are unable to conduct the mission with host nation due to the host nation lack of capability or some other constraint forcing us to conduct it unilaterally. Can we do it?...yes! Are we specialist…no! a SFAUC-C once every 18 mos for proficiency puts us as qualified and capable but not preferred. Again we are not task organized as a DA unit per sey. (Blue Light) CIF’s on the other hand are and perhaps the DA/CT doctrinal mission capability actually lies within this GCC assigned unit but not a standard ODA. SF as a unit cannot get jealous every time a SEAL or Marine unit conducts a mission in the littorals and then re-focus our energy into competing with units selected, organized and trained to conduct DA. The idea that what we do will become irrelevant to a GCC because we aren’t conducting every SOF mission that comes down the pipe and gains media attention is a sad day for a unit who is prized for its quiet professional reputation performing missions in the shadows with little to no attention. I am certain that a GCC fully understands the value of a host nation being able to conduct its own security and its contribution to the overall effort by denying a conflict access to its borders further containing the issue.
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