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Showing posts with label SOC-JC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SOC-JC. Show all posts

Monday, September 19, 2011

Insignia of the United States Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM)






















I have decided to continue my Unified Combatant Commands series with insignia of one of the recently disestablished UCCs. The UnitedStates Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM) was a former Unified Combatant Commands of the United States Armed Forces. USJFCOM was a functional command that provided specific services to the military. The last commander was Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno. As directed by the President to identify opportunities to cut costs and rebalance priorities, Defense Secretary Robert Gates recommended that USJFCOM be disestablished and its essential functions reassigned to other unified combatant commands. Formal disestablishment occurred on August 4, 2011.

USJFCOM was formed in 1999 when the old United States Atlantic Command was renamed and given a new mission: leading the transformation of the U.S. military through experimentation and education. USLANTCOM had been active from 1947 to 1993 as a primarily U.S. Navy command, focused upon the wartime defense of the Atlantic sea lanes against Soviet attack. After the end of the Cold War, a 1993 reorganization gave the Command a new acronym, USACOM, and brought United States Army Forces Command and Air Combat Command under its authority.

In late 2004, U.S. Joint Forces Command assumed the role of primary conventional force provider. This landmark change assigned nearly all U.S. conventional forces to Joint Forces Command. Requirements, for example, for U.S. service personnel to support the transformation of the Armed Forces of Liberia, were fed to JFCOM, in this case via Africa Command, and JFCOM liaised with the service staffs to obtain available forces. Along with this responsibility came the task to develop a new 'risk-assessment' process that provided national leaders a world-wide perspective on force-sourcing solutions.
Its operations and exercises included Noble Resolve, an experimentation campaign plan to enhance homeland defense and improve military support to civil authorities in advance of and following natural and man-made disasters and Empire Challenge, an annual intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) interoperability demonstration.

United States Joint Forces Command was the only combatant command focused on the transformation of U.S. military capabilities. The commander of USJFCOM oversaw the command's four primary roles in transformation – joint concept development and experimentation, joint training, joint interoperability and integration, and the primary conventional force provider as outlined in the Unified Command Plan approved by the President. Its Unified Command Plan designated USJFCOM as the "transformation laboratory" of the United States military to enhance the combatant commanders' capabilities to implement the president's strategy. USJFCOM developed joint operational concepts, tested those concepts through rigorous experimentation, educated joint leaders, trained joint task force commanders and staffs, and recommended joint solutions to the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines to better integrate their warfighting capabilities.

USJFCOM included members from each branch of the U.S. military, civil servants, contract employees, and consultants. It had four component commands, a sub-unified command (Special Operations component is SOCJFCOM and eight subordinate activities, including: Joint Warfighting Center; Joint Systems Integration Center; Joint Transformation Command for Intelligence; and Joint Warfare Analysis Center (JWAC). JFCOM's Service components were the CONUS based commands that provided forces to other combatant commands: United States Army Forces Command (FORSCOM), United StatesFleet Forces Command (USFLTFORCOM), Air Combat Command (ACC), and United StatesMarine Corps Forces Command (MARFORCOM).
On 9 August 2010 Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced that Joint Forces Command has been slated for elimination as a budget-saving measure. General Ray Odierno was given the task of winding down JFCOM. On 6 January 2011, the plan was officially approved in a memorandum by President Obama. On 3 August 2011, Joint Forces Command cased its flag colors.
























The United States Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) is the largest Army Command and the preeminent provider of expeditionary, campaign-capable land forces to Combatant Commanders. It is headquartered at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. FORSCOM trains, mobilizes, deploys, sustains, transforms and reconstitutes conventional forces to provide relevant and ready land power to combatant commanders worldwide in defense of the nation at home and abroad. FORSCOM is responsible for the readiness of more than 75 percent of the Army’s force structure and 87 percent of the Army’s combat power. Forces Command provides Army forces to the joint war fight. JFCOM's mission is to provide U.S. military forces where needed throughout the world and to ensure they are integrated and trained as unified forces ready for any assigned task. The capabilities of the new brigade-level formations – armor, infantry, airborne, air assault and Stryker – ensure greater flexibility and enhance FORSCOM’s ability to deploy trained and ready forces quickly.

