7TH SPECIAL FORCES GROUP (AIRBORNE)

COMMAND OPERATIONS BRIEF

Congressman Miller and members of Florida’s 1st District

14 May 2009
The overall classification of this presentation is UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO
UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO
 AGENDA

• Heritage
• Organization
• Southern Command Engagement
• Central Command Engagement
• Base Realignment and Closure
• Questions

UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO
 SPECIAL FORCES HERITAGE, WORLD WAR II &
VIETNAM

• The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was formed on 9 July 1942.

• The Intelligence branch of the OSS became the CIA in 1947.
• The operational arm of the OSS became Special Forces in June of
1952.
• Special Forces sent the first advisors to South East Asia during the
Vietnam conflict.
• Small role but large impact during Vietnam (Son Tay Raid, 20 Medal of
Honor Recipients).

UNCLASSIFIED
 10,915 14,617

1952
 1/10th GERMANY

1st
1 st SFG(A)
SFG(A)
Fort
Fort Lewis,
Lewis, WA
WA

19th
19 th SFG(A)
SFG(A)
Salt
Salt Lake
Lake City,
City, UT
UT

5th
5 th SFG(A)
SFG(A)
Ft
Ft Campbell,
Campbell, KY
KY

10th
10 th SFG(A)
SFG(A)
Ft
Ft Carson,
Carson, CO
CO

20th
20 th SFG(A)
SFG(A) 3d
3d SFG(A)
SFG(A)
39th SF Detachment KOREA Birmingham,
Birmingham, AL
AL
7th
7 th SFG(A)
SFG(A)
Ft
Ft Bragg,
Bragg, NC
NC

1-1st OKINAWA
 10th
10th
SFG(A)
SFG(A)

3rd
3rd
SFG(A)
SFG(A) 11stst
SFG(A)
SFG(A)

7th
7th 19th
19th
SFG(A)
SFG(A) SFG(A)
SFG(A)
5th
5th
SFG(A)
SFG(A)

20thth
20
SFG(A)
SFG(A)
 7th GROUP’s RECENT HISTORY
7th SFG(A) has conducted missions in every Latin American country.
1980’s Supported democratic governments of Central
America in the fight against insurgencies.
1981-1992 Involved in Counter Insurgency Operations
during the Civil War in El Salvador.
Since 1987 Trained host nation forces from the Andean Ridge
Countries in Counter-Narcotics Operations to limit
drug flow and reduce violence in South America.
1989 Operation “Just Cause,” assisted in reestablishing law
and order in Panama.
1995-1998 Operation “Safe Border”, Ecuador / Peru
1996 Counter-Narcotics training with Mexico to stem the
flow of illegal drugs to the United States.
1999-2001 Trained the 2400-man Colombian Counter-Narcotics
Brigade of the Colombian Army
Since 9/11 “Operation Enduring Freedom,” Afghanistan,
“Operation Iraqi Freedom, ” Iraq
July 2008 Operation “Willing Spirit”, Hostage Rescue, Colombia

UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO
 7th SFG (A) ORGANIZATION

SFG(A) Group / SFOB

HHC SPT BN SF BN

SF BN Battalion / FOB

HHC SPT CO SF CO

A CO B CO C CO
Company / AOB (ODB) (ODB) (ODB)

SF ODA SF ODA SF ODA

UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO
 CPT
CPT
CDR
CDR WO
WO
(18A)
(18A) XO
XO
(180A)
(180A)

MSG
MSG
OPS
OPS SFC
SFC SFC
SFC SFC
SFC
SFC
SFC
NCO
NCO SR
SR WPNS
WPNS SR
SR ENG
ENG SR
SR COMM
COMM
SR
SR MED
MED
(18Z)
(18Z) NCO NCO NCO
NCO NCO NCO
NCO NCO
(18B)
(18B) (18C)
(18C) (18D)
(18D) (18E)
(18E)

SFC
SFC SSG SSG SSG
SSG SSG
INTEL/
INTEL/ WPNS ENG MED
WPNS COMM
OPS
OPS NCO NCO NCO
NCO NCO
NCO
NCO (18B) (18C) (18D)
(18B) (18E)
(18F)
(18F)
 Special Forces Maturity and
Experience
RECRUIT – ASSESS – TRAIN – SELECT – PROFESSIONALLY DEVELOP – PROMOTE - RETAIN
2
CAPABILITY = TRAINING + EXPERIENCE
CONVENTIONAL SPECIAL
COMPANY OF FORCES
131 SOLDIERS EQUIVALENT

MAJOR 0 1
WO NCO
CAPTAIN 1 11 39 AVG AGE 33
LIEUTENANT 4 0
WARRANT OFFICER 9 0 11 86 18 YRS SVC 12
SERGEANT MAJOR 0 1
93% MARRIED 69%
MASTER SERGEANT 1 11
SERGEANT FIRST CLASS 3 51 65% 1-3 YR COL 69%

34% COL DEG 12%

STAFF SERGEANT 14 43

SERGEANT 21 2
PRIVATE/SPC 108 87 0 2
PEACE WAR PEACE

UNCONVENTIONAL
UNCONVENTIONAL WARFARE
WARFARE
DIRECT
DIRECT ACTION
ACTION
SPECIAL
SPECIAL RECONNAISSANCE
RECONNAISSANCE
FOREIGN
FOREIGN INTERNAL
INTERNAL DEFENSE
DEFENSE
COUNTERTERRORISM
COUNTERTERRORISM

PRE-CONFLICT POST-CONFLICT

THE OPERATIONAL CONTINUUM

 SOUTHCOM ENGAGEMENT

• As directed, 7TH SFG(A) conducts Foreign

Internal Defense (FID) with selected Host Nation
Counter-Terrorism forces in the USSOUTHCOM area
of operational responsibility in order to build
capacity of Host Nation units to conduct unilateral
and regionally coordinated operations.
• On order, 7TH SFG(A) conducts other Special
Operations across the area of operational
responsibility.
UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO
 FY09 DEPLOYMENTS - USSOUTHCOM / USNORTHCOM

Jamaica Dominican Rep.

