PRIMARY SPECIAL FORCES MISSIONS

Special Forces Soldiers are trained to perform several key missions -- each meant to be performed effectively and efficiently in a small-team operational structure.

COUNTERINSURGENCY

Special Forces Soldiers are often deployed to prevent terrorist and insurgent incidents abroad. They respond to terrorist activities and train other nations' militaries in the basics of fighting insurgents.

UNCONVENTIONAL WARFARE

The cornerstone of Special Forces operations, unconventional warfare is activities conducted to enable a resistance movement or insurgency to coerce, disrupt, or overthrow a government or occupying power by operating through or with an underground, auxiliary, and guerrilla force in a denied area.

Special Forces Soldier firing rifle down range

DIRECT ACTION

Direct Action missions are short duration strikes used to seize, capture, recover or destroy enemy material, or recover personnel.

Special Operations Soldiers meet with locals

FOREIGN INTERNAL DEFENSE

Foreign Internal Defense is the act of training and equipping foreign allied military forces to defend against insurgency, subversion, terrorism and other security threats.

Special Forces Soldier on a recon mission, observing through foliage

SPECIAL RECONNAISSANCE

Surveillance conducted in hostile, denied, or diplomatically or politically sensitive environments is known as Special Reconnaissance. During this mission, Soldiers collect or verify information of strategic significance, and employ capabilities not normally used by conventional forces.

Special forces Soldier Rappels From Black Hawk Helicopter

SECURITY FORCE ASSISTANCE

During Security Force Assistance missions, Special Forces Soldiers are called upon to train and aid the defense capabilities of friendly and developing nations.

Learn about the basic qualifications to become a Special Forces Soldier

Learn about the history of Special Forces