The Active Component of FORSCOM currently has over 237,000 soldiers. Third U.S. Army, also located at Fort McPherson, is the Army component of United States Central Command, the Joint command responsible for Southwest Asia and the Horn of Africa. FORSCOM also commands three Army corps: I Corps at Fort Lewis, Washington; III Corps at Fort Hood, Texas; and XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Together they include eight divisions (1st Cavalry Division, 1st Armored Division, 1st Infantry Division, 3rd Infantry Division, 4th Infantry Division, 10th Mountain Division, 82nd Airborne Division, and the 101st Airborne Division, three separate brigades, two armored cavalry regiments, 37 support brigades of various types, and a range of other corps combat, combat support and combat service support units. First U.S. Army is responsible for training, mobilization and deployment support to Reserve Component units in FORSCOM. They also execute FORSCOM missions within their geographic areas of responsibility. A major subordinate command of Forces Command is the United States Army Reserve Command (USARC), also is headquartered at Fort Bragg, N.C. It commands all Army Reserve units in the continental United States, except those assigned to Special Operations Command. The Army National Guard provides Forces Command a balanced force of eight National Guard combat divisions, 15 brigades, and extensive combat support and combat service support units.




The United States Fleet Forces Command (USFLTFORCOM) of the United States Navy is the part of the Navy responsible for operations in and around the Atlantic Ocean. Originally formed as United States Atlantic Fleet (USLANTFLT) in 1906, it has been an integral part of the defense of the United States of America for most of the 20th century. In 2002, the Fleet comprised over 118,000 sailors and marines serving on 186 ships and in 1,300 aircraft, with an area of responsibility ranging over the Atlantic Ocean from the North Pole to the South Pole, the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and the waters of the Pacific Ocean along the coasts of Central and South America (as far west as the Galapagos Islands). Its operational force (i.e., the formation of fighting ships) is the United States Second Fleet. USFLTFORCOM is based at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia.
The command's mission is to organize, man, train, and equip Naval Forces for assignment to Unified Command Combatant commanders; to deter, detect, and defend against homeland maritime threats; and to articulate Fleet warfighting and readiness requirements to the Chief of Naval Operations.




Air Combat Command (ACC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands (MAJCOMs), reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF). It is ACC is headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. The mission of Air Combat Command is to be the primary force provider of combat airpower to America's warfighting commands. To support global implementation of national security strategy, ACC operates fighter, bomber, reconnaissance, battle-management and electronic-combat aircraft. Air Combat Command also provides command, control, computing, communications and intelligence (C4I) systems, and conducts global information operations.
As a force provider, ACC organizes, trains, equips and maintains combat-ready forces for rapid deployment and employment while ensuring strategic air defense forces are ready to meet the challenges of peacetime air sovereignty and wartime air defense.
ACC numbered air forces provide the air components to United States Central Command, United States Southern Command, former United States Joint Forces Command, United States Northern Command and United States Strategic Command.
In addition, ACC augments forces to United States European Command and United States Pacific Command.




U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command (MARFORCOM) is headquartered at Naval Support Activity Norfolk, Virginia. It was the United States Marine Corps
component of the United States Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM). It was previously known as Marine Forces Atlantic (MARFORLANT).
MARFORCOM is one of three major Marine Corps commands (along with United States Marine Corps Forces Pacific and U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve) that provide operating forces to support Unified or Joint Task Force Commanders and Fleet Commanders Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command (COMMARFORCOM) serves as a principal advisor to the Commander in Chief, United States Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM), on Marine Corps matters. He is responsible for organizing, training and equipping forces for employment as directed by USJFCOM.
COMMARFORCOM also serves in the following capacities:
Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic
Commander, United States Marine Forces, Europe
Commander, United States Marine Corps Forces, South
Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Bases, Atlantic
The warfighting arm of MARFORCOM is the II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF). II MEF is composed of about 45,000 personnel from the 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Logistics Group and 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.








United States Special Operations Command Joint ForcesCommand (SOCJFCOM), now Special Operations Command – Joint Capabilities(SOC-JC), was transferred to USSOCOM from the soon to be disestablished United States Joint Forces Command. It was formerly known as United States Special Operations Command Joint Forces Command (SOCJFCOM).
Primary Mission: SOC-JC trains conventional and SOF commanders and their staffs, supports USSOCOM international engagement training requirements, and supports implementation of capability solutions in order to improve strategic and operational warfighting readiness and joint interoperability. SOC-JC must also be prepared to support deployed Special Operations Joint Task Force (SOJTF) Headquarters (HQ).
As a joint sub-unified command under USSOCOM, SOC-JC’s core function is to enhance the interoperability of conventional and Special Operations Forces (SOF) commanders and staffs through robust strategic and operational level joint training. In coordination with the USSOCOM J3, J7/9 and Joint Special Operations University (JSOU), SOC-JC provides excellent training and support to the education for SOF and Conventional Forces (CF) worldwide. Additionally, SOC-JC supports the joint SOF capabilities development process while maintaining the flexibility to support emerging initiatives.


