Training the Special Operations NCO

Special Warfare The Professional Bulletin of the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School Training the Special Operations NCO PB 80–90–1 Winter 1990 Vol. 3, No. 1 From the Commandant Special Warfare The overarching mission of the Special Warfare and procedures. The instructor NCO is the initial Center and School is to provide the doctrine, train- link between the student and the operational unit to ing, materiel and organization for special-operations which he will one day be assigned. The NCOs must forces. The most important ingredient in that whole provide an accurate portrayal of the role of special process has always been, and will always be, the operations in low-intensity conflict. soldier we select and train to man the force. He sym- The special-operations soldier is not a finished bolizes and embodies everything we stand for. He product when he leaves the schoolhouse. Again, the carries the heritage and legacy of the past, demon- burden falls to the experienced NCOs in the opera- strates our capability today, and holds our hope for tional units to continue the education process. the future. Selecting and training the right soldier The nature of special operations and our role in requires a professional, dedicated and capable Spe- low-intensity conflict mean that our units are cial Forces NCO Corps. The NCO is the cornerstone deployed right now in various places around the to all our training efforts in the schoolhouse as well world. Because of our missions and the small size of as in the operational units. our units, special-operations NCOs have to be Special Forces Assessment and Selection is our depended upon to do the job on their own and do it selection process. It is a unique privilege afforded to right. They may be deployed on short notice and us by the Army which gives us the prerogative of with little time to train before deployment. This calls selecting those we consider to be the right men to for an NCO corps that is capable, motivated and con- wear the Green Beret. Our NCOs play a key role in scientious in its pursuit of excellence, regardless of this selection process. Their input is a necessary the environment. It calls for NCOs who have inter- ingredient that ensures a quality soldier. NCOs nalized SOF doctrine in our five basic missions, must recognize the right skills, knowledge and atti- know their mission-essential task list and are capa- tude of a soldier in SFAS and know that each soldier ble of operating across the spectrum of conflict with can be influenced dramatically by proper NCO lead- little support or supervision. ership and training. Since its inception two years NCOs are the most important asset we have — ago, SFAS has had a direct impact on increasing the more important than hardware. Consequently, we completion rate of the Special Forces Qualification must maintain and sustain a quality force. NCOs Course. Special Forces NCOs have made the differ- produce the product, and the product must be a ence in SFAS because the emphasis has been on the quality one. We cannot mass produce special-opera- product and not the process, which is basically a 21- tions forces, which is why the selection and training day observation period. of the Special Forces soldier is critically important. When the soldier enters into Special Forces quali- As an Army theme, “The NCO” has sought to fication training, it is again incumbent upon the emphasize the importance of the NCO to the Army. NCO to provide the structure, guidance and atmo- In the operational groups and at the Special Warfare sphere conducive to learning. Mere platform instruc- Center and School, every year is the year of the tion and testing are not enough. NCOs must become NCO. They are truly the backbone of the force. mentors, advisers and role models to guide and moti- vate the student in order to maximize the value of training time. Although the Special Forces Qualifica- tion Course students are volunteers, many do not have a real understanding of Special Forces or special operations. Training-group NCOs play a critical Brig. Gen. David J. Baratto role in shaping the attitudes and perceptions of students by offering professional advice and sharing their Special Forces experiences. The NCO instructor is the medium for relating operational experience to the material being taught and provides practical applications of current doctrine, tactics, techniques PB 80–90–1 Spring Contents1989 Winter 1990 Special Warfare Vol. 3, No. 1 Features Commander & Commandant Brig. Gen. David J. Baratto 4 The Special Forces Q-Course by Maj. James R. Fricke Editor Training for Special Forces NCOs is thorough and demanding, Jerry D. Steelman and volunteers must face a number of challenges on the way to becoming members of SF units. Graphic Art Director 12 SFAS: Special Forces Assessment and Selection Bruce S. Barfield by Maj. James L. Velky An examination of the historical background and development of the program to select the right soldiers for Special Forces training. 