Duke
07-22-2003, 05:58 PM
FYI,
Last night on the History Channel ran the Bravo Two Zero documentary. In it, several flag officers claimed that GEN Schwarzkopf had to be coaxed into having specialops personnel go scudbusting. (Actually, I read and heard numerous times that the general had a problem with SOFs period. What I know is that during Vietnam, Schwarzkopf had a XO who was a real POS. Horrible to the men, me first attitude, and actually beat one of his suborndinates. This guy was a nonvolunteer SF--at one time a soldier could be assigned without notice for SF training. Hence, a distrust to SOF.)
The main reason GEN Stormin Norman had to be coaxed is that GEN Downing CINC of SOCOM, at the time, wanted to have his entire command along side of CENTCOM in Riyadh. Which is like putting two bulls in the same pen--its just not done. GEN Stiner went so far as to actually go to GEN Powell and insist on a forward command for SOCOM. Obviously, this created for the Pentagon ego jungling and turf wars between SOCOM and CENTCOM. Eventually, GEN Stiner did not get his way, but a new system was developed.
Before the GW, CINCs did not have a SOCOM directorate. Directorates are offices or boxes controlled and managed by the CINC (now know as Regional Commanders) to implement military action as directed by his superiors--SECDEF and the President . Directorates include personnel, operations--the most important directorate since ops is what makes the military, and intelligence. Within directorates are sub-directorates. For example, intelligence will have its own personnel and operations boxes; and operations will have individual subdirectorates for Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines operations .
As for SOCOM, after the GW, they now had a directorate in each regional command. Their responsibility is to advise the RC on his SOCOM options, since SOF are not organic or tenets of any Regional Command. Instead, they are still under SOCOM. For example, the 25 ID (L) is part of the Army's PACOM, but 1st SF, whose AOR is PACOM, is under SOCOM.
Last night on the History Channel ran the Bravo Two Zero documentary. In it, several flag officers claimed that GEN Schwarzkopf had to be coaxed into having specialops personnel go scudbusting. (Actually, I read and heard numerous times that the general had a problem with SOFs period. What I know is that during Vietnam, Schwarzkopf had a XO who was a real POS. Horrible to the men, me first attitude, and actually beat one of his suborndinates. This guy was a nonvolunteer SF--at one time a soldier could be assigned without notice for SF training. Hence, a distrust to SOF.)
The main reason GEN Stormin Norman had to be coaxed is that GEN Downing CINC of SOCOM, at the time, wanted to have his entire command along side of CENTCOM in Riyadh. Which is like putting two bulls in the same pen--its just not done. GEN Stiner went so far as to actually go to GEN Powell and insist on a forward command for SOCOM. Obviously, this created for the Pentagon ego jungling and turf wars between SOCOM and CENTCOM. Eventually, GEN Stiner did not get his way, but a new system was developed.
Before the GW, CINCs did not have a SOCOM directorate. Directorates are offices or boxes controlled and managed by the CINC (now know as Regional Commanders) to implement military action as directed by his superiors--SECDEF and the President . Directorates include personnel, operations--the most important directorate since ops is what makes the military, and intelligence. Within directorates are sub-directorates. For example, intelligence will have its own personnel and operations boxes; and operations will have individual subdirectorates for Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines operations .
As for SOCOM, after the GW, they now had a directorate in each regional command. Their responsibility is to advise the RC on his SOCOM options, since SOF are not organic or tenets of any Regional Command. Instead, they are still under SOCOM. For example, the 25 ID (L) is part of the Army's PACOM, but 1st SF, whose AOR is PACOM, is under SOCOM.