2-90. Establishing or reestablishing competent host-nation security forces is fundamental to providing lasting safety and security for the host nation and its population. These forces primarily counter external threats. However, they also assist in other key missions including disaster relief, humanitarian assistance, and some other internal military threats. Developing host-nation security forces is integral to successful stability operations and includes organizing, training, equipping, rebuilding, and advising various components of host-nation security forces.

1-15. Army special operations forces are trained to operate independently in small teams. From the group/brigade perspective, the unit of action is the team. However, execution of special operations missions and tasks require companies and teams to be able to shift their perspective to consider that an individual special operations Soldier can be a unit of action. The ability to operate autonomously is a characteristic that applies to all Army special operations forces, and it is a key attribute that allows the force to be employed in a package that produces the smallest possible footprint.

2-11. An executive agent is the head of a Department of Defense (DOD) component that has been assigned specific responsibilities, functions, and authorities to provide defined levels of support for operational missions or administrative or other designated activities that involve two or more of the DOD components. Whether the term executive agent is used or not, the theater army, on behalf of the Army, is responsible for support functions in all theaters as designated by the GCC or higher. The supporting requirements the theater army provides as part of ASOS can include—

1-71. Whereas the special operations principles characterize successful special operations, the imperatives discussed below prescribe key operational requirements. The imperatives are fundamental rules that guide how the force approaches the design, planning, and conduct of missions. These rules guide how special operations Soldiers think about their tasks, missions, and operations. These imperatives can provide the basis for establishing foundational activities for the force as it plans and executes special operations in concert with other forces, interagency partners, and foreign organizations:

8-57. Security cooperation, as part of consolidation of gains, enhances military engagement and builds the security capacity of partner states. Security cooperation is comprised of multiple activities, programs, and missions, and it is functionally and conceptually related to security assistance, SFA, internal defense and development, foreign internal defense, and security sector reform. As an example, security sector reform involves disarming, demobilizing, and reintegration of former warring factions in the aftermath of an insurgency, assists the host-nation reform its security forces (for example, military and police), bolsters rule of law through constitutional reform, and conducts advisory missions. Army forces may be granted special authorities and called upon to execute tasks in support of these programs that build partner capacity in support of broader national security interests. Security cooperation activities can be executed discretely or in concert with each other across the range of military operations, consolidating many requirements, authorities, and force structures. (See FM 6-22 for more information on security cooperation activities.)

2-33. Advanced force operations are those operations that precede main forces into an area to locate and shape the operational environment for future operations against a specific adversary. Advanced force operations are operations conducted to refine the location of specific, identified targets and further develop the operational environment for near-term missions (JP 3-05). Advanced force operations encompass many activities including close-target reconnaissance; tagging, tracking, and locating; reception, staging, onward movement, and integration of forces; infrastructure development; and terminal guidance. Unless specifically withheld, advanced force operations also include direct action in situations when failure to act will mean loss of fleeting opportunity for success.

line of effort – (DOD) In the context of planning, using the purpose (cause and effect) to focus efforts toward establishing operational and strategic conditions by linking multiple tasks and missions . Also called LOE. (JP 5-0) Referenced in FM 3-24. (Army) A line that links multiple tasks using the logic of purpose rather than geographical reference to focus efforts toward establishing a desired end state. (ADP 3-0)

1-37. This framework aims to encompass all the tasks performed by military and civilian actors throughout the range of military operations. It guides the understanding of the effort and commitment necessary to shape military engagement activities during peacetime to prevent conflict and to rebuild a nation torn by conflict or disaster. The missions, tasks, and activities that make up these actions fall into three broad categories:

2-50. Hostage rescue and recovery may also involve locating, recovering, and restoring to friendly control selected persons or materiel that are isolated and threatened in sensitive, denied, or contested areas. These missions usually result from situations that involve political sensitivity or military criticality of the personnel or materiel being recovered from remote or hostile environments. These situations may arise from a political change, combat action, chance happening, or mechanical mishap.

