Special Operations Command Pacific

Last updated

Special Operations Command, Pacific
Special Operations Command Pacific insignia.jpg
SOCPAC insignia
Active1 November 1965 – present
CountryFlag of the United States.svg  United States of America
Type Special Operations
RoleProvide fully capable Special Operations Forces to defend the United States and its interests and plan and synchronize operations against terrorist networks
Part of United States Special Operations Command Insignia.svg United States Special Operations Command
United States Pacific Command.png United States Indo-Pacific Command
Garrison/HQ Camp H. M. Smith
Color of berets (U.S. Army Personnel)  Tan  Maroon   Rifle green
Engagements Operation Enduring Freedom – Philippines
Commanders
Commander RDML Jeromy B. Williams
Notable
commanders
P. Gardner Howe, III
Insignia
Distinctive unit insignia (U.S. Army personnel)
Special Operations Command Pacific insignia.png
Beret flash (U.S. Army Personnel)
SOCPAC flash.png
Shoulder Sleeve Insignia (U.S. Army Personnel)
SOCPAC SSI.png

The Special Operations Command Pacific, known as SOCPAC, is a sub-unified command of the United States Department of Defense for special operations forces in the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) area of responsibility.

Contents

History

The Special Operations Center, Pacific Command was established 1 November 1965. Headquartered in Okinawa, the unit provided unconventional warfare task force support for operations in Southeast Asia. After these functions transferred to the Commander in Chief, Pacific Command (CINCPAC), the command dissolved on 1 July 1969. A special operations staff was established in the CINCPAC Operations Directorate on 15 May 1976, for planning and coordinating in-theater special operations. [1]

In October 1983, the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff established special operations commands in the Pacific and European Theaters. Special Operations Command, Pacific (SOCPAC) was activated on 1 November 1983 with only eighteen personnel. Six years later, on 28 December 1989, SOCPAC was assigned operational control of what is now the 353d Special Operations Group and 1st Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), which are located on Okinawa, Japan at Kadena Air Base and Torii Station, respectively. On 8 July 1991, SOCPAC assumed control of Naval Special Warfare Task Unit-Pacific and a platoon of United States Navy SEALs, based at Apra Harbor in Guam. In early March 2001, SOCPAC established the Joint Special Operations Aviation Component. On 11 June 2001, SOCPAC gained control over E Company, 160th Special Operations Regiment (Airborne), which is based in Daegu in South Korea. [1]

As a subordinate unified command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, SOCPAC units deploy throughout the Pacific. SOCPAC annually conducts small unit exchanges, joint and combined training events, and operational deployments throughout the Pacific. Units are used for counterdrug and humanitarian demining operations, training forces in countries such as Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. SOCPAC hosts an annual Pacific Area Special Operations Conference in Hawaii for over 200 U.S. and foreign delegates. [1]

The command can operate as a rapidly deployable Joint Task Force. In January 2002, SOCPAC deployed to the Southern Philippines as JTF 510, conducting counterterrorist operations with the Philippine Government under Operation Enduring Freedom. The force redeployed on 1 September 2002, leaving elements to form the Joint Special Operations Task Force-Peppery Philippines with the Armed Forces of the Philippines. [1]

The command is headquartered at Camp H. M. Smith in Hawaii. From 1995 to 1997 Air Force General Charles R. Holland commanded SOCPAC. [2] From 2000 to 2003 Donald C. Wurster was commander, [3] David P. Fridovich commanded from 2005 to 2007, and then Salvatore F. Cambria. [4] In June 2009 Rear Admiral Sean A. Pybus became commander of SOCPAC. [5]

List of commanders

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Enduring Freedom – Philippines</span> Military operation