16 Operations and Intelligence: Keeping Pace with Special Forces Missions by Maj. Rex H. McTyeire Designed to train experienced SF NCOs to become assistant-operations-and-intelligence sergeants, O&I’s content has evolved to keep pace with Special Forces missions and doctrine. V E AS R I RT T A E S LI B E T 22 SWCS NCO Academy: NCOs Training NCOs Drawing on its cadre’s experience and leadership, the SWCS NCO Special Warfare is an authorized, official quarterly of the Academy trains SOF NCOs to be better soldiers and better leaders. United States Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Cen- ter and School, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Its mission is 28 Early Special Forces Medical Training: 1952-1971 to promote the professional development of special opera- by Lt. Col. Louis T. Dorogi tions forces by providing a forum for the examination of both established doctrine and new ideas. The author traces the development of Special Forces medical train- Views expressed herein are those of the author, and do ing from its beginnings in 1952 to the extensive program designed to not necessarily reflect official Army position. This publication does not supersede any information presented in other meet the demands of SF missions and the Vietnam War. official Army publications. Articles, photos, artwork and letters are invited, and 37 NCO Professional Development: The PSYOP Specialist should be addressed to: Editor, Special Warfare, USAJFK- by MSgt. Calvin Rome SWCS, Fort Bragg, NC 28307-5000. Telephone: AUTOVON 239-5703 or commercial (919) 432-5703. Special Warfare A blueprint for NCO development in the new CMF 37 — PSYOP. reserves the right to edit all material. Published works may be reprinted, except where copy- 42 Is Fitness Important for Leaders? righted, provided credit is given to Special Warfare and the by Sgt. Maj. Henry Bone author. Official distribution is limited to active and reserve spe- A senior SF NCO uses historical examples to emphasize the impor- cial operations units. Individuals desiring a private sub- tance of fitness. scription should forward their requests to: Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washing- 44 When You’re On Patrol ... ton, D.C. 20402. A series of tips for leaders and team members on weapons, equip- ment and proper procedures. By Order of the Secretary of the Army: Carl E. Vuono General, United States Army Chief of Staff Departments Official: 2 Letters William J. Meehan II 48 Enlisted Career Notes Brigadier General, United States Army 50 Officer Career Notes The Adjutant General 52 Update Headquarters, Department of the Army 56 Book Reviews SpringLetters 1989 Special Warfare ing players in SF, having reached and no way to ensure their contin- LIC study insightful higher rank or other interests. ued association and/or return to SF. I would like to take this opportu- We currently have a problem No one wants to see physicians nity to compliment the authors of obtaining enough medical officers come to SF, stay in various courses “Between Peace and War: Compre- for SF. Many of them have encoun- (airborne, flight surgeon, dive med., hending Low-Intensity Conflict.” tered continuing obstacles to reach- etc.) most of their time and then Their insightful study provides an ing, returning or continuing in SF. leave in two years when they are outstanding basis for discussion New medical officers to SF just finally getting up to speed. But among those of us concerned with encounter AMEDD pressure to only it will continue like this unless the present and future challenges stay one or two years and then con- thought is given to branch-qualify- posed by low-intensity conflict. As a tinue their postgraduate medical ing some, thus giving them the professor who is teaching and education. Most of these never skills, and encouraging their engaging in research related to low- return. The one thing that SF return, fully trained, for a later intensity conflict, I must say that always did to show that their medi- assignment as group surgeon. the article will be assigned reading cal officers were full players on the Having gone through SF training in both my present and future team, (making them attend) the “Q and AMEDD officer basic and seminars. course,” is no longer done. This was advanced courses, I can emphatical- On a broader level, I would like a powerful recruiting tool. This con- ly state that if we in SF do not train to compliment your fine publication tinual problem of junior physicians our medical officers, then they will for providing a most meaningful who do not stay and never return, not be trained for our needs.

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