ARTICLE

February 2003

Rumsfeld: Special Operations Command Slated for Growth

by Elizabeth Book

An anticipated increase to the U.S. Special Operations Command’s budget is justified, given the organization’s growing responsibilities in the war on terrorism, said Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

“Today, we’re taking a number of steps to strengthen the U.S. Special Operations Command so it can make even greater contributions to the global war on terror,” he told a Pentagon news conference.

“In the 2004 budget, we are requesting an increase in Special Operations Command’s budgets; that added funds are needed to pay for equipment losses that occurred in Afghanistan and elsewhere, and for additional equipment as well as additional forces,” Rumsfeld said.

At press time, official budget figures were not yet available. But it’s expected that USSOCOM will receive an increase of anywhere between $1 billion to $2 billion annually to its fiscal year 2003 budget of about $4 billion.

A growth in manpower primarily will be seen in the Army’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, which specializes in flying combat forces behind enemy lines.

“Special Operations Command will function as both a supported and a supporting command,” Rumsfeld said. “Since 1987, the Special Operations Command has been organized as a supporting command, meaning it provides warriors and materiel to the various regional combatant commanders, who then plan and direct missions.

“By organizing at SOCOM headquarters in Tampa, as well as at smaller theater Special Operations commands in regional theaters, the Special Operations Command will have the tools it will need to plan and execute missions in support of the global war on terror,” he added. “This expanded operational role will be in addition to the current role it plays as a supporting command.”

The Special Operations Command will also continue to work with the unified combatant commands and U.S. allies to “disrupt and dismantle terrorist networks,” said Rumsfeld. “To assist it in its expanded mission, over time, the Special Operations command will be divested of various missions, such as routine foreign military training and civil support, that can be successfully accomplished by other forces, U.S. forces and/or agencies.”

According to Rumsfeld, “the global nature of the war, the nature of the enemy and the need for fast, efficient operations in hunting down and rooting out terrorist networks around the world have all contributed to the need for an expanded role for the Special Operations forces. We are transforming that command to meet that need.”

Back To Top