Operation Enduring Freedom – Philippines (OEF-P) or Operation Freedom Eagle was part of Operation Enduring Freedom and the global War on Terror. The Operation targeted the various Jihadist terror groups operating in the country. By 2009, about 600 U.S. military personnel were advising and assisting the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in the Southern Philippines. In addition, by 2014, the CIA had sent its elite paramilitary officers from their Special Activities Division to hunt down and kill or capture key terrorist leaders. This group had the most success in combating and capturing Al-Qaeda leaders and the leaders of associated groups like Abu Sayyaf.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eighteenth Air Force</span> Numbered air force of the United States Air Force responsible for air mobility forces

Eighteenth Air Force (Air Forces Transportation) (18 AF) is the only Numbered Air Force (NAF) in Air Mobility Command (AMC) and one of the largest NAFs in the United States Air Force. 18 AF was activated on 28 March 1951, inactivated on 1 January 1958, and re-activated on 1 October 2003. 18 AF is headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Indo-Pacific Command</span> Unified combatant command of the United States Armed Forces responsible for the Indo-Pacific region

United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) is the unified combatant command of the United States Armed Forces responsible for the Indo-Pacific region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">13th Expeditionary Sustainment Command</span> U.S. Army modular sustainment command

The 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary)—the "Lucky 13th"—is a U.S. Army modular sustainment command which serves as a forward presence for expeditionary operations for a theater, or in support of a regional combatant commander. Expeditionary sustainment commands (ESC), such as the 13th, synchronize distribution of supplies and services within their operational areas and provides distribution oversight. Formed at Fort Hood, Texas when the 1st Logistics Command deployed to Vietnam, the organization then known as the 13th Support Brigade was initially responsible for the training of technical services units to assume combat service support missions in Southeast Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Army Intelligence and Security Command</span> Unit of the US Army

The United States Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM) is a direct reporting unit that conducts intelligence, security, and information operations for United States Army commanders, partners in the Intelligence Community, and national decision-makers. INSCOM is headquartered at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Marine Corps Forces, Pacific</span> Military unit

Marine Forces Pacific (MARFORPAC) is the United States Marine Corps service component command of United States Indo-Pacific Command. It is the largest field command in the Marine Corps and is headquartered at Camp H. M. Smith in Hawaii.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st Special Forces Group (United States)</span> Military unit

The 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) (1st SFG) (A) is a unit of the U.S. Army Special Forces operating under the United States Pacific Command. It is designed to deploy and execute nine doctrinal missions throughout the Indo-Pacific Command area of operations: unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, direct action, counter-insurgency, special reconnaissance, counter-terrorism, information operations, counterproliferation of weapon of mass destruction, and security force assistance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donald C. Wurster</span> United States Air Force general

Lieutenant General Donald C. Wurster is a retired Commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, FL. The command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force and the Air Force component of U.S. Special Operations Command. AFSOC provides Air Force Special Operations Forces for worldwide deployment and assignment to unified combatant commanders. The command has approximately 12,900 active-duty, Reserve, Air National Guard and civilian professionals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albanian Land Force</span> Military unit

The Albanian Land Force is the land force branch of the Albanian Armed Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joint task force</span> Ad hoc military formation

A Joint Task Force is a "joint" (multi-service) ad hoc military formation. The task force concept originated with the United States Navy in the 1920s and 1930s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Special Operations Command Korea</span> US military sub-command

Special Operations Command Korea or SOCKOR, the United States (U.S.) Theater Special Operations Command (TSOC) in the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a Sub-Unified Command assigned under the Combatant Command (COCOM) of United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), who delegated Operational Command (OPCON) of SOCKOR to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) Commander, who further delegated OPCON of SOCKOR to the United States Forces Korea (USFK) Commander.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Special Operations Command Europe</span> Military unit

U.S. Special Operations Command Europe is a subordinate unified command of United States Special Operations Command.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric E. Fiel</span> United States Air Force general

Lieutenant General Eric E. Fiel is a retired United States Air Force officer who served as commander of Air Force Special Operations Command from 2011 to 2014. The command is the Air Force component of United States Special Operations Command. AFSOC provides Air Force special operations forces for worldwide deployment and assignment to unified combatant commanders. The command has approximately 16,000 active-duty, Reserve, Air National Guard and civilian professionals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Far East Command (United States)</span> Military unit

