Joint Task Force XXI: SOF as Executive Agency in Military Operations Other Than War
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Authors
Strong, Mark A
Subjects
Command and Control
Military Operations Other Than War
Special Operations
Somalia
Military Operations Other Than War
Special Operations
Somalia
Advisors
Stockton, Paul
Moran, Daniel
Date of Issue
1997-12
Date
Publisher
Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School
Language
eng
Abstract
While the US military faces growing requirements to conduct Military Operations Other Than War (MOOTW), our command relationships are mired in the past, optimized for war, not MOOTW. General Purpose Forces are normally earmarked for Command and Control (C2) of these operations, with primarily conventional commanders, staffs, and service components establishing the Joint Task Force (JTF). Special Operations Forces (SOF) support the JTF. However, given the capabilities of SOF, this command relationship does not take advantage of SOF's strengths, and at times actually impedes our overall efforts. SOF can provide the regional CINC with superior multi echelon C2 in MOOTW. This thesis will demonstrate that the current US military C2 system is unsuitable, and that by changing it we will dramatically improve mission success probabilities, efficiency, and overall combat effectiveness. This thesis examines US operations in Somalia (Restore Hope) in order to shed light on key areas of sub optimization. A SOF based organization (JTF-XXI) will be proposed and compared to the Restore Hope JTF. The thesis will argue that the JTF-XXI is more effective and efficient, and should be adopted for future use
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Defense Analysis (DA)
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NPS Report Number
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Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.