In commemoration of
#VeteransDay
teammates from ASD(SO/LIC) had the honor of supporting the preservation of the
@VVMF
this morning. Thank you to
@NationalMallNPS
for giving us the opportunity.
I was honored to attend today’s ceremony in recognition of Ret.
@USArmy
Colonel Paris Davis. “Today, 58 years after he bore the battle, we honor a true hero of our nation: Colonel Paris Davis.” -
@POTUS
@USASOCNews
@5thForces
1/2 Thanks to
@NDIAToday
for hosting 33rd annual SO/LIC Symposium. Great opportunity to connect on the vision for special operations in a rapidly changing global landscape. I discussed the
@DeptofDefense
National Security Strategy and the role SO/LIC plays in support.
Thanks
@DepSecDef
Hicks for meeting with our team and recognizing their immense contributions to the organization, training, & equipping of America’s special operations forces. We’re expanding & advocating for
#SOF
capabilities necessary to support the National Defense Strategy
Thanks
#75thRangers
for showing SO/LIC Principal Director Mike Lwin how the Regiment selects and trains Rangers into a culture of trust, commitment, and respect to conduct special operations in support of the National Defense Strategy.
#RangersLeadTheWay
Recently,
@ASD_SOLIC
met w/
@DefenceHQ
🇬🇧 &
@Forsvarsdep
🇳🇴 to establish common standards for Arctic-capable forces, optimize intelligence practices, & facilitate persistent training & engagements. This close
#collaboration
w/
#allies
is key to long-term peacebuilding & security.
Looking forward to working with Maj. Gen Peter D. Hutley as he takes command of
@MARSOCofficial
. Thank you Maj. Gen. Matthew G. Trollinger for your steadfast work and dedication to our
#MarineRaiders
@USSOCOM
Since its inception
@USSOCOM
has been at the forefront of defending our nation, pushing boundaries, and achieving the impossible.
#SOF
men and women stand ready to tackle any challenge — anytime, anywhere.
2/2 🇺🇸 and 🇱🇹 Special Operations Forces have a long history of working side-by-side, jointly countering global terrorist threats, and now in the era of strategic competition and integrated deterrence.
"The two leaders affirmed the close bilateral relationship and special operations partnership between the United States and France, and discussed opportunities for continued collaboration on special operations exercises, operations, and training."
As we kick off
#2024
, this week
#SOF
recognizes the establishment of
@us_navyseals
. On Jan. 1, 1962, SEAL Teams ONE and TWO were stood up on the West and East coast, respectively - formed entirely by Underwater Demolition Team personnel. Happy Birthday
#frogmen
#hooyah
!
An insightful piece by the
@AtlanticCouncil
’s Clementine Starling and General James Cartwright (Ret.) on the value of special operations forces in the global operating environment.
Today, we remember the courage and legacy of the brave men that gave their lives for the liberation of a continent from tyranny and who kept freedom alive for us all. We salute you.
#DDAY80
Excellent meeting with ADM Steve Koehler, Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet—the world’s largest fleet command. The persistent presence of
@USPacificFleet
plays an essential role across the spectrum of conflict and supports a
#FreeAndOpenIndoPacific
.
More than 81,500 Americans are still missing from past conflicts. Remember them and their families today on National POW/MIA Recognition Day. Read about an
#AirCommando
's role in bringing them home:
Congrats to Vice Adm Yvette Davis who returned to her
@USNA
alma mater as its 65th Superintendent. SO/LIC’s CN&SP DASD Jim Saenz represented our SOF community welcoming Davids into her new role. Pictured here w/
#NavalSpecialWarfare
Commander Rear Adm Keith Davids
@us_navyseals
.
🗓️TWO WEEKS AWAY‼️
I am excited to join
@USSOCOM
and our international allies and partners at this year’s
#SOFWeek
, May 6-10.
I’m speaking at 9:30am on Thursday, May 9. Can’t wait to see the global
#SOF
community come together!
Who else is coming to
#SOFWeek2024
?
