In some ways, the Global SOF Network looks like a return to core American SOF roles and missions, especially those of the Army Special Forces (SF). But McRaven clearly sees the Global SOF Network he envisions as something more than simply a trip “back to the future,” because it depends more on allied and partner SOF.

“The Global SOF Network is a natural extension of what we have been doing for decades,” McRaven acknowledged. “As a whole, the network represents a way to improve the support to the GCCs and Chiefs of Mission and to empower a global effort with capable allies and partners. Within the network, SOCOM will be able to surge or transfer SOF capability as global situations warrant. The new authority provided to SOCOM through the network will provide SOCOM the needed efficiency and agility to better support the GCCs when facing emerging threats.

“Accordingly, USSOCOM is enhancing its global network of SOF to support our interagency and international partners in order to gain expanded situational awareness of emerging threats and opportunities. The network enables small, persistent presence in critical locations and facilitates engagement where necessary or appropriate – all under the authority of the GCCs and COMs.

“The genesis of the network comes from my days as the SOCEUR [Special Operations Command Europe] commander, when we established the NATO SOF Coordination Cell, which eventually became today’s NATO SOF Headquarters, which has paid tremendous dividends by establishing an efficient way to conduct professional military education, combined training opportunities, and information sharing opportunities,” McRaven said. “It has proved invaluable to our efforts in Afghanistan, where its success has led to an increase in our collective SOF partnering efforts and an expansion of overall SOF capabilities throughout ISAF [International Security Assistance Force].

“Special operations forces do nothing, absolutely nothing, without the approval of the president, the secretary of Defense, the geographic combatant commanders, and the Chiefs of Mission. Those entities will still maintain the authority to approve or disapprove any reallocation of forces. The GCCs have and will continue to maintain operational control of their assigned SOF, allowing them to employ those forces to best address regional security challenges. What we can do is ensure we are best prepared to answer our nation’s call whenever and wherever necessary. Whether the threat is asymmetric and unconventional or a traditional, large military force, I’m focused on manning, training, and equipping our force to be agile, responsive, and problem solving in nature.”

Training the military and internal security forces of partner and allied nations has always been a specialty of U.S. SOF forces over the decades. However, McRaven wants to take this specialty to the next level, helping partner/allied nations build their own world-class SOF units and communities and integrating them into a seamless worldwide network that can then respond to emerging threats and quick breaking incidents.

“With U.S. SOF operating in over 70 countries on a daily basis, building partner capacity and interoperability are vital. Recognizing that we have much to learn from each other, working with partner SOF will build mutual trust, foster enduring relationships, and provide new opportunities to affect shared challenges,” he said.

“Although SOF usually only garner attention for high-stakes raids and rescues, direct-action missions are only a small part of what we do, albeit a very important part. I’d like to emphasize that, in fact, on any given day, U.S. SOF are working with our allies around the world, helping build indigenous special operations capacity so that our partners can effectively deal with the threat of violent extremist groups, insurgents, and narco-terrorists – themselves. Indeed, SOF focuses intently on building partner capacity and security force assistance so that local and regional threats do not become global and thus more costly. I believe that these efforts – that is, building capacity and capability – represent the best approach to dealing with some of the world’s most complex security problems.

“Today’s threats have become so complex, fast-moving, and cross-cutting that no one nation could ever hope to solve them alone. We live in a world in which the threats have become increasingly networked and pose complex and dynamic risks. These threat networks are diversifying their activities, resulting in the convergence of threats that were once linear, and that convergence can have explosive and destabilizing effects. They are too diverse, too unpredictable. So no longer is there such a thing as a local problem,” McRaven said.

If you look at the Internet home page of SOCOM, there are five principles known as “SOF Truths.” Truth No. 3 states: “Special operations forces cannot be mass produced.” No. 4, which is even more telling, reads: “Competent special operations forces cannot be created after emergencies occur.” These truths not only apply with respect to building capability and trust with international partners and allies, but are crucially important to remember during times such as these of fiscal crisis, military force reductions, and growing terrorist threats.