The official USAJFKSWCS website will migrate at the end of October 2026.

Please note that only minimal updates will be made to the current site during this transition. For any questions or assistance, please contact the Public Affairs Office at pao_swcs@socom.mil.

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Banner illustration for An Institutional Home for ARSOF Robotics: Establishing a SORD-Training Company for Standards, Training, and Doctrine (Illustration by Special Warfare Journal staff.)An Institutional Home for ARSOF Robotics:
Establishing a SORD-Training Company for Standards, Training, and Doctrine

ARSOF requires a dedicated institutional organization to develop, standardize, and sustain robotics training, doctrine, experimentation, and Special Operations Robotics Detachment (SORD) support. Currently, these functions are scattered across schools, MOS pipelines, ad hoc initiatives, and unit-level efforts. Each group builds SORD capabilities independently with its own standard and its own assumptions, which means the force has many versions of "trained" and no agreed definition of it. Standardization of institutional training is an explicit role at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (SWCS). A SORD Training and Integration Company (SORD-T) within SWCS would provide the missing connective tissue between MOS pipelines, advanced robotics courses, operational detachments, and emerging technology. This article is not focused on any singular course it presents a force-design proposal, focusing on a sustainable, neutral, institutional home for robotics capability generation.
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Tag: Special Operations

Banner for Perspectives: Civil Affairs in the Civil-Military Coordination Center, Israel. A Soldier assigned to the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School is shown wearing the Civil Affairs Regimental Distinctive Insignia after successfully completing the Civil Affairs qualification course, at Camp Mackall, North Carolina. (U.S. Army photo by K. Kassens)

June 5, 2026

Perspectives: Civil Affairs in the Civil-Military Coordination Center, Israel

This article examines how Civil Affairs operates within the Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) in Israel, highlighting the interplay with intergovernmental, international, and non-governmental organization (NGO) stakeholders. It underscores why understanding these dynamics are essential to effectively support humanitarian efforts and operational goals.

Banner for Masters of Chaos Theory: Why SOF Thrives in Ambiguity. Graphic illustration created with a mix of Artificial Intelligence, Photoshop and Indesign.

May 15, 2026

Masters of Chaos Theory: Why SOF Thrives in Ambiguity

Special Operations Forces (SOF) thrive in ambiguous, chaotic environments because the principles of chaos theory directly enable and accelerate innovation in modern warfare. To understand this connection, it is important to explore the interconnections between chaos theory and innovation. This analysis defines their key principles, highlights their similarities, and shows how SOF uniquely leverages these dynamics to create operational advantages.

Banner for Book Review: From OSS to Green Berets: The Birth of Special Forces by Aaron Bank, Col. USA (Ret.) Portrait on plain background with title text

Feb. 12, 2026

Book Review: From OSS to Green Berets: The Birth of Special Forces by Aaron Bank, Col. USA (Ret.)

Aaron Bank is known as the father of Special Forces. He was the first Director of Special Forces and was the first Commander of 10th Special Forces Group when it was activated in 1952. Before standing up Special Forces as the Army’s premier unconventional warfare capability, Col. Bank served in the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) as a Jedburgh during WWII. In writing the book, Col. Bank wanted to tell the story of the OSS’s operational groups conducting unconventional warfare in WWII, and of the subsequent development of the Green Berets. His purpose in telling this story was to emphasize that the OSS and its legacy are intrinsically tied to that of the Green Berets as the “operational predecessor” of U.S. Army Special Forces.

Green Berets and special operations forces enablers with 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) load into an MH-47 Chinook helicopter.

Oct. 9, 2025

Perspectives: Special Operations Forces Value Proposition to the Conventional Force in Large Scale Combat Operations

To avoid fighting “the last war,” strategic planners have tried to characterize the next fight, particularly as it relates to optimizing conventional forces and special operations forces (SOF) to be adept at large-scale combat operations (LSCO). However, a clearly articulated vision or guidance on how to evolve has not been consistently communicated.

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