Special Operations: Too Much of a Good Thing

Archives

January 24, 2006: While the war on Islamist terrorism has been something of a SOF (Special Operations Forces) Olympics, it has also, apparently, not been popular among all SOF personnel. Reportedly, there has been a small, but noticeable stream of SOF personnel leaving the service.

The motivations of these troops are difficult to evaluate. Some certainly are being lured away by very favorable financial packages being offered by private security firms, who provide protection for foreign companies doing war-related work in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, as well as personal security for high ranking American and foreign corporate and even foreign government personnel. But some personnel choosing to leave the service appear to have other motives.

Prior to 9/11 the demand for SOF operations was relatively low. Now and again SOF personnel would be called upon to undertake some action, often highly secret. Since 9/11 the demand for SOF has soared. According to some analysts, who have followed SOF forces and operations closely for many years, this increased optempo (operations tempo) has made some SOF personnel unhappy. Apparently some men were motivated to join SOF as a kind of high-octane test of manhood and physical fitness, with the promise of an occasional adrenalin high during an operation. But spending so much time overseas, often in primitive living conditions, and dealing with an unhappy wife or girlfriend back home, has caused morale problems. The very high operational tempo for the past few years had led a few SOF personnel to decide it's no longer as much fun as it used to be, and they have been looking elsewhere for employment.

 

Article Archive

Special Operations: Current 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004

X

ad

Help Keep Us From Drying Up

We need your help! Our subscription base has slowly been dwindling.

Each month we count on your contributions. You can support us in the following ways:

  1. Make sure you spread the word about us. Two ways to do that are to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
  2. Subscribe to our daily newsletter. We’ll send the news to your email box, and you don’t have to come to the site unless you want to read columns or see photos.
  3. You can contribute to the health of StrategyPage.
Subscribe   Contribute   Close