Special Operations Contribution in the Global War on Terror

Special Operations Contribution in the Global War on Terror

Roberto E Vargas
University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Introduction
Special operation forces are the tip of the spear of the United States military. They are the
best of the best. Among some of the best trained soldiers in the world, they live up to the

Commented [1]: Overall the paper is pretty decent, it

seems rushed and missing a few aspects from the
outline. Gave good insight on your topic. I can see
where your mind is for your study and what you want to
accomplish.
Commented [2]: Overall, you had a decent paper. I
like your idea for your plan of study. I also liked the
topic you chose. I learned some things about special
operations that I did not know before. Good work.

Commented [3]: Your introduction is very brief. You

didn't explain much in your intro, for instance reason for
your research, biases that may be present and the
focus of your paper. As the reader, we want to know
what we should be looking forward to and have some
type of insight on what your paper will cover. Revise
this section based on the assignment 2 outline.
Commented [4]: Your introduction is very brief. You
only included vague information abut special operation
forces. You are missing your reasons for your research
topic and biases between you and your topic. Look
back at the Assignment 2 rubric to help when fixing
these errors.

Special Operations Contribution in the Global War on Terror

standards that are required of them. For years after years, war after war, they continue to prove to
the world why they are the best. Not only do they live up to the standard, but they set the bar.
They set the bar as to what elite really is. They are professionals. They are extremely good at
what they do. They train on hours end. It is not easy trying to become one and it is even harder to

Commented [5]: Good general overview for your

introduction. Though I could see that the adding of
information on some of the things the Special
Operations Forces do would be beneficial. Also maybe
state exactly what you intend on researching and
studying. And also add and bias's you have for maybe
a specific branch or towards the special forces in
general.

live the life of one, but it is completely worth it in the end. There is nothing to be more proud of
than living up to the standards of the incredible men who came before them.

Literature Review
O Connell does a great job at explaining how the United States uses the Special Forces
and how they can be of use in homeland security. He goes in detail into the different missions
that special operations perform and how they operate. He also states some information about the
National Guard Special Forces and how they operate. He talks about the core competencies a
Special Forces soldier should have. These competencies include: warfighting, Development of
human infrastructure, training, Interagency, Joint, Combined and Multinational Operations,
physical fitness, interpersonal and cross-cultural communications, problem solving, Clandestine
Infiltration and Exfiltration, political awareness, and Austere or Hostile Environments. Each SF
soldier needs to have these attributes in order to be an asset to the mission and to be successful
within the SF world. (O'Connell, 2008).
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) saw the United
States Army employ Special Forces (SF) on a scale not seen since the Vietnam War. (Peltier,
05) SF soldiers used the skills they have mastered and used it for surrogate warfare. One of the
main missions SFs have is to train other military forces. In the Middle East, SF soldiers would

Commented [6]: I feel like some background or

personal information is needed before just jumping
right into the facts. It would help get the reader
connected into what you are reviewing instead of
boring them with just straight information. Maybe state
any prior knowledge you have of the Special Forces
and connect them with the review.

Commented [7]: Who is O'Connell? I feel like there is

some information missing in the beginning of your
literature review. Still confused as to what exactly your
topic is focusing on.

Commented [8]: Your literature review is not in a

cohesive manner. We talked about this in class that we
had to try to make the Lit review seem like one
complete story essentially. It shouldn't be just one
source summarized here then the other there, it has to
come together. Also check the guidelines for the in text
citation to ensure you are doing it correctly.

Special Operations Contribution in the Global War on Terror

train Iraqi and Afghan militias who wanted to rebel against the Taliban and Al Qaeda. (Peltier,

05).
Whether we bring our enemies to justice, or bring justice to our enemies, justice will be
done. President George W. Bush. These are the words the president spoke to the nation after
the 9/11 attacks on the twin towers and The Pentagon. U.S. SF soldiers are considered one of the
best trained soldiers in the world. Having training in unconventional warfare (UW), Direct
Action (DA), Special Reconnaissance (SR), and more. One important skill for a SF soldier and
any special operation soldier is understanding the environment they are operating in. This is
more important on the global war on terror than in any other conflict. This includes knowing
things such as: military, political, economic, informational, and cultural. The tactics and
strategies of the enemy are dependent on the environment. (Moll, 2003)
In assignment one my first observation was my personal experience during basic training.
Although this is nothing compared to the level the SF soldiers perform on in gave me a small
insight on the lifestyle. My second observation was about the famous movie Black Hawk
Down. This movie was based the operation Gothic Serpent, or the Battle of Mogadishu. This
battle was very famous for the special operation groups of Army Rangers, Special Forces, and
Delta Force. My third observation was about the TV show Surviving the Cut. The show has a
special segment about Army Special Forces called Two Weeks in Hell. It follows what
soldiers go through during the Special Forces qualification course, or Q course. The first phase
of the Q course is the assessment and selection process. This is a two week process in which
soldiers are tested to their limits physically and mentally. Two weeks may not seem like a long
time, but combined with physical training, 20 mile road marches, lack of food, and lack of sleep,

