What's Wrong With SOCOM?

[Totentanz]

or some recent retiree with a grudge against USASOC (guess he didn't get that GS job he wanted).

Based on what SWJ has to say about the author... "Sadcom via Happycom has spent more than 20 years in special operations and more than 29 years in the military."

I'd be inclined to agree. Kind of sad that with all that (ambiguous) experience, he still sounds like ...

a Q-Course student at the Starbucks on Reilly Rd.

 

[DA SWO]

Based on what SWJ has to say about the author... "Sadcom via Happycom has spent more than 20 years in special operations and more than 29 years in the military."

I'd be inclined to agree. Kind of sad that with all that (ambiguous) experience, he still sounds like ...

Yeah, I read some more and was wondering if he was a Reserve CA Officer.
Bitter, what ever his background is.

 

[AWP]

"Sadcom via Happycom has spent more than 20 years in special operations and more than 29 years in the military."

I have 9 years as a support guy in a Guard SF battalion. That means I have "9 years in special operations" but in no way, shape, or form qualifies me to write that magnum opus of fail or posture like an expert. "xxx years in special operations" is a nice, broad phrase designed to give someone credence without providing any contextual substance.

 

[Totentanz]

I have 9 years as a support guy in a Guard SF battalion. That means I have "9 years in special operations" but in no way, shape, or form qualifies me to write that magnum opus of fail or posture like an expert. "xxx years in special operations" is a nice, broad phrase designed to give someone credence without providing any contextual substance.

That's more or less what I read between the lines... someone who doesn't want the details of a "cool guy" claim to be examined.

 

[Viper1]

Small Wars Journal released a 4 part series on SOCOM. I am working on reading all the parts, but wanted to post to start generating some discussion. I am very interested in what some of the more senior/experienced members have to say.

What’s Wrong With SOCOM? | Small Wars Journal (Part 1)

What’s Wrong With ARSOF? | Small Wars Journal (Part 2)

What’s Wrong with the Rest of SOCOM?: WARCOM, AFSOC, and MARSOC | Small Wars Journal (Part 3)

What Can Be Done About SOCOM? | Small Wars Journal (Part 4)

I'll read these this weekend.

The pseudonym is unbelievable. It does not do well for his legitimacy or the legitimacy of SWJ. I've written under a pseudo before and it is a good technique if still on active duty; however authors have to be aware an unprofessional pseudonym can delegitimize an argument. MTF.

 

[Hillclimb]

On a side note, I am hoping @Hillclimb or @Stanimal will see this and comment on his musings about MARSOC.

I skipped straight to part III, his musings on AFSOC writ large and specifically it's participation in FID. The author displays a stunning lack of knowledge of the things he attempts to illuminate.

Yeah, I read some more and was wondering if he was a Reserve CA Officer.
Bitter, what ever his background is.

Picked up a bitter/griping tone every paragraph, and had to stop reading after a bit.

How he defined some of the SOF missions as if they were much simpler than they really are, makes me question his background some. His information also seemed outdated, lacked research/supporting evidence, and was more an anecdotal generalization of MARSOC; so i wont even bother addressing them. Sorry CDG.

 

[Marauder06]

I thought JSOC was a separate entity. Falling under SOCOM m, for funding, but outside of the command structure. I really don't know though. Never served there. Maybe @Marauder06 knows better?

Thanks for the tag brother. Interesting read, lot of JSOC hate going on in those articles.

"What's wrong with ARSOF?" ---> no selection, assessment, training and retention program for enablers. Want to know why JSOC is so much better than you, USASOC? Partly because they invest in the whole "spear," not just the pointy tip.

 

[The Hate Ape]

On a side note, I am hoping @Hillclimb or @Stanimal will see this and comment on his musings about MARSOC.

This author is not only the burrito-supreme of jackasses but his information is bum as fuck - the incident he's referring to is from Fox company back in the early days of MARSOC's existence which is a total bullshit play on media information vice actual fact. That requires a separate podium in itself.

MARSOC did not rise from the ashes of Force Reconnaissance, we were born of them (1st Force specifically); the most balls-to-the-wall members of that community were squirted into the SOCOM world, given a whole new pot of funding/new equipment/more spots in the middle east to do a ruck drop/all the weaponized assets a JTAC could dream for. Some of the most Valhalla driven motherfuckers on this side of the planet with decades of combined SOF experience made their mark - inflicting tremendous enemy casualties and running up even bigger bar tabs globally. Some of them still walk around here in my hallway, others are on the memorial wall - all of them have my utmost respect & adoration and none of them had an ounce of acceptance for anything but perfection in their line of work.

Those are the standards that were set here long ago that every man is reminded of today. There isn't a core task/capability in our mission essential tasks I haven't seen completed in a forward environment to that standard. If the author has 20years of SOF experience he spent at least 19 1/2 of them in a fucking supply warehouse.

The more I read, the more I wanted to challenge him to melee combat.

H/A