HQ$History - United States Special Operations Command

Civil Affairs (CA) augmentation. The CJSOTF
planned to search for and destroy SCUD missiles
in the western desert. In previous editions
of OPLAN 1003, SOCCENT envisioned
CJSOTF-W organizing and employing regime
opposition groups in southern Iraq, but
CENTCOM’s latest plan envisioned a rapid
seizure of Baghdad, which would obviate the
requirement for organizing insurgent forces
against Saddam. CJSOTF-W’s mission in southern
Iraq subsequently changed to supporting
CFLCC’s assault north, to include the provision
of intelligence and SOF seizing terrain.
To its credit, SOCCENT had learned a great
deal from the understaffing of TFs DAGGER
and K-BAR during the initial phases of
Operation ENDURING FREEDOM in
Afghanistan. It determined not to make the
same mistake in Iraq, instructing allocated
forces to build joint manning documents (JMDs)
to reflect their needs. Each SOF headquarters
was more sufficiently staffed with air planners,
PSYOP, CA, and coalition liaison officers
(LNOs). As important, both CJSOTFs had
enough personnel to provide LNOs to conventional
force commands, enabling SOF to synchronize
its operations with CFLCC forces.
Consequently, the various SOF TFs were better
prepared to conduct joint special operations.
Other U.S. SOF would also perform essential
roles in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (OIF). In
late 2002 and early 2003, CENTCOM added
additional SOF forces to compensate for the relative
paucity of conventional forces. The 75th
Ranger Regiment was assigned numerous missions
to secure key terrain along the outskirts of
Baghdad to facilitate the mounted advance of
3rd ID. Other coalition special operations forces
(CSOF) forces were assigned SR missions deep
within Iraq to target Iraqi maneuver forces.
SOCCENT also had OPCON of Naval
Special Warfare Task Group–CENTCOM
(NSWTG-CENT), tasking it to secure oil and gas
facilities on the Al Faw Peninsula and two oil
platforms off the Iraqi coast; NSWTG-CENT
also supported the Combined Force Maritime
Component Command (CFMCC) in the execution
of various missions. SOF aviation from both
the 160th SOAR (A) and
352nd SOG would support
various infiltrations during
the course of the invasion.
As events unfolded, all
SOF elements would have to
execute numerous inherent
tasks that included attacking
Iraqi forces, seizing key infrastructure,
and preventing the
destruction of critical nodes.
Although conducting shaping
operations in support of
CFLCC, SOF often found itself
in the supported role during
the initial stages of combat.
Map of General Franks’ five fronts of attack.
122
The Invasion
OIF formally commenced
the night of 19 March 2003,
and SOF played a critical role
in defeating Iraqi forces
throughout the battlespace.
OIF represented the largest
commitment of SOF to an
operation since the inception
of USSOCOM. SOF aquitted