A Duplicitous Representation
10 May 07The on-going and continuous usurpation of the term Special Forces by non-Special Forces qualified, senior, military officers to describe their Special Operations units is a travesty. It has become blatantly obvious they do it to enhance their own status.
There is only one Special Forces, The US Army Special Forces, and all of the Special Forces personnel have earned the Green Beret. Each service has a Special Operations Force. Some have become fond of dropping the word "Operations" from their unit designation and title in order to label themselves "Special Forces". Each of the Special Operations unit officers claiming their unit is "Special Forces" knows it is a duplicitous representation. The reason for this usurpation is obvious. Special Forces are "The Quiet Professionals", yet their feats in combat, and their accomplishments in the defense of America have become legendary. The leaders of the Special Operations units who falsely claim to be Special Forces are trying to steal someone else's glory and they are willing to impugn their integrity to get a piece of it. It is the duty and responsibility of Special Operations Command (SOCOM), in Tampa, to correct this abuse of military terminology. It is time for SOCOM to protect and defend the heritage of the true Special Forces. We should never again read or hear about a Marine "Special Forces" unit killing innocent civilians in, and subsequently being kicked out of, Afghanistan. There are no Marine Special Forces units. They are MARSOF or Marine Special Operations Forces. Nor should we see any other abuses of power by other Special Operations units, including the misnaming of those units by their commanders falsely attributing them to be Special Forces, including a USAF Colonel who made such a claim yesterday. The experiences and deployments of Special Forces over the past 20 years taught some lessons about how they should be used in the future and what they need to get it done for America. Linda Robinson, the author of Masters of Chaos, wrote:
1. "Special Forces were the only US ground force in the West and North (of Iraq) for most of the combat phase of the war. This represented an enormous economy of force for the conventional forces, which were able to concentrate their efforts on the march North into Baghdad."
2. "The way in which the United States views the threats it faces today and the degree to which it comes up with thoughtful, sophisticated, and effective responses will determine the future of Special Forces - and everyone else." No other armed force can do what American Special Forces can do today. That has been proven on many battlefields. The ranks of our Special Forces abound with men who are presently serving their 8th and in some cases their 9th tour of combat duty. America is fortunate to have such men. SOCOM leadership should never allow these men's contributions to be watered down and their history to be publicly blemished by units and individuals who are not Special Forces. Allowing the kinds of word abuses that falsely enhance others at the expense of the heritage of these men can only be harmful in the long term to America's premier force - Special Forces. SOCOM has the authority to correct this travesty in an instant and they should do so now. This is not to say that the many contributions of Special Operations Forces (SOF) are not important. They are and those contributions are significant. The ranks of SOF units are replete with patriots. We respect and honor all of them and their service. SOF forces do have some warriors. We invite the best of the SOF forces to consider joining us in the Special Forces. Mike Linnane
Major, US Army Special Forces, Retired