Special Forces in the 21st Century

To meet the challenges of the future, Special Forces are training harder than ever before. They have to. As conflict continues to threaten dozens of U.S. allies throughout the world, the Defense Department looks for an answer more and more to the unique training and experience of the Green Berets. Fort Bragg's John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center & School (JFK SWC), where prospective Special Forces soldiers are carefully selected, is training more men than ever for Special Forces qualification and dangerous tasks like free fall parachuting, escape missions and maritime operations.

The June 1990 reactivation of Fort Bragg's 3rd Special Forces Group has brought to five the number of Special Forces groups on active-duty status. Other Special Forces groups are the original 10th Group stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado, with its 1st Battalion still stationed in Germany; the 1st Group at Fort Lewis, Washington, with its 1st Battalion stationed in Okinawa; the 5th Group at Fort Campbell, Kentucky; and the 7th Group at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Reserve forces include the 19th and 20th Groups (National Guard).

These forces are not standing idly by, waiting to be challenged. They are deployed where the threat of conflict is real - in Latin America, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa - training U.S. allies to defend themselves, countering the threat of dangerous insurgents, serving as teachers and ambassadors while developing important international relations. They are following the admirable principles of the Special Forces Creed.

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