[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 46 (Thursday, April 17, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E706]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




[[Page E706]]



    COMMEMORATING THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND'S 10TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. C.W. BILL YOUNG

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 17, 1997

  Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, many of my colleagues may not be 
aware, but this week marks the 10th anniversary of the Special 
Operations Command, based at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa.
  The 47,000 soldiers who make up the special operations command are 
the most elite forces that the U.S. military has to offer. This command 
coordinates special forces members from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and 
Marine Corp who currently operate in 140 countries worldwide. Despite 
their numbers, range of deployment and unique talents, the Special 
Operations Command makes up only 1 percent of DOD's budget and 1 
percent of the U.S. military. Deployed to some of the most hostile 
environments in the world, these bold warriors are a constant presence 
for the United States.
  Special forces have been an indispensable asset to the United States 
in armed conflicts since the American Revolutionary War. Today, the 
modern special forces operator is prepared to meet both humanitarian 
and military challenges wherever they are deployed. Teamwork and 
cooperation are essential for the survival of each member of the 
unconventional warfare community. In 1987, the special operations 
command was borne out this need to coordinate the complicated and 
dangerous missions assigned to special forces members.
  In recognition of the anniversary of the Special Operations Command, 
Orval Jackson of the Tampa Tribune has written a very comprehensive 
history of the command which I commend to my colleagues attention.
  Mr. Speaker I know I speak for all my colleagues in admiration of the 
sacrifices and service of the men and women who serve and have served 
in the special forces--many in virtual anonymity.

                [From the Tampa Tribune, Apr. 14, 1997]

                             10 Years Bold

                           (By Orval Jackson)

       Tampa.--It stands to reason Special Operations forces are 
     on duty in many of the world's trouble spots, such as Bosnia 
     and the Persian Gulf.
       More surprising, however, is that Special Operations forces 
     also are deployed to more than 140 nations, providing 
     governments with a variety of military and humanitarian 
     skills.
       Most Americans don't know about these missions, because the 
     command, based at MacDill Air Force Base, doesn't publicize 
     them. And that's the whole point: They're special operations.
       ``Special Operations forces offer a unique, versatile and 
     global joint service force, which continuously operates 
     worldwide,'' said Army Gen. Hugh Shelton, commander in chief 
     of the unified command.
       The successes and wide-ranging tasks of the special forces 
     will be recognized this week as the Special Operations 
     Command commemorates it's 10th anniversary.
       Many of the deployments, Shelton said, are in areas plagued 
     by disease, starvation, poverty and civil strife--incubators 
     for future insurgencies, humanitarian crises and ethnic 
     conflict.
       ``U.S. Special Operations forces have become extremely 
     skillful in practicing the art of peace, while still 
     remaining prepared for and preserving the option of force,'' 
     Shelton said.
       Case in point: Somalia. A humanitarian program there in 
     1992 evolved into a military one the next year. In it, two 
     Special Operations soldiers became the first Americans since 
     Vietnam to receive the Medal of Honor.
       In October 1993, Master Sgt. Gary I. Gordon and Sgt. 1st 
     Class Randall D. Shughart disregarded their own safety while 
     trying to rescue crewmen from two downed helicopters. Gordon 
     and Shughart held heavily armed crowds at bay until they ran 
     out of ammunition and were killed. The lone survivor of the 
     crash, who was wounded, was taken prisoner and later was 
     released.
       Gordon and Shughart were part of about 47,000 active, 
     reserve and national guard forces of the Army, Navy and Air 
     Force that make up the Special Operations Command. Despite 
     its worldwide involvement, it represents only 1 percent of 
     the nation's military and 1 percent of the Defense 
     Department's budget.
       Its anniversary week will be highlighted Wednesday when 
     Secretary of Defense William Cohen is presented the Bull 
     Simons Award, given annually to those who embody the spirit, 
     values and skills of a legendary special operator.
       Cohen, who was a Republican senator from Maine, and Sam 
     Nunn, a Senate Democrat from Georgia at the time, wrote the 
     legislation that created the Special Operations Command in 
     1987. Nunn, who is unable to attend the MacDill events, 
     received his Bull Simon Award recently in Atlanta.
       Nearing the end of his 34-year career, Simons led a Special 
     Forces raid on the Son Tay prisoner-of-war camp in North 
     Vietnam in 1970. The prisoners had been moved before the 
     forces arrived, but the raid was credited with forcing the 
     North Vietnamese to improve the care of POWs.
       Another bold, but ultimately unsuccessful, mission spurred 
     the creation of the Special Operations Command. In 1980, an 
     attempt to rescue 53 American hostages in Iran led to the 
     death of eight military personnel when two rescue aircraft 
     collided in the Iranian desert.
       As efforts were under way in the Department of Defense to 
     reform the special forces operations, the process was spurred 
     on by the 1983 terrorist bombing attack that killed 237 
     marines in Lebanon and the invasion of Grenada, which was 
     successful despite operational problems within the military 
     units.
       Then-President Reagan approved establishment of the new 
     command April 13, 1987, and three days later it was activated 
     by the Department of Defense under the command of Army Gen. 
     James Lindsay. It took over the facilities of the U.S. 
     Readiness Command at MacDill, whose missions were transferred 
     to other commands.
       During its 10 years, the command has participated in five 
     other major operations in addition to Somalia, including its 
     first big test in December 1989, when more than 4,400 special 
     operations forces participated in operation Just Cause in 
     Panama. It led to the capture of dictator Manuel Noriega.
       In 1990-91, more than 9,400 personnel were deployed to 
     operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
       Last April, Special Operations helicopters flew through 
     some of the worst conditions to reach a mountainside above 
     Dubrovnik, Croatia, where Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown and 
     34 others were killed when their plane crashed.
       In addition to well-publicized military operations, Special 
     Operations forces have a number of lesser-known missions.
       They include combating terrorism; seizing or destroying 
     weapons of mass destruction; assisting host countries in 
     civil affairs; conducting rescue missions and antidrug 
     activities; and providing humanitarian assistance.
       ``I think as you look at the situation we are facing today 
     and in the foreseeable future, there are challenges Special 
     Operation forces should be handling and I see a greater need 
     for them than ever,'' said retired Army Gen. Carl W. Stiner, 
     who followed Lindsay as commander in chief.
       ``One significant thing I think we did was keep the focus 
     on readiness and modernization of our forces,'' Stiner said. 
     ``Another was to work with the regional CINCs [commanders in 
     chief], educating them on the utility of Special Operations 
     forces and their capability of assisting in achieving 
     reasonable objectives.''

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