HQ$History - United States Special Operations Command

USSOCOM also added counterproliferation
and information operations (IO)/C2 warfare to
its list of principal missions, and expanded the
counterterrorism mission to include defensive
measures (antiterrorism).
General Shelton continued to refine the command’s
mission statement, goals, and vision in
order to serve SOF’s customers more effectively.
In December 1996, he approved a slightly
revised mission statement:
“Provide Special Operations
Forces to the National Command
Authorities, regional Combatant
Commanders, and American
Ambassadors and their country
teams for successful conduct of worldwide
special operations, civil affairs,
and psychological operations during
peace and war.”
After General Shelton became the CJCS on 1
October 1997, the new CINCSOC, General
Schoomaker, elected to retain this mission statement.
He did, however, articulate a new vision
for USSOCOM:
“Be the most capable and relevant
Special Operations Forces in existence—
living personal and professional standards
of excellence to which all others
aspire.”
Integrity was his watchword and the command’s
as well.
Though the command’s mission statement
remained constant, the same could not be said
for how General Schoomaker viewed the headquarters’
organization. His predecessor had initiated
a review of the organization in hopes of
aligning similar functions, streamlining procedures,
and redirecting human resources. As a
former component commander, General
Schoomaker perceived that the headquarters did
not adequately focus on the command’s critical
functions, which he defined as resourcing SOF.
He, therefore, boldly scrapped the traditional J-
staff alignment and incorporated like or complementary
functions into five “centers of excellence.”
A general officer, flag officer, or senior
executive service (SES) civilian led each center.
The reorganization enabled CINCSOC to concentrate
on strategic and operational priorities.
The Center for Operations, Plans, and Policy
(SOOP) combined functions from the J-3 and J-5
directorates. Merging combat simulations and
requirements (J-7) with programming and
comptroller functions (J-8) resulted in the
Center for Force Structure, Requirements,
Resources, and Strategic Assessments (SORR).
The Center for Intelligence and Information
Operations (SOIO) included command, control,
communications, computers and information
systems (J-6); the intelligence directorate (J-2);
and information operations (J-3). The
Acquisition Center (AC) and logistics directorate
(J-4) formed the Center for Acquisition and
New Headquarters USSOCOM Organization, 4 January 1998.
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