I appreciated the chance to visit with U.S. and
#AfricanPartner
forces to discuss regional security efforts in the Horn of Africa.
@USAfricaCommand
@USSOCAF
and
@CJTFHOA_CG
are leading collaboration with Allies and partners in support of our National Defense Strategy objectives
Honored to open the IW Medical Resiliency Workgroup. The event brought together special operations & medical professionals from DoD & key Allies. Provision of exceptional medical care to our service members in the most challenging environments is worthy of our very best effort!
Special thanks to
@AustralianArmy
Major General Paul Kenny for hosting me last week. 🇺🇸🇦🇺
#SOF
have served side by side for decades and proudly contribute to our “Unbreakable Alliance.”
@DefenceAust
Happy to be here!! The future of
@AFSpecOpsCmd
492nd Special Operations Wing is here at
@DMAFB
. As a power projection wing, 492 SOW will be equipped with AFSOC’s full spectrum of mission capabilities. Ready today. Relevant tomorrow. Resilient always.
#SOF
ASD Maier signed a Special Operations Forces (SOF) Statement of Intent with the Director General at the Defense Policy Department of the Ministry of Defense of Finland, Janne Kuusela. This agreement seeks to strengthen the 🇺🇸🇫🇮 relationship and interoperability of
#SOF
.
On behalf of SO/LIC, my deepest condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of the eight fallen service members. We stand with you during this difficult time and are committed to supporting you.
Our hearts are with the families, loved ones, and teammates of our eight fallen AFSOC Commandos during this difficult time. We are enormously grateful to all those involved in the recovery ops. With deepest sympathies for the families, it is our sacred obligation to care for you.
ASD Maier met with Australian Major General Paul Kenny at
#SOFWEEK2024
to discuss ongoing SOF-to-SOF collaboration and opportunities to deepen bilateral defense cooperation.
Last week, 🇺🇸SO/LIC team met with senior 🇱🇹Defence officials to discuss the role our special operations forces play in deterrence, and with the 🇱🇹 Rifleman’s Unit to discuss ways to enhance medical resilience
#WeAreNATO
#MesNATO
#SOFinEurope
@Lithuanian_MoD
Thanks to the 137th Special Operations Wing
@OKGuard
at Will Rogers
@AirNatlGuard
Base
#OKC
! Our readiness hinges on rigorous training, adaptability, and innovation.
@AFSpecOpsCmd
is building a force capable of meeting any challenge head-on.
1/2 Pleased to welcome
@Lithuanian_MoD
Vice Minister Žilvinas Tomkus to
@DeptofDefense
today. We discussed our robust special operations partnership and collaboration on joint exercises, operations and training.
Pleased to sign Bilateral Joint Operations Study with
@Forsvarsdep
DG Vaglum which details closer cooperation between special operations forces of 🇳🇴🇺🇸.Great to observe 🇳🇴Exercise JOINT VIKING from the northernmost special operations base in the 🌍
#SOFinEurope
Today SO/LIC and
@DeptofDefense
teammates & families washed the Korean War Veterans Memorial. Thank you
@NatlParkService
for the opportunity to honor the service & sacrifice of those who served. The Junior Ranger enlistment ceremony was a fitting end to a special morning.
(1/2) This week
@ASD_SOLIC
DASD Logan joined
@NDIAToday
to discuss how
@USSOCOM
has supported the Warfighter Brain Health Initiative. The National Defense Strategy prioritizes investments in our most important resource – our people.
Our thoughts are with the families of our fallen warriors during this difficult time. It is a tremendous loss for the SOF community and our nation. Their heroism and sacrifice will not be forgotten.
We mourn the loss of our two brave Navy SEALs, and our hearts are with their families. The entire Department is united in sorrow today. We are grateful to all who worked tirelessly to try to find and rescue them.
Thanks to Special Boat Team 22 for taking me out on the water! SBT22 is Naval Special Warfare Command’s only riverine operational capability, ensuring
#SOF
’s ability for maritime insertion and extraction on time, on target, worldwide.
