{"id":48757,"date":"2022-11-09T20:03:50","date_gmt":"2022-11-09T20:03:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2022\/11\/09\/exclusive-inside-the-ongoing-evolution-of-army-special-operations\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T04:11:16","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T04:11:16","slug":"exclusive-inside-the-ongoing-evolution-of-army-special-operations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2022\/11\/09\/exclusive-inside-the-ongoing-evolution-of-army-special-operations\/","title":{"rendered":"Exclusive: Inside the ongoing \u2018evolution\u2019 of Army special operations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">WASHINGTON \u2014 The distinctive patch of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.armytimes.com\/news\/your-army\/2022\/10\/19\/army-special-operations-command-aims-to-reverse-recruiting-woes\/\" target=\"_blank\">Army\u2019s Special Forces<\/a> units dates back to 1955, when Capt. John W. Fry of the 77th Special Forces Group reportedly submitted a design he felt reflected the new units\u2019 all-domain mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to Army heraldry officials, the three lightning flashes represent the elite troops\u2019 ability to \u201cstrike rapidly by air, water or land.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nearly 70 years later, the service\u2019s top special operations leader sees a resonance between that original all-domain concept and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.armytimes.com\/news\/your-army\/2022\/07\/28\/new-mos-and-formations-could-come-to-army-spec-ops-in-tech-savvy-era\/\" target=\"_blank\">the \u201cmodern day\u201d deterrence triad <\/a>of space, cyber and special operations that senior leaders unveiled in recent months. The military\u2019s top space official, Gen. James Dickinson, dubbed it the \u201cinfluence triad\u201d when he unveiled the concept in August.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The influence triad is intended to complement the nuclear triad. Where the nuclear triad deters a foe\u2019s strategic forces, like inter-continental ballistic missiles, the influence triad is intended to deter and help respond to irregular activity that stops short of armed conflict, and then dominate foes in those domains when a war begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And to implement it, Army Special Operations Command is weighing force structure changes at every echelon, new technology-oriented career fields and new ways to harness talent both already existing in the Army\u2019s reserve components and in the civilian population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf there had been five domains at that time, I don\u2019t think these gentlemen [who established Army special operations] would have said, \u2018Well, we\u2019re not going to care about these other two domains,\u2019\u201d quipped Lt. Gen. Jon Braga, who commands USASOC.<\/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\/2021\/09\/09\/less-door-kicking-more-resistance-inside-army-sofs-return-to-unconventional-warfare\/\" 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\/4779163.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\">Less door-kicking, more resistance: Inside Army SOF\u2019s return to unconventional warfare<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The resistance operating concept is helping inform Army special operators as they focus on great power competition.<\/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\">Braga sat for an exclusive interview with Army Times Oct. 11 during the annual Association of the U.S. Army conference in Washington, D.C., where he also participated in panels and press conferences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Braga and his colleagues atop the Army\u2019s space and cyber warfare communities see the triad concept as \u201csimply taking what our capabilities are and applying them in a combined arms model&#8230;no different than bringing together maneuver, fires, aviation\u201d and other capabilities to meet objectives, as Lt. Gen. Daniel Karbler of Space and Missile Defense Command described it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But because their capabilities are well-suited to operations meant to counter foes in situations short of armed combat, the influence triad is likely to play a major role in implementing the recently released National Defense Strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The new strategic guidance stresses \u201cintegrated deterrence\u201d through \u201ccampaigning,\u201d which prioritizes building \u2014 and messaging \u2014 advantages for the next war in a manner that deters countries like China from even firing a shot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Army special operations, retooling for that mission after decades of emphasis on counterterrorism and direct action raids is simultaneously a return to its roots and a step into the unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To Braga, it\u2019s an \u201cevolution\u201d for SOF.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What can the new triad do for SOF?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ukraine\u2019s success thus far in fighting off Russia\u2019s massive invasion, which began in February, has offered some vindication for recent special operations concepts and valuable lessons for SOF troops who will be training partner nation forces in the years ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One example is the Resistance Operating Concept, which advocates building the capacity of friendly countries to respond to invasion by waging an effective resistance behind enemy lines should their conventional militaries prove unable to hold all of their territory. When the ROC playbook is implemented, the resistance aims to tie up enemy resources and help lay the groundwork for a later liberation counter-offensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Army Times featured the ROC on the cover of its September 2021 print edition, and later revealed how U.S. and NATO officials \u2014 including SOF elements \u2014 had helped Kyiv to implement key portions of the gameplay in the years preceding the invasion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"4096\" height=\"2730\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Ukraine-Osprey.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26042\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Ukraine-Osprey.jpg.jpg 4096w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Ukraine-Osprey.jpg.