Some 45,000 strong, Special Operations troops are selected for their mental and physical endurance. They are trained for tasks such as rescuing hostages and sneaking into hostile territory. Because of the secretive nature of what they do, they call themselves "the quiet professionals." Many of them don't even tell their families exactly what they do for a living.
Each of the major branches of the military has at least one Special Ops unit. These include: Navy SEALs, Army Rangers, Army Special Forces (also known as the Green Berets), Marine Expeditionary Units and the Air Force Special Operations Forces. In addition, the Delta Force consists of elite troops from each of the branches. In combat situations such as the war in Afghanistan, all Special Ops units report directly to the Joint Special Operations Command, regardless of military branch.
Because of the nature of their missions, special ops forces are far more likely than conventional soldiers to be killed in combat, studies show. And due to their secrecy, when they do enjoy victories, they get little publicity. For example, despite having personnel in 20 countries around the globe, the Air Force's Special Operations Forces rarely make headlines.
Special Ops units are among the best funded in the military. In the year ending October 1, the Air Force Special Ops received more than $1.25 billion to support its 12,500 active-duty, reserve and civilian personnel.
For security's sake, the Pentagon has said that it will only rarely reveal whether, where, and how Special Ops forces are being deployed in Afghanistan. However, on October 16, the Defense Department did confirm reports that Special Ops launched machine gun and mortar attacks on Taliban positions from a flying gunship. They are expected to play a key role in upcoming stages of the war, which many analysts believe will involve ground combat.
Share your thoughts on the attacks in Afghanistan You Tell Us.
An MTV News Staff report
Back to Fact Files Index