As always, the above insignia are available on a limited number of selected quality products via my “Military Insignia” galleries at ZazzleCafePess and SpreadShirt. To get to corresponding galleries, you may simply follow the direct links in the article.

I will also make my insignia designs available free of charge to any military units and personnel, to be used for the purpose of any non-profit/non-commercial and charitable causes, benefiting troops and their families. In addition, I would make my designs available free of charge to any military branches, formations and units for any non-commercial internal duty-specific purposes, such as unit-related web design, training materials or presentations, as I have already done on numerous occasions.

The above information provided in part by The Institute of Heraldry, Global Security, Wikipedia and websites of certain Unified Combatant Commands

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Insignia of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and subordinate Special Operations Commands (SOCs)


[Edited on Aug. 15, 2011] Just as I planned, I have managed to end this year with a creative bang. This time it was about tackling a substantial chunk of my “Military Insignia” project – US Special Operations. This involved recreating insignias of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and all its major subordinate Special Operations Commands (SOCs). USSOCOM is the Unified Combatant Command charged with overseeing the various Special Operations Commands (SOC or SOCOM) of the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps of the United States armed forces. The command is part of the Department of Defense. USSOCOM is headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida.
USSOCOM conducts several covert and clandestine missions, such as unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, special reconnaissance, psychological operations, Civil Affairs, direct action, counter-terrorism and War on Drugs operations. Each branch has a Special Operations Command that is unique and capable of running its own operations, but when the different Special Operations Forces need to work together for an operation, USSOCOM becomes the joint component command of the operation, instead of a SOC of a specific branch.
This particular stage of the project was quite time-consuming, considering the expansive structure of the USSOCOM. 

To accomplish all of the above, I have set aside roughly a month-worth of time, planning to wrap it up by the year-end. The challenge was on, and I was up to it. As with all of my previous projects, I was using my own 
Multi-Layer Enhancement & Texturing Technique (or M-LETT 3D; I discuss it in detail in this post) method  to produce quality hi-resolution insignias. Occasionally, not very often, I couldn’t help but let out the artist within, yet I would manage to stay true to the official insignia specifications and color palettes.





The United States Army Special Operations Command (Airborne) (USASOC or ARSOC) is a command charged with overseeing the various Special Operations Forces (SOF) of the United States Army. The command is part of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM); a larger command overseeing all the different SOF Commands of each branch of the U.S. military.



[Edited on Aug. 15, 2011]  Special Operations Command – Joint Capabilities (SOC-JC) was transferred to USSOCOM from the soon to be disestablished United States Joint Forces Command. It was formerly known as United States Special Operations Command Joint Forces Command (SOCJFCOM).

Primary Mission: SOC-JC trains conventional and SOF commanders and their staffs, supports USSOCOM international engagement training requirements, and supports implementation of capability solutions in order to improve strategic and operational warfighting readiness and joint interoperability. 

SOC-JC must also be prepared to support deployed Special Operations Joint Task Force (SOJTF) Headquarters (HQ).
As a joint sub-unified command under USSOCOM, SOC-JC’s core function is to enhance the interoperability of conventional and Special Operations Forces (SOF) commanders and staffs through robust strategic and operational level joint training. In coordination with the USSOCOM J3, J7/9 and Joint Special Operations University (JSOU), SOC-JC provides excellent training and support to the education for SOF and Conventional Forces (CF) worldwide. Additionally, SOC-JC supports the joint SOF capabilities development process while maintaining the flexibility to support emerging initiatives.



Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC)



The Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) is a component command of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and is charged to study special operations requirements and techniques to ensure interoperability and equipment standardization, plan and conduct special operations exercises and training, and develop Joint Special Operations Tactics. It was established in 1980 on recommendation of Col. Charlie Beckwith, in the aftermath of the failure of Operation Eagle Claw. It is located at Pope Army Air Field and Fort Bragg in North Carolina, USA. The Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) also commands and controls the Special Mission Units (SMU) of United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). These units perform highly classified activities. So far, only three SMUs have been publicly disclosed: The Army's 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment - Delta, the Navy's Naval Special Warfare Development Group, and the Air Force's 24th Special Tactics Squadron. The Intelligence Support Activity is also under JSOC.



