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Originally Posted by GreenBeret65
I think the "conventional military mind" still does not get it concerning the role of Special Operations in modern warfare. I do not get the "gut feeling" that they understand us or see the tremendous value in unconventional warfare. C
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There are many reasons for this and like the Fairbairn Knife this is a double edged blade. SOF has not done a good job in educating either the conventional military nor has it done a good job in educating the decision makers who write our national strategies. SOF is also its own worst enemy when it comes to selling itself or capitializing on its own capabilities when it comes to what its role should be and where the emphasis should go within the community. I think one of the biggest problems within, at least the SF community, is that because we operate, or are supposed to operate, on broad mission type orders leaving the execution decentralized to the lowest echelon possible most of those decision makers that would want to utilize SF in their primary functions can't come to grips that this is primarily a NCO run, lead, trained, and driven operation. You all have heard about the NCO being the backbone of the Army, well in SF it is the organization. It is very culturally difficult for some officers, especially senior officers, to understand that NCOs function in roles normally defined as "officer" roles. They advise, lead, and train every echelon doctrinally from platoon to battalion and in some cases beyond. I have to cut this short because because I have to go address the "present" mother nature left me yesterday before the wind starts to kick up and the wind chill hits the forecasted minus 30.