SOF Week Update -- Day 2
Today, the SO/LIC team met with industry partners who are ensuring SOF remains at the forefront of harnessing
#technology
and
#innovation
for our strategic advantage.
#SOFWeek2024
Great visit with SOF operators during my recent travel to
@INDOPACOM
& seeing firsthand the unique capabilities of the MK-8 SEAL Delivery Vehicle.
#NSW
is the premier maritime SOF force capable of delivering all-domain options for the
@USNavy
and Joint Force.
It was a privilege to get the opportunity to speak with Chairman Brown (
@GenCQBrownJr
) this morning at
#SOFWeek2024
on SOF's value proposition in supporting the Joint Force address immediate threats and future challenges.
On August 2, we welcomed RADM Milton Sands as the new NSW Commander and bid farewell to RADM Keith Davids. We appreciate your dedication and commitment to our
#Frogmen
and
#specialoperations
community.
"Davids ensured that the next generation of our naval commandos is prepared for the volatile, uncertain, and complex world at our doorstep," Gen. Bryan Fenton.
@USNavyCNO
lauded Davids for innovative leadership and strengthening
@USNavy
Fleet-NSW bonds.
Today, President Biden called Ret. U.S. Army Colonel Paris Davis to inform him that he will receive the Medal of Honor for his remarkable heroism during the Vietnam War.
@POTUS
told Colonel Davis that he looks forward to hosting him at the White House for a medal presentation.
Today we
#remember
those killed on the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. We
#honor
the lives lost and the bravery of those who responded. Let us stand united in reflection, resilience, and gratitude for their sacrifices. We will
#NeverForget
This week PDASD Liz Phu spoke
@USArmy
John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School
@USASOCNews
Joint Special Operations Master of Arts program on a
@NDU_CISA
panel on the importance of the SOF-Cyber-Space triad.
#IrregularWarfare
#SOF
I want to thank
@USSOCOM
service members and their families for your dedication and commitment to serving our nation. From my family to yours, Season's Greetings and Happy Holidays.
Last week the 95th Civil Affairs Brigade
@USASOCNews
hosted SO/LIC’s DASD Saenz to showcase their work as part of cross-functional
#ARSOF
global teams. Our
#CivilAffairs
teams are a tremendous capability for
@DeptofDefense
During
#SOFWEEK2024
, ASD Maier and British Major General Nicholas Perry discuss the importance of sharing SOF lessons learned from recent conflicts and initiatives to increase integration that address shared challenges. 🇺🇸🇬🇧
My conversations today about the
#SOF
force of the future highlights the continuity of the expertise of our operators and enablers and the change toward strategic competition. Thanks to
@7thForces
for being an exemplary and elite force.
🇺🇸⚔️
The Honorable Christopher Maier, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict, visited Camp "Bull" Simons in Florida to meet with the elite forces of the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) on February 28th.
1/2 Today Deputy
@DOD_Policy
Sasha Baker hosted a roundtable
@gwlaw
to discuss implementation of the Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan. The plan lays out a series of major actions
@DeptofDefense
will implement to mitigate and respond to civilian harm.
1/8Last week I had the opportunity to discuss the posture of our nation’s Special Operations Forces in testimony before the Senate Armed Services, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, and House Armed Services Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations.
I joined
@SecDef
for a great conversation with President Nyusi about our growing bilateral defense relationship with
#Mozambique
and expanding cooperation related to implementation of the Strategy to Prevent Conflict and
#PromoteStability
🇲🇿🇺🇸
#SOF
provide a decisive advantage for the nation as an integral part of
#DOD
’s approach to integrated deterrence. We have seen an increase in the Combatant Commands' demand for SOF capabilities and our critical enablers in support of campaigning towards NDS priorities.