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Ukraine-Osprey.jpg.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Ukraine-Osprey.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Ukraine-Osprey.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Ukraine-Osprey.jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 4096px) 100vw, 4096px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Air Force CV-22 Ospreys from the 352nd Special Operations Wing at RAF Mildenhall, England, conducted a fast rope insertion and extraction system training with Ukraine special operations forces and U.S. Army Special Forces near Berdychiv, Ukraine, Sept. 20, 2020. (U.S. Embassy in Kyiv)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But what surprised many observers was how technology- and space-oriented the Ukraine government\u2019s resistance plans proved to be, as well as how commercially-available those capacities are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Braga, SMDC\u2019s Karbler and others are noticing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Satellites from Hawkeye 360, a radio frequency analytics company, detected Russian electronic warfare efforts months before the fight. SpaceX\u2019s Starlink satellite internet allowed isolated Ukrainian troops in Mariupol and other areas to resist for longer. Commercially available imagery was available in near real-time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ukraine also launched a resistance coordinating website early in the war, with practical handbooks and tips on how to securely spot and report enemy troop locations for those who may not be able to participate in armed resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Karbler highlighted the impact of coordination between U.S. military space assets, the private sector and Ukraine\u2019s government as a lesson worth emulating.<\/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\/2022\/03\/29\/army-special-operations-gets-new-training-center-in-new-mexico\/\" 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=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6609962.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\">Army special operations gets new training center in New Mexico<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The new center will allow for training &quot;from ground to atmosphere,&quot; Army officials said.<\/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\">\u201cEven if a nation-state doesn\u2019t have the budget to be launching their own satellites&#8230;[they\u2019re] becoming very accessible for all entities,\u201d said Braga. \u201cThat can provide capability in an unconventional warfare standpoint where you might have a behind enemy lines situation where cyberspace might be able to deliver an effect or deliver information in [occupied] physical areas.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Asked about how the multi-domain ROC lessons from Ukraine are being applied in other counties, Braga said, \u201cWe are in discussions with countries \u2014 both countries that are well-resourced and have a space program, and some that don\u2019t \u2014 [that are] still looking at how to leverage both cyber and space on [their] special operations forces.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But as Army SOF moves into closer concert with space and cyber capabilities, having the right people with the right training organized so they\u2019re in the right place at the right time to do their job is even more important than hardware.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How might force structure change?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Army officials, including Braga, have previously acknowledged that a service-wide analysis is underway to determine how to integrate basic tech capacity (like the small unmanned drones ubiquitous in Ukraine) at the tactical level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Part of that will necessitate changes to force structure from the unit-of-action level all the way to the top, Braga argued. These changes will ensure that SOF is prepared for \u201cirregular warfare campaigning&#8230;[and] high-end conflict,\u201d Braga said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFor the last 20 years, there\u2019s been very few instances where we have deployed as designed&#8230;we\u2019ve always augmented,\u201d added Braga. \u201cSo if we have deployed for 20 years \u2014 never as is \u2014 is our force design correct? I think [the question] answers itself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During public remarks at the conference, the USASOC commander revealed that officials are considering \u201cat the brigade or battalion headquarters level&#8230;realigning ARSOF\u201d to include representation from all three parts of Army special operations: special forces, civil affairs and psychological operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2309\" height=\"1732\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6651992.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-86455\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6651992.jpg.jpg 2309w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6651992.jpg.jpg?resize=300,225 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6651992.jpg.jpg?resize=768,576 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6651992.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,768 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6651992.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,1152 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6651992.jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1536 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2309px) 100vw, 2309px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Soldiers with 1st Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group, and Navy EOD Mobile Unit 5 breach a building during an assault on an objective, May 2021. (Pfc. Thoman Johnson\/Army)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Special Forces formations could see the biggest tactical-level changes. For years, SF companies have been organized with six 12-soldier teams known as ODAs, short for Operational Detachment-Alpha, and a headquarters element or Operational Detachment-Bravo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, said Braga, \u201cthere\u2019s one company in each Special Forces Group experimenting with a 16-man team and a convergence headquarters that [in] some cases is at the company level&#8230;[and] in some cases at the battalion level.