Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $9.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Special Forces Command And Control In Afghanistan
    Special Forces Command And Control In Afghanistan
    Special Forces Command And Control In Afghanistan
    Ebook80 pages1 hour

    Special Forces Command And Control In Afghanistan

    By Major Richard G. Rhyne

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    The purpose of this study is to examine the nature of the command and control relationship between Special Forces and conventional forces. Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan serves as a case study in practice and doctrinal application. Against the backdrop of World War II, Operations in Panama, Haiti, Somalia, Bosnia, and Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, this thesis provides an analysis of the complex issues arising from the necessity to fight jointly.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTannenberg Publishing
    Release dateNov 6, 2015
    ISBN9781786253118
    Special Forces Command And Control In Afghanistan

    Related to Special Forces Command And Control In Afghanistan

    Related ebooks

    Wars & Military For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Shake ’n Bake Sergeants

      Dec 1, 2020

      Shake ’n Bake Sergeants
      10 min read

    • Article

      The End of the Fighting General

      Sep 10, 2018

      The End of the Fighting General
      8 min read

    • Article

      Mount Harriet

      Sep 7, 2021

      Mount Harriet
      6 min read

    • Article

      The Longest Fight

      Mar 1, 2022

      The Longest Fight
      14 min read

    • Article

      Sniper Fundamentals

      Dec 6, 2022

      The role of a sniper is one that’s often misunderstood by the general public. In countless movies and video games, the sniper character is a sneaky lone wolf who uses an exotic takedown rifle that packs into a briefcase and comes equipped with a red

      2 min read

    • Article

      Life In The Legion

      Jan 24, 2023

      Life In The Legion
      6 min read

    • Article

      The Last Serving Battle Rifle G3

      Apr 27, 2020

      THE G3 IS overshadowed by its contemporaries for reasons that perhaps have more to do with politics than functionality and reliability, and could make for a good story on its own. As a battle, it is quite easily one of the best out there; it saw exte

      5 min read

    • Article

      The Long View

      Dec 21, 2021

      The Long View
      2 min read

    • Article

      Masters Of Disguise

      Jan 21, 2021

      Masters Of Disguise
      7 min read

    • Article

      Surrender Or Else

      Feb 11, 2020

      Surrender Or Else
      2 min read

    • Article

      Great Battles TALI-IHANTALA

      Aug 1, 2024

      Great Battles TALI-IHANTALA
      9 min read

    • Article

      The Enemy Listened In

      Nov 8, 2022

      The Enemy Listened In
      9 min read

    • Article

      Incoming

      Jan 23, 2024

      Incoming
      5 min read

    • Article

      School Of Hard Knox

      Mar 22, 2019

      School Of Hard Knox
      8 min read

    • Article

      Topgun, 1969

      Jun 4, 2019

      Topgun, 1969
      12 min read

    • Article

      Building a Strong Force for Peace

      Aug 11, 2022

      The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) celebrated the 95th anniversary of its founding on August 1. The people’s armed forces founded by the Communist Party of China (CPC) have made indelible achievements in realizing national independence, liberating th

      5 min read

    • Article

      Reconsidering Troop Ratings

      Jan 7, 2022

      It is, of course, human nature to feel comfortable with ideas that are familiar. Indeed, even those who proclaim a desire to see interesting new ideas in their games can find that some interesting new ideas are actually just a bit too interesting. As

      6 min read

    • Article

      Emergency Communications

      Jan 1, 2022

      Emergency Communications
      8 min read

    • Article

      Eyewitness To Withdrawal

      Aug 22, 2023

      Eyewitness To Withdrawal
      11 min read

    • Article

      Watch And Learn

      Dec 22, 2020

      Watch And Learn
      10 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Special Forces Command And Control In Afghanistan

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Special Forces Command And Control In Afghanistan - Major Richard G. Rhyne

      2002

      CHAPTER 1—INTRODUCTION

      The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country.—Abraham Lincoln

      From the very beginning of Special Forces-type missions, there has been an overarching problem with command and control (C2) as a function of integration with conventional forces. Special Forces are considered unconventional in tactics, techniques, and procedures. After 1986, joint publications (JPs) provided the strategic, operational, and tactical guidance for future campaigns including guidance for integration. However, the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001 ushered in an era of warfare that continues to challenge conventional wisdom about integration and C2 relationships.