Commented [9]: This entire paragraph is lacking a lot

of information. You should discuss more about what
the OEF, OIF, and SF are and what they do. This
would decrease confusion when reading your paper.

Special Operations Contribution in the Global War on Terror

it will seem like forever. The worst part of it is that you could make it through the entire two

weeks and not even be selected. There is no guarantee that all candidates will be selected. The
people who select which candidates move forward are looking for soldiers who are in excellent
physical shape, work in a team, step up and take charge if need, and are problem solvers.
Candidates who make it through the two weeks being selected do not yet receive their green
beret. They have about another year or year and a half (depending what job they are assigned)
before they will be considered green berets. (Vargas, 2016)
The United States has deployed dozens of special operation soldiers to Syria to advise
and assist the Arab and Kurdish rebel forces against ISIS. Bowman says that the U.S forces will
not be partaking in any kind of combat. An officer tells Bowman that they will be in a
headquarters, but still in harms way. U.S. forces will be assisting a group of around one
thousand Turkish, Arab, and Kurdish forces move forward towards the ISIS headquarters in the
city of Raqqa.(Bowman, 2015)
Special operational forces seized an Islamic state leader during a rain in Syria. The
Identity of the leader is not to be revealed according to the pentagon. They say it could affect
future missions in capturing ISIS leaders. This is a way that special operations have contributed
to the war on terror. The U.S. has a new strategy to send in the secret special operation group
Delta Force to go after ISIS leader in Syria and Iraq. (Ewing, 2016)

Entering the Conversation

Commented [10]: I felt rather confused when reading

your literature review. Your information was kind of
everywhere and not very structured. By the time I was
done reading it I still has not idea what your topic was
focusing on for the entering the conversation.

Commented [11]: I found the overall layout of this

section somewhat confusing. It seems s though your
just stating specific events and not reallin telling what
the SF's are and how they work and train. Or just what
makes a Special Force's Solider a Special Forces
solider. From differences in font color to capitalization, I
just feel like this whole section needs to be reviewed
based on the gudelines for assignment 2.
Commented [12]: I like how you developed your study
and the layout. I feel a chart would give a better visual
for the readers. Visuals tend to help not only readers
but the researcher in developing a better study.

Special Operations Contribution in the Global War on Terror

Special operations play an important part within the U.S. military. They called upon for

the most important missions the military has. They are an elite force that are trained to survive
anywhere and overcome any situation. The most common special operations force that people
are familiar with are the Navy SEALs. One important operation where their fame grew was when
seal team six raided a compound for Osama Bin Laden. Although people have some familiarity
of the special operation world, most people dont know about the history behind them, or what
exactly they have to go through to become some of the best soldiers in the world.
I want to create something that will give people more insight on the world of special
operations. Something that will help people appreciate what these men have done and the
challenges that they have had to overcome. Something that will not only teach people leadership
traits, hard work, and sacrifice, but that will also inspire people to be the best that they can be.
To do this I plan to conduct a class in a classroom environment for a couple of weeks.
The course will go over a special operation group each week. These special operation groups will
include, Army Special Forces, Army Rangers, Navy SEALs, Air Force Pararescue, and Delta
Force. Although these are not all the special operation groups within the military, these are more
of the main ones. The course will cover three major component of each special operation force,
history, training and requirements, and current contributions. It will go over when they were
created, how they were created, what they were primarily created for, and the contributions they
have made in past wars and conflicts. The training and requirement portion will cover what these
men have to do to even be considered part of special operations. It will also cover how long the
training takes to become part of the elite force and what kind of training they conduct before they
go on a mission. The requirements to get into these elite forces will also be discussed. For

