Most of us (myself included) are not members of special forces, but you can still learn from the mindset and the values of these exceptional people. When United States Army Special Operations Command was set up in the late 1980s, it tried to define what makes a special operations mission successful and which factors play a key role in carrying those missions out.
The result was a list of 12 SOF Imperatives to support the operational planning of SOF missions. They speak to people inside and outside the organization, and they shape behavior and values. They serve to justify particular actions and to give lasting guidance:
- Understand the operational environment
- Recognize political implications
- Facilitate interagency activities
- Engage the threat discriminately
- Consider long-term effects
- Ensure legitimacy and credibility of special operations
- Anticipate and control psychological effects
- Apply capabilities indirectly
- Develop multiple options
- Ensure long-term sustainment
- Provide sufficient intelligence
- Balance security and synchronization
Photo: U.S. SOF and Afghan special forces search a compound in Afghanistan.
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