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Connecting Vets first reported units were experimenting with a 16-soldier ODA concept, but the extent of the pilot was not previously known.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Asked what the extra four team-level operators would bring to the table, the USASOC commander suggested he\u2019d want more technology-oriented roles added to the fight and pointed to the command\u2019s ongoing experiment with developing warrant officers focused on tactical-level \u201ctech integration.\u201d It\u2019s not clear, though, whether these troops would represent all four additional soldiers in the experimental ODA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">New warrant officer career field?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A new, proposed warrant officer career field would focus on roles like \u201cdrone operator, drone integrator, drone builder, robotics, manned-unmanned teaming, leveraging artificial intelligence, coding, tactical cyber\u201d and more, Braga previously told Army Times. He doesn\u2019t think these jobs should be heaped upon an ODA\u2019s existing communications sergeants, who have quietly become overburdened with systems and capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe can do more with a dedicated professional where that\u2019s their job, not just an additional duty,\u201d the general explained in the interview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI cannot envision a future form of warfare that does not employ more need for robotics, unmanned systems, artificial intelligence and machine learning,\u201d Braga said. \u201cWe have people who are passionate and capable in those skillsets \u2014 people who build their own drones, have self-taught Python [code]&#8230;these people exist in our formation right now, but we don\u2019t have an institutional pipeline to provide them a successful career.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some opportunities exist to help troops who already have those skills to expand and use them, but they\u2019re few and far between. A handful of Army special operators are currently assigned to the Army Software Factory in Austin, Texas, where they\u2019re working on an upgraded suite of apps for the Android-powered devices that SOF units carry into battle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"6240\" height=\"4160\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6575969.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-45128\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6575969.jpg.jpg 6240w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6575969.jpg.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6575969.jpg.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6575969.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6575969.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6575969.jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 6240px) 100vw, 6240px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Green Beret with the 5th Special Forces Group manages a drone during a raid exercise at the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center, Indiana, March 15, 2021. (Staff Sgt. William Howard\/Army)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Army Times spoke with them about their work and career path during a September visit to the facility. During the visit, Futures Command requested \u2014 and Army Times agreed \u2014 not to name individual coders from the unit in order to protect their privacy and encourage them to speak candidly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One SF warrant officer there said ODAs have a similar innovative spirit to the Software Factory, but acknowledged that he volunteered for a tour in Austin because the SOF community lacked \u201ca clear [career] path that I could go forward in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But he\u2019s been hearing from senior leaders in recent months about the proposed career field, and he thinks there\u2019s an opportunity for \u201cvalue added\u201d on the teams if the plan is effectively implemented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s not clear whether the proposed career field would be within the Special Forces branch, which would require soldiers to make it through an assessment and selection process and the Special Forces Qualification Course. Braga indicated that officials are analyzing whether that\u2019s the best path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The SF warrant assigned to the Software Factory expressed worry that tech-focused troops at the ODA level may be set back culturally if they\u2019re not required to go through the full training pipeline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf they haven\u2019t gone through that [training process],\u201d he explained, team members may be concerned about the tech troops not \u201cbeing able to keep up, go for it in the middle of the mountains or&#8230;[keep] cool when it\u2019s jumping [and] things aren\u2019t going very well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Part-time PSYOP?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But when it comes to other special operations capabilities, there\u2019s not always a need for that lengthy training. Nor is it always necessary for the soldiers to wear the uniform full-time \u2014 Braga suggested a reconsideration of how the Army\u2019s reserve component troops support the special operations community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Currently, the Army Reserve has a significant number of traditional drilling civil affairs and psychological operations units, but the soldiers in them are not required to attend selection courses. National Guard troops assigned to the 19th and 20th Special Forces Groups go through the full SF training pipeline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe are in discussions with [the Army Reserve and Army National Guard]&#8230;about force experimentation,\u201d explained Braga. \u201cWe have to leverage the talent that\u2019s in the Guard and Reserve as part of [a] total Army analysis [and] rebalance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While the discussions are preliminary, Braga said he can \u201cenvision\u201d a revamped version of part-time special operations built around \u201ca combined National Guard\/Reserve element that maybe is based out of Northern California [or] Washington State.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"5616\" height=\"3744\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/414287.