May have to register (free) to view entire article. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world...a-b801f1abab19_story.html?wp_login_redirect=0 By Walter Pincus, Published: August 15 Is the Navy’s increased interest in irregular warfare and counterterrorism “partly motivated” by concerns about remaining relevant, or by a desire to secure some of the growing funding for Special Forces units, or both? That’s a question posed by a Congressional Research Service (CRS) study on Navy irregular warfare and counterterrorism operations released Friday. The Pentagon’s new strategic plan, put together by the Defense Department last fall, calls for an increase in spending on Special Forces units, despite the need to reduce planned funding increases over the next 10 years that could go beyond the $487 billion already agreed to. “We will continue to build and sustain tailored capabilities appropriate for counterterrorism and irregular warfare,” reads the strategy put forward by Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta. The Naval Special Warfare Command, with some 9,000 military personnel, is smaller than the Army and Air Force elements that make up the operational forces under the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM). The relatively new Marine Special Forces Command is far behind with 2,500, according to a June 26 CRS report.
Between EOD, the SEAL Teams, and the SBUs, I don't see the need for the Navy to go inventing units to go do more shit on land. They tried to talk about the Riverine units being stood up as Naval Infantry back when they were first getting going. The Navy already has that, it's called the United States Marine Corps. The Navy needs to stick to water and coastal based warfare and not go trying to stand up new units just to get a bigger slice of the pie. The SEALs already do a shitload of land work, and I have rarely heard a SEAL express anything but disdain for the FID/UW mission set. From the guys I have talked to and things I have seen in books etc, the consensus seems to be that they like operating on land as long as it's the sexy stuff, like DA and SR. So what's the Navy going to do? Stand up a Naval FID/UW unit, but oh by the way they're going to operate on land, not with foreign naval forces? That's just fucking stupid.
It blows my mind that as much as SOF is in the news these days, journalists still cannot get the names right.... Marine Special Forces Command?
Irregulars- Term usually used for militia or similar non-uniform forces. Special Forces- Yeah, Army guys. I wish the Navy would give Special Forces some money. So I guess this does sort of make sense. The Navy is interested in irregulars, so it wants to fund Special Forces since they specialize in UW.
