U.S. Army Special Forces Handbook

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• Publisher: Skyhorse
• Year: 2008
• Print ISBN: 9781602391260
• eBook ISBN: 9781626369597
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Military & Maritime History
• Index: History

This handbook reveals the techniques and tactics that make the U.S. Army Special Forces some of the most elite and highly skilled soldiers in the world. Trained to succeed in specialized operations such as reconnaissance, unconventional warfare, and counter-terrorism, these soldiers undergo a rigorous selection process and operate under the principles of self-sufficiency, stealth, speed, and teamwork. Here readers will discover how guerrilla forces differ from special forces and how unconventional warfare relates to both; how to conduct a raid; how to improvise explosive devices; and how special forces carry out air operations.

CHAPTER 1

GENERAL

I. MISSION OF SPECIAL FORCES:

1. To plan and conduct unconventional warfare operations in areas not under friendly control.
2. To organize, equip, train, and direct indigenous forces in the conduct of guerrilla warfare.
3. To train, advise, and assist indigenous forces in the conduct of counterinsurgency and counterguerrilla operations in support of U.S. combat war objectives.
4. To perform such other special forces missions as may be directed or as may be inherent in or essential to the primary mission of guerrilla warfare.

II. UNCONVENTIONAL WARFARE IS COMPOSED OF THE INTERRELATED FIELDS OF:

1. Guerrilla warfare.
2. Evasion and escape.
3. Subversion against hostile states.

III. MISSIONS OF GUERRILLA FORCES:

1. Primary:
   1. Interdict enemy lines of communication.
   2. Interdict enemy installations and centers of war production, and conduct other offensive operations in support of conventional military operations.
2. Supporting Tasks:
   1. Intelligence.
   2. Psychological warfare.
   3. Evasion and escape.
   4. Subversion against hostile states.

ORGANIZATION OF SFG AND SFOB

Figure 1.

IV. COMPOSITION OF OPERATIONAL DETACHMENTS:

1. Operational Detachment A:

   POSITION	RANK/GRADE
   CO	Captain
   XO	Lt.
   OP SGT	E-8
   INTEL SGT	E-7
   LT WPNS LDR	E-7
   HV WPNS LDR	E-7
   MED SP	E-7
   ASST. MED SP	E-6
   RAD OP SUPV	E-7
   RAD OP	E-5
   DML SGT	E-6
   CMBT DML SP	E-5

2. Operational Detachment B:

   CO	Major
   XO	Captain
   SMAJ	E-9
   S1	Captain
   S2	Captain
   S3	Captain
   S4	Captain
   PREV MED SP	E-7
   ADM SUPV	E-6
   INTEL SGT	E-8
   OP SGT	E-8
   SUPPLY SGT	E-7
   ASST SUPPLY SGT	E-6
   LT WPNS LDR	E-7
   HV WPNS LDR	E-7
   DML SGT	E-7
   CMBT DML	E-5
   MEDICAL SP	E-7
   RAD OP SUPV	E-7
   RAD OPR (4)	E-5

3. Operational Detachment C:
   ...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• CHAPTER 1 - GENERAL
• CHAPTER 2 - TACTICS
• CHAPTER 3 - DEMOLITIONS
• CHAPTER 4 - AIR OPERATIONS
• CHAPTER 5 - WEAPONS
• CHAPTER 6 - COMMUNICATION
• CHAPTER 7 - FIRST AID
• CHAPTER 8 - SURVIVAL
• CHAPTER 9 - MISCELLANEOUS
• Special Forces Prayer