SOF Enablers: Enhancing USSOCOM Capabilities with Cutting-Edge Expertise.

摘要

United States Special Operations Command's (USSOCOM) cornerstone role in the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) will continue well into the foreseeable future. The networked-cell structure and worldwide span of potential GWOT adversaries requires Special Operations Forces (SOF) operators to rapidly access and integrate cultural and linguistic expertise from a broad range of countries. Highly specialized technical knowledge is needed to exploit and/or deny these enemies the use of high technology commercial communication, information, and economic systems in their operations against the United States and its allies. Modifications to USSOCOM's reserve components can provide a rapidly accessible pool of diverse, cutting-edge subject matter experts needed to support SOF GWOT operations. In a time of unprecedented SOF growth and high SOF operational tempo, these changes may also serve as an integral component of the SOF for Life concept to retain former active-duty SOF personnel within the SOF community. This paper will examine the potential for this new USSOCOM reserve component program, provide recommended legislative and policy changes necessary to establish the program, and detail how these capability- expanding changes can be instituted with a minimum commitment of new resources. The following are some of the subject areas that could provide SOF with increased capabilities: Cellular Systems Design, Cultural Anthropology, International Finance, International Marketing, Languages and Linguistics, Microbiology and Genetics, Multi-media Production, Nanotechnology, Network Systems Engineering, and Robotic Systems Engineering.