Jan. 7, 2026

Supporting the Army Special Operations Forces-Space-Cyberspace Triad: Selection Criteria for Army Space Officers Supporting U.S. Special Operations Command

The preponderance of special operations forces (SOF) missions requires non-SOF support. There is only one Army Space officer (Functional Area 40) at every theater special operations command (TSOC) and Special Forces Group (SFG). These officers have an outsized impact on what commanders and units of action can accomplish operationally, or when preparing units of action to deploy forward (organizing, training, and equipping). At a TSOC, developing and directing lines of effort against an adversary’s communications architecture demands as much analytical rigor as ensuring units of action are properly equipped and trained to successfully contribute to a TSOC’s campaign support plan. While the Army’s talent management system has made positive strides in recent years, screening Army Space officers for service at SFGs or TSOCs warrants additional scrutiny. The suggestions below are scoped to Army Space officers due to the backgrounds of the authors, but this model could be applied to other low-density jobs in SOF, such as cyberspace or electronic warfare.

Sept. 30, 2025

Pursuing Higher Education: New Degree Pathways for Civil Affairs Special Operations Combat Medics

The role of special operations combat medics continues to evolve alongside rapid advancements in military medicine. Special operations medics are specially selected Soldiers tasked with the delivery of critical care in complex environments, while also individually embracing opportunities to enhance their medical expertise through higher education. This article details the unique journey of the special operations combat medics enrolled in the Special Operations Civil Affairs Medical Sergeants (SOCAMS) Course, which is offered at the Joint Special Operations Medical Training Center (JSOMTC) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Sept. 3, 2025

Perspectives: Optimizing Time and Task Prioritization for Special Forces Training and Education

The U.S. Army Special Forces Regiment faces a stark reality: too many training requirements and not enough time. This imbalance threatens operational readiness, forcing Special Forces Soldiers to juggle competing priorities while risking subpar performance in critical areas. To overcome this, the Regiment must adopt a focused, streamlined approach to training that prioritizes mission-essential tasks and mitigates the effects of overextension. Time is the most valuable resource. Without deliberate planning and prioritization, Special Forces Soldiers will be ill-prepared for the challenges of modern warfare.

May 1, 2025

Digital Twins for a Digital World: Data-Driven Training Optimizing the Ready Medical Force

FORT BRAGG, North Carolina — As the military transitions its focus to large-scale combat operations (LSCO) within the context of the multi-domain doctrinal concept, significant challenges facing the military health system were identified for which there are no immediate solutions.01,02 Alongside this shift in focus, strategic documents and senior military leaders suggest that ubiquitous data collection, robust cyber-secure networks, massive processing power, and scalable artificial intelligence (AI) constitute a technological revolution that is changing the character of war.03 The military health system’s ability to deliver tactical combat casualty care must evolve along with doctrinal and technological changes. The military health system needs to seize the opportunity to rapidly shift its priorities and resources to address these changes. This article helps address the imminent yet unwritten requirement to apply emerging technologies to military medical training.