      The Research Question

      Using the operational situation in Afghanistan, what is the optimal C2 relationship between Army Special Forces and conventional forces?

      Subordinate Questions

      1. Why is C2 so important?

      2. What has been the historical precedent for C2 of Special Forces?

      3. What is the joint doctrine for C2 of Special Forces?

      4. How was doctrine implemented in Operation Enduring Freedom?

      5. Did the C2 of Special Forces in Afghanistan work?

      6. How does a C2 relationship effect integration of Special Forces and conventional forces?

      7. What change if any should be considered in joint doctrine?

      Limitations

      1. This thesis does not use any classified documents. The term special operation forces, denotes special operation forces not included under the highest categories of classification. The units that are conducting operations that are top secret mission are called Tier 1 forces. Special operation forces have the ability to work in a full spectrum of classified and non-classified environments. The units in this study fall under the heading of tier 3 forces. No reference occurs to units under the Joint Special Operations Command in Afghanistan.

      2. The majority of the information of C2 in Afghanistan constitutes very recent raw data. In June 2002, Joint Task Force-180 had the full control of all operations in Afghanistan. Materials on Operation Enduring Freedom do not benefit from the kind of perspective that comes with time.

      3. Interviews have their own advantages and disadvantages. To reduce bias this study relies on multiple interviews for purposes of cross-checking. This study uses interviews to point out how doctrine was interpreted to dictate the C2 relationships that exist today in Afghanistan. Materials for analysis include interviews with commanders or personnel who were in staff positions in the Joint Special Operation Task Force and Joint Task Force in Afghanistan.

      4. The information in this thesis focuses on Army Special Forces in Afghanistan.

      5. Historical precedent informs much of the comparison and analysis, but fuller examination of the precedent lies outside the parameters of this thesis.

      Author’s Qualification

      The author of this thesis was introduced to special operations in 1992. Upon completion of the Special Forces qualification course, and after serving as a detachment commander, the author was tasked in 1996 to support the Battle Command Training Program (BCTP) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, supporting GEN Henry Shelton, the XVIII Airborne Corps Commander. The author was designated as the special operations C2 cell for the XVIII Airborne Corps BCTP.

      In 2000, the author commanded Bravo Company 1st Battalion 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), and was selected to take his company to Bosnia under the 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) Commander MG Walter Sharp. MAJ Rhyne commanded six Special Forces teams under the guidance of Joint Special Operation Task Force (JSOTF) in Sarajevo. He provided the C2 and the coordination efforts as the special operation C2 cell (SOCCE). The Special Forces teams were Administrative Control (ADCON) to the SOCCE and OPCON to the JSOTF. Under the SOCCE’s leadership, the operational detachments conducted operations as Joint Commissioned Observers. Operational detachments that conducted direct action missions were placed TACON to the SOCCE. The author was present for all meetings by the JTF, JSOTF, and SFOR commanders’ discussions on C2 relationships of Special Forces in theater.

      In April 2002, the author became operations officer for the 3rd Special Forces Group. When the group deployed to Afghanistan, the author became the Deputy J3 of the Joint Special Operations Task Force (JSOTF) in Afghanistan, and the Joint Operation Center director. The Joint Operation Center director is the current operations officer of the JSOTF. He spent ten months in Afghanistan as the current operations officer and deputy J3 during the integration with the 10th Mountain Division, the 82nd Airborne Division, and the Joint Task Force Afghanistan whose nucleus was the 18th Airborne Corps.

      Methodology

      The heart of this thesis lies in a historical case study of C2 relationships pertaining to the employment of Special Forces in Afghanistan during

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1