1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (Delta Force)

The Army 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1st SFOD-D) is one of the United States' secretive Tier One counter-terrorism and Special Mission Units. Commonly known as Delta, or Delta Force, it was formed under the designation 1st SFOD-D, and is officially referred to by the Department of Defense as Combat Applications Group (CAG). This unit is an elite Special Operations Force, and an Army Compartmented Element of the Joint Special Operations Command. Delta Force, along with its Navy counterpart DEVGRU, are the United States' primary counter-terrorism units.
The Army 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (Combat Applications Group (CAG), Delta Force) is the first of the two primary counter-terrorist units of JSOC and SOCOM. Modeled after the British Special Operations force Special Air Service, Delta is arguably one of the best SOF in the world. This is because of Delta's stringent training and selection process. Delta recruits primarily from the most talented and highly skilled operators in the Army Special Forces and the 75th Ranger Regiment although CAG will take anyone and everyone that can pass their screening. Recruits must pass a rigid selection course before beginning training. Delta has received training from numerous U.S. government agencies and other tier one SOF and has created a curriculum based on this training and techniques that it has developed. Delta conducts clandestine and covert special operations all over the world. It specializes in counter-terrorism and hostage rescue operations. Delta Force's primary tasks are counter-terrorism, direct action, and national intervention operations, although it is an extremely versatile group capable of assuming many covert missions, including, but not limited to, rescuing hostages and raids.
Delta Force's structure is similar to the British 22 Special Air Service Regiment. There are three main operational squadrons:

A Squadron
B Squadron
C Squadron

These squadrons are based on the organization of the SAS "Sabre Squadron" and each contains 75 to 85 operators. Each sabre squadron is broken down into three troops, one Recce/Sniper troop, and two Direct Action/Assault troops, that can either operate in teams or in groups as small as four to six men.


Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT)


Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT) is a subordinate unified command of joint forces for the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM). It is responsible for planning special operations throughout the USCENTCOM area of responsibility (AOR), planning and conducting peacetime joint/combined special operations training exercises, and orchestrating command and control of peacetime and wartime special operations as directed.
The command is headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida. SOCCENT FWD, Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command (CFSOCC), is located at Al Udeid in Qatar. The Command's motto is Molon labe (Greek for "Come and take them").
SOCCENT, operating with coalition partners as the CFSOCC, consists of two combined joint special operations task forces [CJSOTFs], one Combined Joint Special Operations Aviation Command, one joint psychological operations task force, one Naval Special Warfare Unit and three Special Operations command and control elements [SOCCEs]. The two CJSOTFs are CJSOTF-Arabian Peninsula, whose headquarters directs United States Army Special Forces, and CJSOTF Afghanistan. CJSOTF Afghanistan includes elements of the 7th Special Forces Group operating in southern provinces, including Kandahar, as Task Force 71.


Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR)


Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR) is a subordinate unified command of US European Command exercising operational control of theater Army, Navy, and Air Force Special Operation Forces (SOF).
SOCEUR is responsible to CDRUSEUCOM/SACEUR for SOF readiness, targeting, exercises, plans, joint and combined training, NATO/partnership activities, and execution of counterterrorism, peacetime and contingency operations.

Special Operations Command Pacific (SOCPAC)


Special Operations Command, Pacific (SOCPAC) is a is a sub-unified command of U.S. Southern Command and serves as the functional component for all special operation missions deployed throughout the Caribbean, Central and South America regions. SOCSOUTH is responsible for the planning and execution of all Special Operations Forces (SOF) within U.S. Southern Command's AOR to include: U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Berets), U.S. Naval Special Warfare Units (SEALs), U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force Special Operations Aviation, Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations forces. SOCSOUTH is a joint headquarters that commands, controls, and executes over 75 deployments per year with an average of 20 missions in 12 countries at any time. The command is composed of three permanently assigned operational units based in several locations within the southeastern United States. Typical SOCSOUTH Headquarters deployments include a rapid response for contingencies, exercises, and other missions, as directed by Commander, U.S. Southern Command.

Special Operations Command South (SOCSOUTH)


Special Operations Command South (SOCSOUTH) is a is a sub-unified command of U.S. Southern Command and serves as the functional component for all special operation missions deployed throughout the Caribbean, Central and South America regions. SOCSOUTH is responsible for the planning and execution of all Special Operations Forces (SOF) within U.S. Southern Command's AOR to include: U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Berets), U.S. Naval Special Warfare Units (SEALs), U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force Special Operations Aviation, Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations forces. SOCSOUTH is a joint headquarters that commands, controls, and executes over 75 deployments per year with an average of 20 missions in 12 countries at any time. The command is composed of three permanently assigned operational units based in several locations within the southeastern United States. Typical SOCSOUTH Headquarters deployments include a rapid response for contingencies, exercises, and other missions, as directed by Commander, U.S. Southern Command.