Special Operations Contribution in the Global War on Terror

example, for Army Special Forces you might at least twenty years old and be airborne qualified

before you are allowed to try-out. The last thing discussed will be current contributions. What
have special operation forces given us today. What role have they had on the global war on
terror? What strategy have they used in the fight against ISIS? How have they helped allied
countries and rebel forces in the war on terror?
Leadership is an important asset within the special operation community. Now not
everybody can be a leader at once, but every person with team must have the capability to step
up and fill the shoes if needed. For example, if you are in a firefight and your commander gets
wounded somebody has to be willing to step up and take lead. Same concept if that person gets
wounded, and so on. In the course we will look back on the great leaders who made a difference.
The ones who went above and beyond the call and the ones who sacrificed everything whether
that be family, friends, or the ultimate sacrifice: their life.
I want this course to inspire the lives of those who take it. People should feel inspired by
the people who are a part of the legend of special operations through the acts of valor these brave
men have committed. They are the epitome of greatness. They go beyond what most people even
think about, pushing their mind and body to the limit every single day. They show that nothing is
impossible. That if you want it go and get it. They show that the human body can take so much
more than what people allow themselves to take. If you have the right mindset you can achieve
whatever you want. They show that things are not just given to you, but you have to earn them.
Just as they had to earn the right into the brotherhood of special operations. And most
importantly to never give up no matter how hard things get. I think Marcus Luttrell, who was a

Special Operations Contribution in the Global War on Terror

former Navy SEAL famous for his book and the movie Lone Survivor, said it best no matter

how much it hurts, how dark it gets or how far you fall you are never out of the fight.

Conclusion
I hope that this course can teach people and challenge the lives of those who care to be a
part of it. I hope it can give people more of an appreciation of what these men do. They have
made a huge impact in the world before and continue to make that same impact today. Let us not
forget those who have served or are currently serving and the sacrifices they have made for this
great country. George Orwell put it this way, People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only
because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.

Reference Page
O'Connell, D. K. (2008, March). U.S. ARMY SPECIAL FORCES AND HOMELAND
SECURITY OPERATIONS. Retrieved March 25, 2016, from
https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract
Ewing, P. (2016, March 2). U.S. Special Ops Troops Aim to Round up ISIS Leaders in
Iraq. Retrieved March 30, 2016, from http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwoway/2016/03/02/468956113/u-s-special-ops-troops-aim-to-round-up-isis-leaders-in-iraq
Peltier, I. J., MAJ. (05, May). Surrogate Warfare: The Role of U.S. Army Special Forces.
Retrieved March 26, 2016, from
http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA43610
9
Vargas, Roberto (2016, February) Assignment One Observations

Commented [13]: Good job on your conclusion.

Although it seems pretty solid, there are many aspects
stated in the guideline's you are missing. I would add
more information from what knowledge you have
gained from your research.

Commented [14]: Your conclusion needs more

information. You need to discuss results from your
entering the conversations and how the results would
be told to the public. You also need to include potential
research ideas beyond what you created. Look back at
the assignment 2 rubric to help out when fixing theses
missing pieces.

Commented [15]: Conclusion should not be like a

regular or typical conclusion. You are missing the
bulletted points from the outline so you need to go back
and revise. It is extremely brief and doesnt cover much.
Commented [16]: Knowing some background on the
challenges you faced with this assignment I'd say you
did a good job. If I were grading this assignment I
would give it a "C", which is a lot better than an "F"! But
I feel you would find it extremely beneficial to review
the guidelines for the assignment, as well as the
guidelines for your citation style. Good job.

Special Operations Contribution in the Global War on Terror

Vargas, Roberto (2016, February) Assignment One Compiled by Rick Cates, Interview
Bowman, T. (2015, October 3). Small Number of U.S. Special Forces Will Help Fight
ISIS in Syria. Retrieved March 30, 2016, from
http://www.npr.org/2015/10/30/453217038/small-number-of-u-s-special-forces-willhelp-fight-isis-in-syria

Moll, D. C., MAJ. (2003). U.S. Army Special Forces Training for the Global War on
Terror. Retrieved March 27, 2016, from
http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA41697
2

Commented [17]: I am only counting 6 sources. You

definitely would want to find couple more before
submitting this assignment. She asks for 10-12, but I
feel only having 6 may bring your grade down
substantially. Perhaps even to a "F".