Special Warfare Journal

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Stability by Design: How ARSOF Culture Empowers the Operator and Anchors the Household

Military service is built on a shared cultural identity. Conversations across the force often default to the concept that every Soldier is part of one Army. All Soldiers, from Stryker infantrymen to Special Forces weapons sergeants, share the foundational identity represented by the U.S. Army nametape worn above their heart. Likewise, every Soldier is bound by the same oath and serves the same Constitution. However, this shared foundation overshadows the profound organizational and cultural differences between the conventional force and Army special operations forces (ARSOF).

Tag: USASOC

Banner illustration for Going Above and Beyond the Battlefield: Elevating Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations in the SOF-Space-Cyber Triad. (Illustration provided by Adobe Stock)

Aug. 7, 2025

Going Above and Beyond the Battlefield: Elevating Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations in the SOF-Space-Cyber Triad

This article emphasizes the critical role of Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations within the evolving SOF-Space-Cyber Triad, a strategic framework designed to enhance U.S. military advantages across multi-domain operations. Civil Affairs units provide vital insights into civil environments, counter adversary influence, and support governance while Psychological Operations influence perceptions and shape narratives in the information environment. When integrated with cyber and space capabilities, these units create a comprehensive approach to modern warfare, especially against near-peer competitors.

July 1, 2025

The Algebra of Irregular Warfare: A Planning Methodology for Transregional Operations

How do special operations forces (SOF) plan operations against threats delineated in the National Security Strategy that transcend the geographic and legal boundaries imposed by the Goldwater-Nichols Act and Unified Command Plan? The Department of Defense (DoD) requires, but does not have, an entity that connects, integrates, and globally synchronizes irregular warfare across combatant commands and the interagency. The solution to fulfilling that requirement is to create an entity that can integrate and leverage all the instruments of national power, domestically within the U.S. and through international allies and partners throughout all phases of the conflict continuum.