Mexico
JCET JCS Exercise
Mexico
FUSED RESPONSE

Mexico

Belize
OEF-CCA Honduras
AOB Trinidad & Tobago
Guatemala OEF-CCA OEF-CCA
CNT
Guyana
El Salvador OEF-CCA
OEF-CCA
Suriname
Nicaragua OEF-CCA
OEF-CCA

Costa Rica
Brazil
OEF-CCA
JCS Exercise
Ecuador FUERZAS COMANDOS
CNT Jungle School

Colombia
Paraguay
AOB
CNT
CNT
SSE
Mexico
Peru
Andean Ridge CNT
Argentina Countries-18
JCET
Caribbean Missions-21
Central America Chile Soldiers-165
JCET
Southern Cone UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO
 OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM

CJSOTF-A conducts Foreign Internal Defense

with ANA Commandos and select partner units in
order to build ANSF capacity to defeat Insurgents
in Afghanistan and enhance the security and
continued development of the Government of
Afghanistan. On order CJSOTF-A conducts other
Special Operations across the Combined Joint
Operational Area.
UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO
 FY09 DEPLOYMENTS - USCENTCOM

Operation Iraqi Freedom ES SFLE

Concluded Mar 2009

Operation Iraqi Freedom CRE

Aug 2009 – Jan 2010

Operation Enduring Freedom XII

Jun 2008 – Feb 2009 (1000 Deployed)

Operation Enduring Freedom XIV

Aug 2009 – Feb 2010 (1100 Deployed)

United Arab Emirates JCET

Jun – Jul 2009

Countries-3
Missions-4
Soldiers-88
UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO
 CJSOTF-A DISPOSITION OF FORCES
-Numerous ODAs and MSOTs operating out of
firebases conducting Full Spectrum Operations
across the CJOA.
-Mission Sets include: FID, CMO, HA, SR, and
DA
-Subordinate units inherently work hand and
hand with every ISAF partner in the country.

5 Bases in
RC West and
North

12 Bases in
RC East

14 Bases in
RC South
UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO
 DEVELOPMENT
PROJECTS COMMANDO
TRAINING ELEMENT

INFORMATION
ENGAGEMENT COMBAT
COMMANDOS ADVISE
KEY
LEADER
ENGAGEMENT SUPPORT
TO
REGIONAL
AFGHANS

GOVERNANCE
HA / COMMAND

AAF
HCA DEVELOPMENT SECURITY OPNS
INFORMATION

MEDICAL OPS
UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO
 FID – CJSOTF-A COMMANDO TRAINING ELEMENT
Mission: Train a rapidly deployable,
highly mobile, light infantry unit that is
organized and trained to conduct
complex raid / strike operations
unilaterally or in coordination with other
Afghan National Security Forces.
Task Organization: USSF and Coalition
SOF Partners (UAE, CAN, FRE)
Highlights:
- CJSOTF-A designed / created the CDO
program in SEP 2006
- CJSOTF-A supervises the CTE to
produce complete CDO Kandaks while
partnering with the CDO BDE
- CJSOTF-A has trained 6 Commando
Kandaks (two more projected)
- CJSOTF-A will increase support to the
CDO BDE as it approaches FOC

CAMP MOREHEAD,
RISH KVOR,
KABUL PROVINCE
UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO
 BRAC MOVE TO EGLIN AFB
Tactical
Communications Facility
Combat Readiness
Training Facility
7th SFG(A) Group HQ

Dining Facility
Indoor Baffle Range Barracks
Battalion HQ / Company Operations Facilities
Deployment
Readiness
Facility Battalion Motorpool
Group Support
CIF Battalion HQ Battalion HQ / Company Operations Facilities

UAV Facility
Battalion Motorpool

Maritime Fire Station

Operations Facility
Group Support Battalion
Motorpool

Logistics Facility

BRAC move from Apr-Sep 2011 must be complete NLT 16 Sep 2011

JAN 11 FEB 11 MAR 11 APR 11 MAY 11 JUN 11 JUL 11 AUG 11 SEP 11 OCT 11 NOV 11 DEC 11
HQ / HHC
1st Battalion
2nd Battalion
3rd Battalion
Group Support Battalion
SOUTHCOM / NORTHCOM BRAC MOVE REFIT / PMT
UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO
 Questions?
•Humans are more important than hardware.
•Quality is more valuable than Quantity.
•Special Operations Forces cannot be mass produced.
•Competent Special Operations Forces cannot be
created after emergencies occur.
Integrity AccountabilityUNCLASSIFIED//FOUO
Service People-
People-oriented
DCSCMP