Special Operations Should Be Integrated With Conventional Forces

Special operations forces (SOFs) have become so essential to military mission success that they should be incorporated into conventional force plans, according to a Marine Corps general. Lt. Gen. David H. Berger, USMC, commanding general, I Marine Expeditionary Force, explained how this would work to the audience at a Tuesday morning panel at West 2015, being held in San Diego, February 10-12.

Gen. Berger explained that the traditional paradigm would have SOFs conduct operations and then hand off the mission to conventional forces. But now, the better approach would be for SOFs and conventional forces to work concurrently.

“This is the heyday of SOF, and it’s good for us,” the general said. “We have to learn to work with them together in an overlay.

“There is so much fertile ground to be plowed here in terms of interoperability with SOF and conventional forces,” he added. “We need SOF to be part of any operation.”