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-84547\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/414287.jpg.jpg 5616w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/414287.jpg.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/414287.jpg.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/414287.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/414287.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/414287.jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 5616px) 100vw, 5616px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A soldier with 7th PSYOP Group plays a counter improvised explosive device message on a loud speaker during a mission near Malajat, Afghanistan. (Spc. Canaan Radcliffe\/Army)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He acknowledged concerns that many traditional Guard and Reserve soldiers aligned with existing units struggle to maintain a true part-time relationship with the Army, saying \u201cwe need to be more creative\u201d than shoehorning SOF training and missions into part-time units.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Otherwise, Braga added, SOF is missing out on \u201ctalent in [the] reserve and National Guard that doesn\u2019t exist in the active duty force, because their civilian careers actually keep them up to the state of the art of their craft \u2014 could be writing, could be coding, could be hacking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI envision [continental United States]-based operational support, maybe even state-based support, where they don\u2019t need to come to Fort Bragg, or they might not even need to deploy overseas to do some of their jobs \u2014 specially when you\u2019re talking psychological operations,\u201d Braga explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even for traditionally expeditionary capabilities like civil affairs, the general argued that technology allows for \u201cAI-enabled and internet-based civil reconnaissance\u201d now and might enable some troops \u201cto stay in [their] home state and work from a terminal node.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Braga argued it\u2019s because many key skills valued in influence and information operations, like writing, broadcast, production, drawing and graphic design, can be done from nearly anywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Finding the right recruits<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Braga also believes that there\u2019s more top-flight talent out there in America\u2019s streets and schools who can help fill PSYOP roles and contribute to the tech integration efforts, but the service needs to reach them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI could walk in any high school in America and I could say, \u2018I\u2019ve got a role for you in Army Special operations,\u2019\u201d he remarked to reporters during the AUSA conference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c[If] you\u2019re STEM-focused and you like coding, I\u2019d love you to come on and be the baddest drone builder [or robotics expert] in the world. Please come join us,\u201d he said. \u201cIf you are more on the humanities side&#8230;[and] psychology-focused or work on designing sets as part of the theater club, we\u2019ve got a spot for you in psychological operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But in order to fully tap into these prevalent skills, Braga added, the command needs \u201cdifferent standards for different things out there\u201d and the pathways to bring talent in and continue developing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3000\" height=\"2188\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/190507-A-OP908-034s.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-86460\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/190507-A-OP908-034s.jpg.jpg 3000w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/190507-A-OP908-034s.jpg.jpg?resize=300,219 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/190507-A-OP908-034s.jpg.jpg?resize=768,560 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/190507-A-OP908-034s.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,747 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/190507-A-OP908-034s.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,1120 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/190507-A-OP908-034s.jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1494 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 3000px) 100vw, 3000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A soldier from the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School makes his way through a swamp while completing a land navigation course during a selection course near Hoffman, North Carolina, May 7, 2019. (K. Kassens\/Army)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The model already exists for attracting Special Forces candidates. The 18X program allows prospective soldiers to enlist with a guaranteed opportunity to attend Airborne School and Special Forces Assessment and Selection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A direct entry program for PSYOP troops also launched in recent years, but Braga confided, \u201cWe\u2019ve got to do a better job of translating those opportunities for not only high-schoolers, but&#8230;[also] people already in the workforce out there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He said prospective soldiers often have \u201cno clue&#8230;[they] can have a career\u201d revolving around the key skills PSYOP troops exercise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Part of the disconnect, he fears, lies in the name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf I just said, \u2018Hey, you want to come and be a psychological operations operator?\u2019 some people are like, \u2018What are you talking about?\u2019\u201d he explained. \u201cBut if I went in and said, \u2018Hey, do you want to be a military social media influencer?\u2019 I think I know what you told me just there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With the new influence triad offering opportunities to reconsider long-held assumptions, Braga thinks there\u2019s something for every young American in his formations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><i>C4ISRNET reporter Colin Demarest and Federal Times reporter Molly Weisner contributed reporting.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Army SOF mull new force structures, new career fields and new 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