{"id":29053,"date":"2018-02-24T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-02-24T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/02\/24\/special-operations-command-asks-for-more-troops-biggest-budget-yet\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T02:48:16","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T02:48:16","slug":"special-operations-command-asks-for-more-troops-biggest-budget-yet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2018\/02\/24\/special-operations-command-asks-for-more-troops-biggest-budget-yet\/","title":{"rendered":"Special Operations Command asks for more troops, biggest budget yet"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Special operations forces numbers are higher than they have ever been, but leaders in that community want Congress to approve their highest budget request ever made to increase the force by more than 1,000 troops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-military\/2017\/11\/17\/strain-on-sof-troops-prompts-call-for-review-of-how-theyre-used\/\" title=\"\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\">special operations forces<\/a>, which include <a href=\"https:\/\/www.armytimes.com\/news\/your-army\/2017\/10\/11\/how-army-special-operations-command-is-paving-the-way-for-the-next-decade\/\" title=\"\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\">Army Special Forces<\/a> and Rangers, Navy SEALs, Marine Raiders and Air Force Special Tactics Operators and others, are being <a href=\"https:\/\/www.armytimes.com\/news\/your-army\/2017\/10\/28\/special-operations-spouses-share-demanding-duties-on-the-home-front\/\" title=\"\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\">strained<\/a> to their breaking point, officials have said publicly over the past year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis has said that conventional forces would have to assume some of those duties to supplement the missions special operations troops perform across more than 80 countries on an ongoing basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2017\/11\/30\/2-star-responds-to-anonymous-email-blasting-watered-down-special-forces-training-standards\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"167\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/ARM-green-berets-web.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">2-star responds to anonymous email blasting watered-down Special Forces training standards<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">An anonymous email alleged that careerism and watered-down standards are hurting the Army&#039;s elite Green Berets.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Owen West, the newly appointed assistant defense secretary for special operations\/low-intensity conflict, and Army Gen. Raymond Thomas, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, told the House Armed Services Committee subcommittee on emerging threats last week that SOCOM needs to push its numbers to more than 71,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The force stands at 70,000 now, nearly double the 33,000 who called SOCOM home before the 9\/11 attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In President Donald Trump\u2019s first year in office, SOCOM forces deployed to 149 countries, an increase from the previous year that saw deployments to 138 countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thomas noted that over the past 10 months, 20 special operations personnel had died and another 144 were wounded in service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The general told congressional leaders last year that the operations tempo was \u201cunsustainable\u201d for the force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2895\" height=\"1928\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635932267150057446-air-pjs-socom-2jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-43458\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635932267150057446-air-pjs-socom-2jpg.jpg 2895w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635932267150057446-air-pjs-socom-2jpg.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635932267150057446-air-pjs-socom-2jpg.jpg?resize=768,511 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635932267150057446-air-pjs-socom-2jpg.jpg?resize=1024,682 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635932267150057446-air-pjs-socom-2jpg.jpg?resize=1536,1023 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635932267150057446-air-pjs-socom-2jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1364 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2895px) 100vw, 2895px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. Air Force Capt. Cameron Rochelle, 83rd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron combat rescue officer, watches for potential threats as his teammates breech a door during a mission rehearsal in an excess structure here Aug. 26, 2014. The event allowed PJs to hone their breaching, clearing, patient care and egress skills. Air Force rescue forces conduct combat search and rescue and personnel recovery operations. Rochelle is deployed from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. The 83rd ERQS partnered with Joint Task Force Trailblazer, U.S. Army 2nd Engineer Brigade, to use the structure prior to its scheduled deconstruction. Task Force Trailblazer is currently demolishing 50-70 wooden structures here each week as part of Operation Enduring Freedom retrograde operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Maj. Brandon Lingle\/Released)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe are not a panacea,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cWe are not the ultimate solution to every problem, and you will not hear that coming from us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The increase in manpower and funding, which includes a budget request of $13.6 billion, or a 10 percent increase over last year\u2019s request, isn\u2019t simply to continue the counter-terrorism operations for which the force is known.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is to catch up capabilities for fighting near-peer threats, falling in line with the revamped and recently released National Defense Strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe NDS calls for a new era, where we compete in what Secretary Mattis calls \u2018the contact lair,\u2019 the daily clash of national will that occurs short of armed conflict, where your special operations forces are today building relationships and reducing the enemy,\u201d West said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In fiscal 2017, SOCOM\u2019s budget was $11.8 billion; last year it was $12.6 billion, Thomas said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At first glance, the SOCOM request looks to shortchange research and development, with a decrease in those funding requests for the second year in a row.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That change prompted questions from committee members.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2017\/04\/18\/special-operations-command-is-looking-at-a-new-6-5-mm-round-for-its-sniper-rifle\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/download-21.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Special Operations Command is looking at a new 6.5 mm round for its sniper rifle<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Special Operations Command also is seeking sources for a new Advanced Sniper Rifle.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI am somewhat disappointed that SOCOM\u2019s budget request decreases research and development funding for a second year in a row,\u201d said Rep. Elise Stefanik R-New York. \u201cI look forward to hearing the rationale for this, and taking any necessary steps to ensure we do not lose our technological and battlefield advantages.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thomas assured the representatives that the special operations community remains a key \u201cplatform\u201d for testing and prototyping new equipment, but they have been able, as an organization, to partner with the traditional services\u2019 R&amp;D efforts to save money and better focus their spending on manpower and current missions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both military officials and subcommittee members were quick to note that the global work conducted by special operations troops comprises only 2 percent of the overall defense budget.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Special operations forces numbers are higher than they have ever been, but leaders in that community want Congress to approve their highest budget request ever made to increase the force by more than 1,000 troops.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":60120,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":70,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":{"2":{"categories":["your-military","news"],"primary_category":"your-military"},"4":{"categories":["your-air-force","news","daily-news-roundup","newsletters"],"primary_category":"your-air-force"},"6":{"categories":["your-marine-corps","news","daily-news-roundup","newsletters"],"primary_category":"your-marine-corps"},"7":{"categories":["your-navy","news","daily-news-roundup","newsletters"],"primary_category":"your-navy"}}},"categories":[100,12,25,70],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3366],"class_list":["post-29053","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-news","category-newsletters","category-your-army"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"ZWRFTRZXQNG2XGSMWEL6YFVHVI","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/your-army\/2018\/02\/23\/special-operations-command-asks-for-more-troops-biggest-budget-yet\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Special Operations Command asks for more troops, biggest budget yet - Army Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Special operations forces numbers are higher than they have ever been, but leaders in that community want Congress to approve their highest budget request ever made to increase the force by more than 1,000 troops.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2018\/02\/24\/special-operations-command-asks-for-more-troops-biggest-budget-yet\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Special Operations Command asks 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