Far East Command (FECOM) was a unified combatant command of the United States Department of Defense, active from 1947 until 1957, functionally organised to undertake the occupation of Japan and Korea. The 1st and 6th Marine Divisions, who from 1945 to 1948 assisted the Chinese government in occupying northern China, disarming the Japanese, and helping the Kuomintang Chinese without fully getting involved in the Chinese Civil War, were not part of Far East Command and reported to Pacific Command and the U.S. Navy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sean A. Pybus</span> Retired US Navy admiral (born 1957)

Sean Averell Pybus is a retired United States Navy Vice Admiral who last served as the deputy Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) from 2014 to 2016. He previously served as the Commander, Naval Special Warfare Command from 2011 to 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonathan P. Braga</span> US Army general (born 1969)

Jonathan Patrick Braga is a United States Army lieutenant general, serving as the commanding general of United States Army Special Operations Command since 13 August 2021. He previously served as a deputy commanding general of United States Army Pacific from August 2020 to July 2021, as commander of Special Operations Command Pacific from July 2018 to August 2020, and before that as operations director of Operation Inherent Resolve, the official name for the US war on ISIS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bryan P. Fenton</span> United States Army general

Bryan Patrick Fenton is a United States Army general who serves as the 13th commander of the United States Special Operations Command since 30 August 2022. He most recently served as the 16th commander of the Joint Special Operations Command from July 2021 to August 2022. and as the senior military assistant to the Secretary of Defense from 12 August 2019 to June 2021. He previously served as the deputy commander of United States Indo-Pacific Command. Fenton is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John F.G. Wade</span> U.S. Navy admiral

John Fredric G. Wade is a United States Navy vice admiral who has served as the commander of Joint Task Force Red Hill since September 12, 2022. He previously served as the director of operations of the United States Indo-Pacific Command from October 2020 to September 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Sklenka</span> U.S. Marine Corps general

Stephen Douglas Sklenka is a United States Marine Corps lieutenant general who has served as the deputy commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command since August 16, 2021. He previously served as the Director of Strategic Planning and Policy of the United States Indo-Pacific Command from July 2019. Previously, he was the Commanding General of the 1st Marine Logistics Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew Trollinger</span> U.S. Marine Corps general

Matthew G. Trollinger is a United States Marine Corps major general who serves as the commander of United States Marine Forces Special Operations Command since May 23, 2022. He most recently served as the Deputy Director for Politico-Military Affairs of the Joint Staff. He was previously the Commanding General of the 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade from July 2018 to July 6, 2020.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Special Operations Command, Pacific". official web site. Retrieved 9 October 2010.
  2. "General Charles R. Holland". official biography. United States Air Force. 2003. Archived from the original on 22 July 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2010.
  3. "Lt. General Donald C. Wurster". official biography. United States Air Force. 2010. Archived from the original on 24 July 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2010.
  4. "Cambria Takes Helm at Special Operations Command-Pacific" (PDF). Special Warfare. Vol. 20, no. 5. September 2007. Retrieved 10 October 2010.
  5. "Rear Admiral Sean A. Pybus: Commander, Special Operations Command Pacific". official US Navy Biography. 1 October 2009. Retrieved 9 October 2010.
  6. "MAJOR GENERAL NORMAN J. BROZENICK JR". www.af.mil.
  7. "Special Operations Command Pacific Change of Command". U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.
  8. "Special Operations Command, Pacific Change of Command". www.pacom.mil.
  9. "Brigadier General Jonathan P. Braga, Commander, Special Operations Command, Pacific" (PDF). Retrieved 11 September 2022.
  10. "SOCPAC Change of Command". SOCPAC. 27 July 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  11. "Chief of Staff, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command". www.pacom.mil. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
  12. https://www.socom.mil/socpac/Documents/RDML%20Williams%20Bio_FINAL.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]