Lots of great discussion at
#SOLIC2023
focused on strengthening deterrence,
#SOF
force design for the future, and the importance of the cognitive domain. Underpinning it all is the first SOF Truth: humans are more important than hardware
@NDIAToday
Congrats to a former member of SO/LIC, COL Jeremy Mushtare, for his successful command of one of two Army SOF Groups focused on gaining information advantage! On June 9, COL Mushtare relinquished command to COL Eric Johnson. Eric, best to you on your command tour!
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Throughout the month, we celebrate exceptional people of Asian and Pacific Island heritage who have contributed to our national defense.
We invite you to join us in recognizing their accomplishments!
#AAPIHeritageMonth
This week SO/LIC and 🇳🇱
@Defensie
co-hosted the second meeting of like-minded countries on civilian harm mitigation and response.
@DeptofDefense
continues to work closely with our international partners as we implement the
#CHMRAP
.
Aug 10th is the 2nd anniv of the
#PACTAct
, which expands VA coverage for vets exposed to toxins, an issue affecting many
#SOF
warriors. PACT is part of our sacred duty to those that have "borne the battle" & their families. for more info.
@SecVetAffairs
I had a great visit to
@DIU_x
where I saw firsthand the impressive work being done to support our
@USSOCOM
warfighters and grow our national security innovation and industrial base.
#People
are more important than hardware. The service and sacrifice of the men and women of the
#SOF
team is unparalleled. We remember the teammates we've lost in recent months. Their dedication, courage, and selflessness will never be forgotten.
Focusing on physical, psychological, & cognitive
#health
keeps our
#SOF
community fit for the fight. Thanks to our leaders, medical professionals & other experts to ensure our service members & their families have the optimal healthcare they deserve during & after their service.
1/3 “This is an opportunity for our formation to be introduced to all the organizations we have as resources to help service members – our number one priority; our
#people
,” said Gen. Bryan Fenton at 1st
#SOF
Truth Conference focused on Force
#Health
.
#HumansOverHardware
#Win
I was honored to participate in
@US_SOCKOR
’s change of command. Over two years, Mike deepened critical partnerships on the Korean Peninsula and exemplified the first
#SOF
Truth that people are more important than hardware. I am grateful for his dedicated leadership.
Maj. Gen. Michael Martin relinquished command of SOCKOR to Brig. Gen. Derek Lipson on June 12. Lt. Gen. Willard Burleson, 8th Army Commander, presided over the change of command in the presence of the Honorable Christopher Maier, Assistant Secretary of Defense for SO/LIC 🇰🇷🇺🇸
Had the chance to meet Joint SOF senior enlisted leaders attending the
#JSOU
Summit course that prepares students for senior level leadership roles in
#SOF
. We discussed takeaways from
#SOFWeek2023
and how SO/LIC oversees & advocates for special operations
@DeptofDefense
Deputy ASD Maren Brooks, from Irregular Warfare and Counterterrorism Policy, addresses over 1400 attendees representing 30 countries at the Special Operations Medical Scientific Assembly on the importance of providing
#asymmetric
medical solutions to the Joint Force.
#SOMA24
#IW
@ASD_SOLIC
Mr. Maier and
@USSOCOM
Gen. Fenton discuss how
#SOF
provides unique capabilities, create dilemmas for
#US
competitors, empower allies, and enable rapid responses to crises. 📰Read the Op-Ed now:
Last week I had the pleasure of visiting
@352SOW
to hear firsthand how our
#AirCommandos
support readiness and operations across
@US_SOCEUR
and collaborate daily with Allies and partners – our greatest strategic advantage in meeting the goals of our National Defense Strategy.
Many thanks to
@DefenceHQ
for hosting the most recent meeting of the International Contact Group on Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response (
#CHMR
). SO/LIC continues to work with international partners as we implement the
#CHMR
-AP.
#Allies
#Partners
ASD (SO/LIC) Christopher Maier and USSOCOM Commander, GEN Richard D. Clarke produced the SOF Vision and Strategy to guide SOF as we continue to provide strategic advantages for the Nation. Check it out here:
Today, we congratulate GEN Rich Clarke on his retirement and celebrate his unwavering service and commitment to this nation,
@USArmy
,
@USSOCOM
and the SOF Enterprise while also welcoming
@USSOCOM
’s 13th Commander, GEN Bryan Fenton!
