SOCOM Lacks Effective Leaders

The US Special Operations Command includes 52,000 personnel. Ten thousand, almost one fifth, are in Army Special Forces Command. Navy SEALs, Army Rangers, the 160th Helicopter Regiment, and Air Force Special Units make up SOCOM.

SOCOM is the cutting edge, the spearhead, and the organization that does the most ass-kicking in Afghanistan, Iraq, and throughout the world. However, they have a problem. They do not have enough generals with special warfare experience. It is very dangerous for the typical conventional American general to become involved in special operations. That is a recipe for disaster.

In fact, the shortfall in special forces trained generals may have been caused by sabotage by the conventional generals. Most of the special forces generals are not special forces personnel. They are generals who at one time or another, in their youth, spent a couple of months earning a Ranger tab. The current situation at SOCOM, and throughout the special forces branch, is extremely perilous. If some special forces trained generals are not moved in within the next few months, SOCOM will go to hell in a hand basket.

There is more disquieting news. The 31 bird colonels that the Army selected for promotion to Brigadier General last year included no special forces officers. What we have here is a failure to promote to generals, special forces officers who are admittedly the best in the US Army.

98% of the men who are 1, 2, and 3 star generals now were rewarded for being political ass-kissers and yes-men. They are lousy combat leaders. None of them are fit to lead special forces troops. This sabotage to insure that no special forces officers are promoted to general is yet another dirty trick of America’s politicized conventional generals, who are running things.

Ask yourself this. Who will correct this bad situation?