The Evolution of Special Operations as a Model for Information Forces
Published in: Joint Force Quarterly 100 (2021)
Posted on RAND.org on February 19, 2021
U.S. special operations forces (SOF) writhed from perennial neglect before a dedicated combatant command—U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM)—was created, an assistant secretary was appointed, and major force program funding was allocated. This article draws an analogy between historical SOF and contemporary information forces and suggests that the history and evolution of SOF could serve as a possible model and provide cautionary lessons for the future development of information forces.
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