Future Implications for AFSOC and the USAF

Throughout the history of the United States, decision makers have relied upon warriors with unique capabilities who venture to foreign lands and perform military tasks that could not be performed by more conventional military units. SOF continues to play this role maintaining competencies to execute a wide variety of important and highly specialized missions."1 This quote highlights the unique nature of Special Operations Forces (SOF). In the simplest of views, the US Air Force has two basic types of warfighting forces. The first force is the conventional "Big Blue" Air Force. Big Blue uses traditional air forces to fight conventional wars against peer competitors. The second warfighting force is AF Special Operations Command (AFSOC). AFSOC is the Air Force's small war department. They specialize in unconventional warfare (UW), especially counterterrorism.