THE INTEGRATION OF CONVENTIONAL FORCES AND SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES A thesis presented to the Faculty of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree MASTER OF MILITARY ART AND SCIENCE General Studies by MICHAEL D. HASTINGS, MAJ, USA B.A., The Citadel, Charleston, South Carolina, 1991 Fort Leavenworth, Kansas 2005 Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Form Approved REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE OMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing this collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to Department of Defense, Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports (0704-0188), 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202- 4302. Respondents should be aware that notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if it does not display a currently valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. 1. REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YYYY) 2. REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 17-06-2005 Master’s Thesis Aug 2004 - Jun 2005 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER The Integration of Conventional Forces and Special Operation 5b. GRANT NUMBER Forces 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER Hastings, Michael D., MAJ, U.S. Army 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT U.S. Army Command and General Staff College NUMBER ATTN: ATZL-SWD-GD 1 Reynolds Ave. Ft. Leavenworth, KS 66027-1352 9. SPONSORING / MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S ACRONYM(S) 11. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S REPORT NUMBER(S) 12. DISTRIBUTION / AVAILABILITY STATEMENT Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT This study is designed to discover perceived issues that plague conventional forces and special operations forces (SOF) integration on the battlefield. The research did in fact show that although operational and tactical integration of these disparate forces is overall successful, there exist several impediments to a truly joint and combined arms fight. The methodology used to conduct the analysis is based on the doctrine, organization, training, material, leadership, personnel, and facilities (DOTMLPF) construct, and the most pertinent issues identified from the contemporary operational environment. Each facet of the DOTMLPF was underscored with examples from recent conventional force and special operations force integrated operations in Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom, and offers modest solutions to these matters. The recommendations are intended to increase the capabilities of both conventional forces and SOF, whether integrated or not. Whil thi t d id tifi l tt th t h t l i ti i t ti iti lti t l t i 15. SUBJECT TERMS Conventional Forces, Special Operations Forces, SOF, War on Terrorism, Integration, DOTMLPF, Combined Arms, Joint capabilities, OIF, OEF, Cultural Bias 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION 18. NUMBER 19a. NAME OF RESPONSIBLE PERSON OF ABSTRACT OF PAGES a. REPORT b. ABSTRACT c. THIS PAGE 107 19b. TELEPHONE NUMBER (include area code) Unclassified Unclassified Unclassified UU Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std. Z39.18 MASTER OF MILITARY ART AND SCIENCE THESIS APPROVAL PAGE Name of Candidate: Major Michael D. Hastings Thesis Title: The Integration of Conventional Forces and Special Operations Forces Approved by: , Thesis Committee Chair Harold S. Orenstein, Ph.D. , Member LTC Charles Guerry, M.A. , Member LTC Gregory P. Fenton, M.A. Accepted this 17th day of June 2005 by: , Director, Graduate Degree Programs Robert F. Baumann, Ph.D. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student author and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to this study should include the foregoing statement.) ii ABSTRACT INTEGRATION OF CONVENTIONAL FORCES AND SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES, by Major Michael D. Hastings, USA, 98 pages. This study is designed to discover perceived issues that plague conventional forces and special operations forces (SOF) integration on the battlefield. The research did in fact show that although operational and tactical integration of these disparate forces is overall successful, there exist several impediments to a truly joint and combined arms fight. The methodology used to conduct the analysis is based on the doctrine, organization, training, material, leadership, personnel, and facilities (DOTMLPF) construct, and the most pertinent issues identified from the contemporary operational environment. Each facet of the DOTMLPF was underscored with examples from recent conventional force and special operations force integrated operations in Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom, and offers modest solutions to these matters. The recommendations affect doctrine, organization, training, material, and leadership; but find no cause to effect change or improvement to personnel and facilities within the Department of Defense. The recommendations are intended to increase the capabilities of both conventional forces and SOF, whether integrated or not. While this study identifies several matters that hamper truly synergistic integration, it is ultimately up to senior leadership within the military to continue further study and analysis, and overcome the inertia that hinders our joint warfighting capability. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. (Lincoln 1863) The Gettysburg Address With respect this thesis is dedicated to the memory of Specialist Kyle G. Thomas, United States Army, A Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry (Airborne), killed in action 25 September, 2003 while defending freedom in Kirkuk, Iraq. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page MASTER OF MILITARY ART AND SCIENCE THESIS APPROVAL PAGE.............ii ABSTRACT.......................................................................................................................iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.................................................................................................iv ACRONYMS....................................................................................................................vii ILLUSTRATIONS............................................................................................................ix CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION........................................................................................1 CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW...........................................................................13 CHAPTER 3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY...............................................................18 CHAPTER 4. ANALYSIS.................................................................................................27 Doctrine..........................................................................................................................27 Command and Control...................................................................................................30 Organization...................................................................................................................37 Impacts on Army Transformation……………………………………………………..38 Training..........................................................................................................................45 Material..........................................................................................................................52 Leadership......................................................................................................................58 Personnel........................................................................................................................65 Facilities.........................................................................................................................66 Case Study Analysis: JSOTF-North and the 173rd Airborne Brigade..........................66 Background....................................................................................................................67 Doctrine..........................................................................................................................72 Organization...................................................................................................................75 Training..........................................................................................................................76 Materials........................................................................................................................78 Leadership......................................................................................................................80 Personnel and Facilities.................................................................................................83 CHAPTER 5. CONCLUSION...........................................................................................84 REFERENCE LIST...........................................................................................................89 INITIAL DISTRIBUTION LIST......................................................................................96 v CERTIFICATION FOR MMAS DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT.................................97 vi ACRONYMS AI Area of Interest ALO Air Liaison Officer AO Area of Operations AOR Area of Responsibility BOS Battlefield Operating Systems C2 Command and Control CAS Close Air Support CFSOCC Coalition Forces Special Operations Component Command CMTC Combat Maneuver Training Center CTC Combat Training Centers COE Contemporary Operating Environment DOTMLPF Doctrine, Organization, Training, Material, Leadership, Personnel, Facilities ETAC Enlisted Terminal Air Controller (replaced by the term JTAC) FM Frequency Modulation HF High Frequency JCAS Joint Close Air Support JFE Joint Fires Element JP Joint Publication JRTC Joint Readiness Training Center JSOTF Joint Special Operations Task Force JSOTF-N Joint Special Operations Task Force-North JTAC Joint Terminal Air Controller vii JSOA Joint Special Operations Area LNO Liaison Officer METT-TC Mission, Enemy, Terrain, Troops available, Time, and Civilian considerations METL Mission Essential Task List NCO Noncommissioned Officer NSS National Security Strategy OEF Operation Enduring Freedom ODA Operational Detachment-Alpha ODB Operational Detachment-Bravo OPCON Operational Control SF Special Forces SFG Special Forces Group SFLE Special Forces Liaison Element SOCCE Special Operations Command and Control Element SOF Special Operations Forces TACON Tactical Control TACP Tactical Air Control Party TACSAT Tactical Satellite TTP Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures WOT War on Terrorism viii ILLUSTRATIONS Page Figure 1. Division-Centric Army....................................................................................39 Figure 2. Brigade-Centric Army.....................................................................................40 ix