3-2. Army forces of any component demonstrate the Army's core competencies through the conduct of decisive action (see ADP 3-0). Army Components support civil authorities in the homeland by performing DSCA tasks. Domestic laws and national and DOD policies structure military tasks and missions to ensure unity of effort.

3-61. Surface-to-air planning and integration considers the activities and capabilities of Army, joint, and multinational AMD elements. AMD operations are often joint efforts to which all Services contribute and which are integrated at the theater level to accomplish the JFC’s counterair related missions.

7-207. A follow and support force in an exploitation is not a reserve. It is a committed force, and it is provided the appropriate artillery, engineer, and sustainment support. BCTs may have missions to follow and support in division operations. In corps exploitations, divisions may follow and support other divisions.

7-258. Unfortunately, reduction by fire alone has disadvantages. Reduction by fire requires a significant amount of weapons, ammunition, and time. Friendly forces using lethal and nonlethal effects against the encircled force are not available for other missions. Another disadvantage of reduction by fire is its inability to guarantee results. Fires alone might not be sufficient to force the surrender of the encircled enemy force.

4-18. Army leaders must know the fundamentals of their duty position related to warfighting, tactics, techniques, and procedures. Their tactical knowledge allows them to employ individuals, teams, and organizations properly to accomplish missions at least cost in lives and materiel. Competent readiness- focused leaders seek professional military education opportunities to develop tactical knowledge and demand realistic operational conditions during training. They do this for themselves and their subordinates.

1-55. Army special operations forces can unilaterally disrupt a threat. They can also conduct special operations with interagency and intergovernmental partners, partner nation forces, friendly indigenous forces, or as a component of a joint force to disrupt a threat. These operations and missions are conducted throughout the range of military operations and during any phase of a large-scale combat operation. Army special operations disrupt the adversaries’ ability to use supporting physical and human networks; shadow governments; economic, financial, and intelligence infrastructures; and the ability to make timely, informed decisions.

1-11. Successful leaders recognize that they must continually develop their subordinates by maximizing opportunities in the institutional, operational, and self-development domains. It is critical to the long-term sustainment of the Army. Leaders are responsible for ensuring their organizations develop subordinates, perform missions, apply doctrinally sound principles in training, and exercise stewardship of resources. Along with responsibility comes accountability. Accountability speaks to two levels: leaders held accountable for how well they have developed their subordinates and individuals held accountable for their own professional development.

1-56. The objective that purposeful disruption supports may be to induce conditions that influence a relevant actor to behave in a manner that is favorable for the joint force. Examples of these behaviors include making tactical or strategic decisions that make the relevant actor vulnerable to joint force lethal activities and taking actions that isolate the relevant actor from his center of gravity. Operations and missions intended to influence a relevant actor’s behavior may require longer execution times than other disruption activities and may start prior to operations for armed conflict.

3-5. Military forces that support civil authorities under state authority are Army National Guard and sometimes Air National Guard, serving under state authority in state active duty status or Title 32, USC duty status. State National Guard forces in state active duty status perform decisive action, as part of National Guard civil support missions in state service. State National Guard forces under Title 32, USC duty status perform tasks of decisive action as part of DSCA missions, but in state service.

2-4. Organizational leader development plans must nest in purpose and guidance of the higher organization’s plan. Plans should be consistent with Army enterprise concepts, strategy, and guidance on leader development. Leader development plans should provide guidance to subordinate units yet allow them freedom to determine practices and schedules most conducive to their missions. Plans up and down an organizational structure need to align to create synergy and unity of effort. A battalion leader development plan or equivalent-sized unit will identify specific processes supporting leader development. Generating force organizations headed by a colonel or similar ranking Army Civilian are a good target for leader development plans that detail specific processes. The battalion plan should anticipate the needs of and execution by its subordinate units.

7-50. Leaders ensure they are prepared to execute their leadership responsibilities fully. They are aware of their limitations and strengths and seek to develop themselves. Leaders maintain physical fitness and mental well-being. They continue to improve the domain knowledge required of their leadership roles and their profession. Only through continuous preparation for missions and other challenges, being aware of self and situations, and practicing life-long learning and development can an individual fulfill the responsibilities of leadership. This competency has seven components: