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Chptr 3 - Organization Structure and Command and Control

CHAPTER 3

ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE AND COMMAND AND CONTROL

This chapter describes the ARSOF IEW organization and C2, ADP links and support, and the collection management process.

ORGANIZATION AND COMMAND AND CONTROL

SOF organizations are based on generic group or regimental and battalion structures. These structures are modified to meet specific environmental and operational considerations which may be unique to specific theaters where they are employed.

There are five theater SOF commands:

These SOF commands are subunified commands whose missions are to conduct special operations when authorized by each unit's combatant command. Theater Army Special Operations Support Commands (TASOSCs) and the active and Army reserve PSYOP groups and CA elements are also task organized in the same way. The ranger regiment can be committed to a specific theater CINC or held under national control, depending on the situation. Figure 3-1 shows the combatant command (COCOM) structure.

USSOCOM

The US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) is the unified COCOM for special operations. All CONUS-based SOF are assigned by the Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) to the CINC, USSOCOM. Figure 3-2 shows the command relationships. The CINC exercises COCOM of assigned forces through a combination of service and joint component commanders.

USSOCOM and most of the theaters it supports have command arrangement agreements (CAA) which authorize direct liaison authority (DIRLAUTH) between US Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) operational elements and the supported theater's Special Operations Command (SOC). These direct channels support ARSOF intelligence tasking and reporting requirements. That is why these DIRLAUTH arrangements are extended to the major subordinate units (MSUs) and the organizations that will exercise OPCON over them in contingencies and wartime. This ensures these elements get timely and accurate intelligence throughout the mission or operation.

The J2 USSOCOM establishes the policy, guidance, and overall direction of SOF intelligence operations. The policy, guidance, and overall direction of ARSOF intelligence operations in peacetime is executed by the USASOC DCSINT.

THEATER SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND (J2)

The SOC (J2), as the theater SOF intelligence mission tasker--

US ARMY SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND

USASOC is the major Army command (MACOM) for special operations. Its major subordinate commands (MSCs) are--

The DCSINT, USASOC--

ODCSINT ORGANIZATION

The Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence (ODCSINT), as shown in Figure 3-3, is discussed below.

Plans, Policy, and Programs Division

The Plans, Policy, and Programs Division--

IEW Support Division

The IEW Support Division--

Requirements Management Division

The Requirements Management Division--

Security Division

The Security Division--

Special Security Office

The Special Security Office--

THEATER ARMY SPECIAL OPERATIONS SUPPORT COMMAND

The theater army DCSINT and the supporting EACIC are the theater's primary sources of intelligence products for ground OB. The DCSINT controls most theater army IEW collectors. He may request topographic support from the theater engineer command which controls theater topographic assets. The DCSINT also controls theater army intelligence training assets.

The EACIC directly links with all other theater and strategic level intelligence production agencies. Since most ARSOF operations are ground-based, the EACIC is the single most important intelligence production management center available to the TASOSC.

The TASOSC is a subordinate functional command of the theater army. The TASOSC mission is to plan and coordinate support and sustain theater ARSOF conducting SO. The TASOSC SIO ISE assists the theater SOF by providing all-source IEW support. The TASOSC commander collocates an ISE near either the unified command's joint intelligence center (JIC) or the theater army EACIC. The TASOSC ISE plans and coordinate ARSOF intelligence and security support requirements with the theater SOC J2, theater army DCSINT, and supporting theater and theater army organizations.

Under the staff supervision and control of the TASOSC Director of Intelligence (DOI) and based on SOC J2 guidance, the TASOSC ISE chief validates, consolidates, and prioritizes ARSOF standing and routine intelligence requirements and other RIIs. The ISE satisfies the RIIs or forwards them to either the EACIC or SOC J2, depending on theater requirements. Then the TASOSC ISE monitors RII status until the appropriate tactical, operational, or strategic level collection asset responds. It also supports the targeting process by producing TIPs. Figure 3-4 shows the doctrinal flow of ARSOF RII when in the theater.

The TASOSC ISE maintains an automated NRT intelligence data base to support ARSOF requirements. It relies on existing theater SCI communications channel to pass information to the supported in-theater SOF unit.

The TASOSC ISE has up to three intelligence support teams (ISTs). These ISTs collocate with supported major operational headquarters. Examples of major operational headquarters are subunified commands, joint task forces (JTFs), and NATO MSCs. Operating from the supported headquarters' SCIF, the IST helps expedite the flow of intelligence data to and from the supported headquarters.

The TASOSC ISE chief task-organizes his element to provide theater ARSOF with--

SFGs and battalions have organic intelligence staffs and MI detachments which provide DS to SF units. The PSYOP groups and battalions have small organic intelligence staffs. Other intelligence assets within PSYOP units include interrogation specialists on the interrogation and debriefing teams in the battalion's support company, and the test and evaluation teams in the battalion's headquarters company.

There is also a small tactical intelligence and interrogation section in the product development center (PDC) of each PSYOP tactical company. CA units have an organic intelligence staff but have no other organic intelligence resources. The SOA regiment and the rangers have regimental and battalion S2 staffs but have no other organic MI support.

The ARSOF unit SIO--

Deployed ARSOF SIOs identify requirements that cannot be satisfied at unit level and forward them to the TASOSC ISE. While in CONUS, ARSOF SIOs forward these same requirements to USASOC.

ASSISTANT CHIEF OF STAFF, G2, USACAPOC

The G2, US Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (USACAPOC) organization, as shown in Figure 3-5, is discussed below.

CI/Security Division

The CI/Security Division--

IEW Division

The IEW Division--

ASSISTANT CHIEF OF STAFF, G2, US ARMY SPECIAL FORCES COMMAND (AIRBORNE)

The ACofS, G2 organization, as shown in Figure 3-6, is discussed below.

Special Security Office

This is a one-soldier section. It provides doctrinal SSO support for the headquarters and coordinates closely with USASOC SSO.

IEW Training Division

The IEW Training Division--

Security Countermeasures Division

The Security Countermeasures Division--

All-Source Intelligence Center

The ASIC--

Operations Division

The Operations Division--

AUTOMATIC DATA PROCESSING

The Defense Communications System (DCS) and theater communications systems link EAC intelligence agencies with their supporting, supported, and adjacent commands. Many of these links are through ADP systems. For example, USASOC interfaces with USSOCOM and national or DOD production centers via these ADP systems. These ADP systems support all I&W tasks.

Depending upon system configuration, national and theater level ADP systems can provide--

The timeliness, quality, and quantity of intelligence and combat information supporting SOF missions vary in proportion to--

COLLECTION MANAGEMENT

Collection requirements are always met by the lowest possible echelon so the requestor receives the information or intelligence as soon as possible.

The theater SOC J2 functions as the SOF collection management authority within the theater. He communicates directly with supported theater elements and with the national level agencies of other nations, as well as with our own national level agencies and organizations. Intelligence sections of MSUs in the theater act as requirements managers. They forward combat information and intelligence to the theater SOC J2 and to the requesting unit. This data is used to satisfy the supported commander's collection requirements (see Figure 3-4).

Liaison elements from the national level intelligence agencies (CIA, NSA, DIA, and other agencies) can be deployed into a theater area of responsibility. These are known as liaison national elements (LNE). They deploy with dedicated communications and provide real-time interface between these agencies and their parent agencies.

LNE provide limited in-theater analysis of national platforms and systems down-links in support of theater requirements. Normally, these LNEs are available only during contingency operations or for major exercises. When they deploy, they are collocated with the supported theater headquarters. In wartime, requirements to national and theater assets are requested or levied at the Unified Command level.

The J2 passes time-sensitive requirements for national level assets to the theater J2. The J2 also gives an information copy of the requirement to the EACIC in-theater. This way, if the EACIC already has the information or intelligence, it can cancel the original request and fulfill the requirement itself.

The theater J2 attempts to satisfy the RII with the data base by passing production requests to other service theater collection assets. If the request still cannot be satisfied at the theater level, it is passed to the appropriate national intelligence agency where a collection requirement is levied on assets available at that level.

All ARSOF SIOs are responsible for meeting their commander's intelligence and combat information requirements. Often, they cannot do this using organic resources; they need access to national and theater level resources. SIOs validate all subordinate unit SIIs requirements for collateral and compartmented recurring documents, one-time document requests, RIIs, and intelligence production requirements (IPRs).

During peacetime, if the S2 determines that organic resources cannot satisfy a request, intelligence support relating to OPLANs or CONPLANs are validated and prioritized by the SOF component S2. The S2 passes these requirements to the appropriate SOC J2 with an information copy to the appropriate MSC (for example, USASFC and TASOSC). The SOC J2 confirms and validates the request and forwards it to the JIC if the request cannot be satisfied by the SOC J2 data base.

Non-OPLAN related requirements are sent by the ARSOF S2 to the appropriate MSC (for example, USASFC) with an information copy of the request to USASOC DCSINT. Requests that the MSC cannot satisfy are validated and sent to USASOC DCSINT with an information copy to USSOCOM. USASOC attempts to fulfill the request; however, if it cannot, it is validated to USSOCOM with an information copy provided to DIA.