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From Bosnia to Baghdad: the Evolution of Us Army Special Forces from 1995-2004

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From Bosnia to Baghdad: the Evolution of Us Army Special Forces from 1995-2004 NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA THESIS FROM BOSNIA TO BAGHDAD: THE EVOLUTION OF US ARMY SPECIAL FORCES FROM 1995-2004 by Armando J. Ramirez September 2004 Thesis Advisor: Daniel Moran Second Reader: Peter J. Gustaitis II Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved OMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instruction, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Washington headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202- 4302, and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0704-0188) Washington DC 20503. 1. AGENCY USE ONLY (Leave blank) 2. REPORT DATE 3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED September 2004 Master’s Thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE: From Bosnia to Baghdad: The Evolution of US 5. FUNDING NUMBERS Army Special Forces From 1995-2004 6. AUTHOR(S) Armando J. Ramirez 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION Naval Postgraduate School REPORT NUMBER Monterey, CA 93943-5000 9. SPONSORING /MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND 10. SPONSORING/MONITORING ADDRESS(ES) AGENCY REPORT NUMBER N/A 11. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES The views expressed in this thesis are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Defense or the U.S. Government. 12a. DISTRIBUTION / AVAILABILITY STATEMENT 12b. DISTRIBUTION CODE Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited 13. ABSTRACT (maximum 200 words) This thesis presents a historical analysis of the evolution of US Army Special Forces operations from 1995 to 2004, focusing specifically on operations conducted in the Balkans (Bosnia and Kosovo), Afghanistan and Iraq, answering the research question: How have the operations conducted by US Army Special Forces evolved from the Balkans in 1995 through Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) to Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)? The thesis examines the progression of Special Forces operations during each of the aforementioned campaigns, analyzing their evolution in the areas of intelligence operations, unconventional warfare and foreign internal defense, close air support, integration with conventional forces and the institutionalization of lessons learned. The thesis concludes by examining future roles of US Army Special Forces with respect to employment. Tracing the progression of Special Forces employment from the Balkans to OIF is critical to understanding the factors contributing to the success of Special Forces operations in both the decisive operations and stability and support (SASO) phases of OEF and OIF. 14. SUBJECT TERMS US Army Special Forces, Special Forces in Balkans, Special Forces in 15. NUMBER OF Afghanistan, Special Forces in Iraq, Special Forces Evolution, Special Forces Operations, PAGES Foreign Internal Defense, Unconventional Warfare, Special Forces Institutionalization, Special 103 Forces Intelligence Operations 16. PRICE CODE 17. SECURITY 18. SECURITY 19. SECURITY 20. LIMITATION OF CLASSIFICATION OF CLASSIFICATION OF THIS CLASSIFICATION OF ABSTRACT REPORT PAGE ABSTRACT Unclassified Unclassified Unclassified UL NSN 7540-01-280-5500 Standard Form 298 (Rev. 2-89) Prescribed by ANSI Std. 239-18 i THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK ii Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited FROM BOSNIA TO BAGHDAD: THE EVOLUTION OF US ARMY SPECIAL FORCES FROM 1995 TO 2004 Armando J. Ramirez Major, United States Army B.A., Western Michigan University, 1991 Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS IN NATIONAL SECURITY AFFAIRS from the NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL September 2004 Author: Armando J. Ramirez Approved by: Daniel Moran Thesis Advisor Peter J. Gustaitis II Second Reader James J. Wirtz Chairman, Department of National Security Affairs iii THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK iv ABSTRACT This thesis presents a historical analysis of the evolution of US Army Special Forces operations from 1995 to 2004, focusing specifically on operations conducted in the Balkans (Bosnia and Kosovo), Afghanistan and Iraq, answering the research question: How have the operations conducted by US Army Special Forces evolved from the Balkans in 1995 through Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) to Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)? The thesis examines the progression of Special Forces operations during each of the aforementioned campaigns, analyzing their evolution in the areas of intelligence operations, unconventional warfare and foreign internal defense, close air support, integration with conventional forces and the institutionalization of lessons learned. The thesis concludes by examining future roles of US Army Special Forces with respect to employment. Tracing the progression of Special Forces employment from the Balkans to OIF is critical to understanding the factors contributing to the success of Special Forces operations in both the decisive operations and stability and support (SASO) phases of OEF and OIF. v THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK vi TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION............................................................................................. 1 A. STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH QUESTION AND PURPOSE...... 3 B. METHODOLOGY................................................................................. 4 C. ORGANIZATION.................................................................................. 4 II. INTO THE BALKANS..................................................................................... 5 A. SETTING THE STAGE ........................................................................ 5 B. US SPECIAL FORCES TASK ORGANIZATION-IFOR....................... 7 C. US SPECIAL FORCES TASK ORGANIZATION-SFOR...................... 7 D. US SPECIAL FORCES TASK ORGANIZATION-OPERATION ALLIED FORCE AND KOSOVO.......................................................... 8 E. LIAISON COORDINATION ELEMENT (LCE) OPERATIONS (OPERATION JOINT ENDEAVOR)..................................................... 8 F. JOINT COMMISSION OBSERVER (JCO) OPERATIONS (OPERATION JOINT GUARD) .......................................................... 11 G. JCO BIJELJINA (OPERATION JOINT FORGE)............................... 13 H. FROM JCO TO SR (OPERATION ALLIED FORCE)......................... 14 I. SPECIAL FORCES IN ALBANIA (OPERATION ALLIED FORCE) .. 15 J. OPERATION JOINT GUARDIAN-SPECIAL FORCES IN KOSOVO. 16 K. SPECIAL FORCES LCE WITH RUSSIAN 13TH TASK GROUP (OPERATION JOINT GUARDIAN).................................................... 17 L. SPECIAL FORCES LIAISON TEAM (LT) OPERATIONS AND GUERRILLA DEMOBILIZATION (OPERATION JOINT GUARDIAN)....................................................................................... 19 M. CONCLUSION ................................................................................... 22 III. BALKANS LESSONS LEARNED ................................................................ 23 A. OPERATION JOINT ENDEAVOR LESSONS LEARNED ................. 24 B. OPERATIONS JOINT GUARD AND JOINT FORGE LESSONS LEARNED .......................................................................................... 25 C. OPERATION ALLIED FORCE LESSONS LEARNED ...................... 27 D. OPERATION JOINT GUARDIAN LESSONS LEARNED .................. 28 E. CONCLUSION ................................................................................... 29 IV. OPERATIONS ENDURING FREEDOM AND IRAQI FREEDOM ................. 31 A. OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM ............................................... 31 1. Setting the Stage ................................................................... 31 2. Command and Control .......................................................... 33 3. Scheme of Maneuver............................................................. 34 4. SFODA 595-In the North with General Dostum ................... 35 5. SFODA 574-Unconventional Warfare with Hamid Karzai ... 36 6. SFODA 572: Combat at Tora Bora........................................ 38 7. Operation Anaconda ............................................................. 39 vii 8. Stability and Support Operations......................................... 40 B. OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM ........................................................ 42 1. Setting the Stage ................................................................... 42 2. Command and Control .......................................................... 43 3. C/JSOTF North ....................................................................... 43 4. C/JSOTF West ........................................................................ 45 5. UW with the Kurds................................................................. 46 6. Operation Viking Hammer- Counterterrorism Against Ansar al-Islam (AI)-(28-30 March 2003) ................................ 49 7. On the Green Line.................................................................. 51 8. Stability and Support Operations......................................... 53 V. ANALYSIS.................................................................................................... 57 A. INTRODUCTION...............................................................................
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