Special Operations Command, Korea (SOCKOR)


Special Operations Command, Korea (SOCKOR) is a United States military organization in South Korea that provides special forces to United States Forces Korea/United Nations Command/Combined Forces Command. During wartime, SOCKOR combines with the Korean Special Warfare Command to form the Combined Unconventional Warfare Task Force (CUWTF).
Special Operations Command Korea (SOCKOR), located at Camp Kim in Yongsan, Korea, is the theater Special Operations Command (SOC) responsible for special operations on the Korean peninsula and, when established, the Korean Theater of Operations (KTO).
Because of the unique command relationships in Korea, SOCKOR is the only theater SOC that is not a subordinate unified command. Established in 1988 as a functional component command of U.S. Forces, Korea (USFK), SOCKOR is the principal organization responsible for the integration of U.S. SOF in Korea. Its primary mission focus is simple: be ready to employ U.S. SOF and win, should war resume in Korea.


Special Operations Command, Africa (SOCAFRICA)



Special Operations Command, Africa (SOCAFRICA) is an airborne sub-unified command within the Special Operations Forces of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM). SOCAFRICA HQ is located at Kelley Barracks outside of Stuttgart, Germany.





United States Army Special Forces, also known as Green Berets, are a special operations force of the United States Army tasked with six primary missions: unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, special reconnaissance, direct action, hostage rescue, and counter-terrorism. The first two emphasize language, cultural, and training skills in working with foreign troops. Other duties include combat search and rescue (CSAR), security assistance, peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance, humanitarian demining, counter-proliferation, psychological operations, manhunts, and counter-drug operations; other components of the United States Special Operations Command or other U.S. government activities may also specialize in these secondary areas.
Their official motto is De oppresso liber (Latin: To Liberate the Oppressed), a reference to one of their primary missions, training and advising foreign indigenous forces.


75th Ranger Regiment


The 75th Ranger Regiment (Airborne), also known as Rangers, is a Special Operations light infantry unit of the United States Army. The Regiment is headquartered in Fort Benning, Georgia with battalions in Fort Benning, Hunter Army Airfield and Joint Base Lewis-McChord. It operates as a special operations force of the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC).
The Regiment is composed of one Special Troops Battalion and three, organizationally identical, rapidly-deployable light infantry special operations battalions with specialized skills that enable them to perform a variety of special operations missions. These missions include but are not limited to airborne, air assault, and direct action operations, raids, infiltration and exfiltration by air, land or sea in addition to airfield seizure, recovery of personnel and special equipment, and support of general purpose forces (GPF). Each of the Regiment's three line battalions rotates as the "Ranger Ready Force". This battalion is at a constant readiness to deploy and is expected to be able to respond anywhere in the world within 18 hours.

United States Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne)


The United States Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne), or USACAPOC(A), was founded in 1985. USACAPOC(A) is composed mostly of U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers in units throughout the United States. Its total size is approximately 10,000 Soldiers, making up about 94 percent of the DoD's Civil Affairs forces and 71 percent of the DoD's Psychological Operations forces. It is headquartered at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The current commander (2010) is Major General David N. Blackledge, who assumed command in September 2009, succeeding Major General David A. Morris who commanded the unit from 2007 to 2009.
Historically, USACAPOC(A) was one of four major subordinate commands comprising the U.S. Army Special Operations Command. In May 2006, the reserve component of USACAPOC(A) was transferred to the U.S. Army Reserve Command. The Army's active duty civil affairs and psychological operations units, along with the branches' training and doctrine, continues to fall under the U.S. Army Special Operations Command.
Army Reserve Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations make up 5 percent of the U.S. Army Reserve force, but account for about 20 percent of Army Reserve deployments.
Some proponents of USACAPOC(A) point to its units' success in humanitarian aid operations, and also in their ability to spread information to civilians. The command's special operators are some of the most highly trained soldiers in the U.S. Army, and bring civilian expertise not found among regular active duty Soldiers to the table. The projects they complete comprise many of the 'Good News' stories run in the American media each day about Iraq, Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa.




The next stages of this project will be focusing on Special Operations insignia of the US Navy, US Air Force and USMC. So far, there is no ETA on any of those. Stay Tuned.


To active duty or reserve military personnel, veterans and their family members: I grant an explicit permission to download the above images to be used for non-profit/non-commercial and charitable causes, benefiting troops and their families, as well as for non-commercial internal duty-specific purposes, such as unit website design, training materials and presentations. 


The above information provided in part by The Institute of Heraldry, Global Security, Wikipedia and websites of certain Unified Combatant Commands


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