Unit Profile
The United States Army Special Forces, also known as the Green Berets, are a Special Operations Force of the U.S. Army trained for unconventional warfare and special operations. They were founded by Colonel Aaron Bank in 1952 as the 10th Special Forces Group. During the Vietnam war the unit expanded fast. On October 1st 1982 the 1st Special Operations Command was provisionally activated. All Special Forces Groups were placed under this command. On November 27th 1990, this command was redesignated as the US Army Special Forces Command.
Special Forces soldiers are primarily utilised in liaison and training roles to friendly governments involved in counterinsurgency operations, or as liaison and training advisors to members of insurgency forces or guerrillas which the United States Government wishes to support.
At the operational level, Special Forces are usually comprised of twelve-man "A Teams," With 2 officers and 10 enlisted members. Each of which is considered an expert in such Military Occupational Specialties (MOS) as: small arms, demolitions, medical, communication, etc. Each member is also cross-trained in at least one other MOS so that he may fill in for other members who are wounded or killed. In addition, each member is usually proficient in the language of the host nation or insurgent group.
All US Army Special Forces members are double volunteers, having volunteered first for airborne training and then for Special Forces training. Special Forces training is mostly undertaken at Fort Bragg, North Carolina and is referred to as the "Q" Course (Qualification). The course has 3 phases, with 1st phase being advanced military skills, second phase is the advanced MOS training and third phase is small unit operations, where teams undertake a simulated mission to train and organize indigenous forces.
Mission
- Primary mission: Unconventional warfare
Raised and Disbanded
- Raised: June 19th 1952
Units
- Special Forces Command
- 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne)
- 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
- 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
- 6th Special Forces Group
- 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
- 8th Special Forces Group
- 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
- 11th Special Forces Group
- 12th Special Forces Group
- 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne), National Guard
- 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), National Guard
- Training Group
- Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command
- 77th Special Forces Group
- 38th Special Forces Comp
- 46th Special Forces Comp
- Military Advisory Command Vietnam/Studies and Observation Group
- Provincial Reconnaissance Unit Republic Vietnam
- Special Forces Headquarters Provincial Detachment Korea
- Bright Light Republic Vietnam
- Forces Armee Nationes Khmeres/United States Army Republic of Vietnam Individual Training Group
- Joint Casualties Resolution Center
- Special Forces Advisors Republic of Vietnam
- White Star - Hotfoot
- 1st Special Service Force
Headquarters
- Fort Bragg, North Carolina, United States