HQ$History - United States Special Operations Command

Special Forces soldiers train Nigerian forces.
keeping effort in Africa held out great promise
for the future, and was another example of SOF
fulfilling the role of Global Scouts.
Operation FOCUS RELIEF
After the collapse of civil authority in Sierra
Leone, the United States offered equipment and
training to neighboring countries to establish a
regional force capable of reestablishing civil
order in the country. Under Operation FOCUS
RELIEF, up to five Nigerian Battalions, one
Ghanaian and one Senegalese Battalion were to
be trained for peacekeeping operations in Sierra
Leone under the auspices of UN Charter,
Chapter VII, for the purposes of establishing
peace and order.
In November 2000, members of the 3rd SFG
(A) began the first phase of the operation, training
two Nigerian battalions. The training
included basic training on the new equipment,
combat lifesaver medical training, and infantry
tactics. Special Forces medics worked with the
host nation medics on advanced lifesaving skills,
and leaders were taught how to create combat
orders and conduct military decision-making
and planning. During this deployment, three SF
soldiers were stopped by Nigerian police at a
local roadblock. They identified themselves to
the police; however, an altercation ensued.
Shots were fired, and the ODA members and
embassy driver evaded the police and local civilians
who were chasing them. One of the soldiers
fired warning shots when two civilians attacked
one of the ODA members. After dispersing the
crowd, the team made its way to a local gated
house, set up security, and notified the embassy.
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After completing training in December 2000,
these troops deployed with the UN Mission in
Sierra Leone, to assist in the implementation of
the Lomé Peace Accord.
The second phase of training took place in
Ghana and Senegal from June to August 2001.
The troops were trained in the use of new equipment,
small unit tactics, first-aid training, civilmilitary
operations (CMO), and human rights.
Ambassador Kathryn Dee Robinson said,
“Operation FOCUS RELIEF demonstrates the
commitment of the U.S. government in assisting
the restoration of stability to the West Africa
sub-region.”
Counterdrug Operations
Illegal drug trafficking was an international
threat increasingly affecting all nations. USSO-
COM conducted counterdrug (CD) training missions
during the decade of the 1990s and beyond.
The National Drug Control Strategy, announced
in September 1989, significantly refocused the
Defense Department’s CD effort. USSOCOM
provided forces to train and assist host nation
forces to enforce its own CD laws. SOF also
trained personnel from drug law enforcement
agencies. In addition, the command provided
forces to patrol and reconnoiter portions of the
border with Mexico and supplied communications
experts to support other theater CINCs’
CD efforts.
In 1992, the CD effort doubled to a total of
233 military training teams, deployments for
training and other missions. Support to
USSOUTHCOM and law enforcement agencies
accounted for most of the missions, but SOF
began to expand CD efforts in the PACOM area
Colombian Marines from Forward Riverine Post-93 on
graduation day with Counterdrug Mission
SEAL Team 4/SBU-22 trainers.