“What’s Wrong With SOCOM?” – Or How to Fix It?

Image from USSOCOM 2016 Factbook - whats wrong with socom

What’s wrong with SOCOM? Small Wars Journal has posted an article on its website that is sure to generate lots of discussion. The author, going by the name “Sadcom via Happycom” – whatever that is supposed to mean – is airing lots of issues that will certainly spice up a conversation. He is presenting a series of four articles. The first is entitled “What’s Wrong With SOCOM? Part I: JSOC Winning the War Against White SOF and the Problems Massive Bureaucracy Gets You in the Conduct of Irregular Warfare” posted on December 25, 2016.

The author, according to the “About the Author” section at the bottom of the long article “. . . has spent more than 20 years in special operations and more than 29 years in the military”.

Some of the main points: JSOC runs USSOCOM, USSOCOM is a huge bureaucracy, we have too many flag officers, USASOC has lost its way, SOF is resented by CF (no big news there), Green Berets (and CA and PSYOP) have been marginalized (I guess by JSOC, Rangers, and SEALs), MARSOC still hasn’t found its way, and Congress doesn’t trust USSOCOM.

The first of the four articles can be read at the link below. I look forward to reading the next three follow-on articles – the second is to be about USASOC.

http://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/what%E2%80%99s-wrong-with-socom

About John Friberg 201 Articles
John Friberg is the Editor and Publisher of SOF News. He is a retired Command Chief Warrant Officer (CW5 180A) with 40 years service in the U.S. Army Special Forces with active duty and reserve components.