Our work with
#Norway
partners on advancing SOF capabilities continues to add value. This week, SO/LIC’s Lt Col (Dr.) Regan Lyon met with counterparts at the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment to develop battlefield medicine strategies for the future
@FFI_research
Wonderful talking
#SOFinthePacific
with the U.S. Pacific Air Forces Commander, Gen Kevin Schneider.
@PACAF
provides unrivaled air, space, and cyberspace capabilities, and is indispensable to regional stability, security, and a
#FreeAndOpenIndoPacific
.
Thank you to all the incredible warriors and their families
@WarriorGames
! Your resilience and strength inspire us all. Thank you for showcasing the true spirit of courage and determination.
#WG24
It was a pleasure to visit RDML Williams, CSM Zajkowski, and their
#SOF
team this week in Hawaii. With an AOR that covers 51% of the globe,
#SOCPAC
is essential to
@INDOPACOM
and its work to keep a
#FreeAndOpenIndoPacific
.
Investing in the quality of life for our
#SOF
is not just a priority, it's an obligation. By taking care of our
#AirCommandos
, we're ensuring they can focus on their missions with confidence and dedication.
Yesterday, The Steadfast Line had had the opportunity to showcase our Air Commandos, our combat capabilities, and our efforts to pathfind to stay ready for tomorrow to
@ASD_SOLIC
Honorable Christopher Maier.
"SOF Week is, I hope, one of those essential places in which we can bring together our trusted industry partners with our acquisition and operational leaders, to continue to catalyze our ability to work at the speed of war." (ASD Maier, SOF Week Remarks)
Today, we concluded a SO/LIC & 🇳🇱
@Defensie
co-hosted 2-day meeting on civilian harm mitigation & response
#CHMR
w/international partners & outside experts. This meeting highlighted the importance of
#CHMR
to military operations worldwide.
I was honored to visit
@NPS_Monterey
this week to see the SO/LIC-supported Dept for Defense Analysis. Both students and faculty are doing fascinating research on
#SOF
and low-intensity conflict, and I can’t wait to see the positive results of their projects out in the real world!
Congratulations to Lt. Gen. Bauernfeind! Tony’s expertise and perspective working together
@USSOCOM
has been invaluable.
@AFSpecOpsCmd
is in very good hands.
Unlocking the power of information is pivotal in today's dynamic battlefield. The DOD Strategy for Operations in the Information Environment charts a course towards modernization and integration, essential for fortified deterrence.
📑 Read the strategy:
The National Defense Strategy emphasizes that partnerships are our greatest global strategic advantage. We are working closely with partners on
@DeptofDefense
implementation of the Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action plan
#CHMRAP
Thanks to our 🇳🇱
@Defensie
for hosting meetings with international partners on developments in civilian harm mitigation and response. As
@SecDef
has said, the protection of civilians is a strategic priority as well as a moral imperative.
Thanks
@NTCLead6
for showing PD Lwin
@ASD_SOLIC
how the National Training Center provides challenging all-domain training for
#SOF
@USArmy
and the Joint Force in National Defense Strategy-driven scenarios.
Great to hear firsthand from operators with
#NSW
about issues across
@INDOPACOM
during my recent visit.
@USNavy
capabilities and our Naval Commandos are essential to our National Defense Strategy goals in the region.
This morning, SO/LIC teammates & families washed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Thank you
@NatlParkService
for the opportunity to honor the service & sacrifice of those who served. Efforts by
#NPSvolunteer
help preserve our nation's memorials for future generations to enjoy.
From the crucible of elite selection to the pinnacle of operational readiness, our
#SOF
men and women are the epitome of excellence.
📑 Read the Statement for Record:
This International Women’s Day we honor the women who’ve paved the way and the women who serve today in the military. Your contributions
#InspireInclusion
and drive change.