Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict

“SOF readiness is important now more than ever,” said U.S. SOCOM Commander Gen. Bryan Fenton at the SOF Caucus held on Capitol Hill to discuss success in eliminating hundreds of terrorists, rescuing Americans abroad, and Congress support in various bases and family support programs. “We’ve been called out 14 times in three years on short notice to be somewhere in the world.” Read more from United States Department of Defense at https://lnkd.in/diRwhYuc

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended the House Special Operations Forces (SOF) Caucus reception last night! It was inspiring to see so many partners in Congress come to meet our special operations warriors. Mr. Colby Jenkins, who is performing the duties of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict (SO/LIC), and Gen. Bryan Fenton, Commander of USSOCOM, spoke to members of congress and congressional staff alongside the SOF Caucus co-chairs at the event. The SOF Caucus is an indispensable forum, particularly because they represent the men and women of the SOF enterprise, their families, and the communities that sustain them on Capitol Hill. They understand that our issues are your issues, and by working together, we can accomplish many great things. Looking ahead, the SO/LIC and SOCOM are excited about the opportunities to advance the SOF Enterprise. Our congressional partnership, support, and engagement are vital the SOF mission. Thank you for coming out!

Mr. Colby Jenkins, performing the duties of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict (SO/LIC), and Gen. Bryan Fenton, Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, testified before the Defense Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee. We extend our sincere gratitude to the Committee for their time and thoughtful questions during the hearing. Your engagement highlights the vital role of congressional partnership in ensuring our Special Operations Forces (SOF) have the resources and support they need to succeed. Your commitment to SOF is invaluable. Special thanks to Dr. Sandra Hobson, Director of the Secretariat for Special Operations, and Master Chief Petty Officer Brad Rhinelander, SO/LIC’s Senior Enlisted Adviser, for your support at the hearing!

Today, on National Medal of Honor Day, we pay tribute to the 3,528 service members who have been bestowed this honor, including 68 special operations personnel. These warfighters faced unimaginable challenges, pushing the limits of courage and resilience in the heat of battle. Today, we remember their strength and sacrifice. We also recognize their families. We know that military service is a family business. Their stories inspire us all, fueling the next generation of warriors to fight harder, train smarter, and embody the spirit of lethality that defines our armed forces. Check out the United States Department of Defense's spotlight on the Medal of Honor: https://lnkd.in/dzPiANTV

?? Attention Innovators! Were you at SO/LIC's Irregular Warfare Technical Support Directorate (IWTSD) Industry Day? The two Broad Agency Announcements (BAA) we discussed are now LIVE! These solicitations directly support the modernization, lethality, and readiness priorities critical to maintaining our strategic edge. Now is the time to bring forward cutting-edge solutions that enhance warfighter effectiveness, accelerate modernization, and strengthen mission readiness. ??You can find the FY26 BAAs on IWTSD’s website: https://iwtsd.gov/ And on SAM: https://lnkd.in/eCdpE22w https://lnkd.in/e_i_6hv5 ? Phase I submissions are due on 21 April at 3 PM ET. Let's modernize, innovate, and ensure our warfighters remain the most lethal and ready force in the world. #Innovation #Modernization #Lethality #Readiness #DoD #IWTSD

Check 1, 2 ?? MC-130J maintainers ready the aircraft between flights in Arizona during last month's Emerald Warrior exercise. The mission doesn't get off the ground without our maintainers. They understand success depends on perfecting the details, even if they must adapt to new environments or circumstances. Our Air Commandos do not simply train; they prepare for all situations. #AirCommandos | #AFSOC | #SpecialOperations

Today, our combined SOF personnel completed routine training under the #FreedomShield25 banner toward maintaining a more lethal force in support of our nations’ mutual defense priorities. The full scope of the exercise included more than two weeks of training in combined, Joint operations across all domains and concluded in a multiday capstone field training exercise at various locations, which included a ROK training site east of Seoul, a military freefall drop zone south of Camp Humphreys, and an air assault location on Paengnyong-Do (Baengyeong-Do). This training demonstrated our combined lethality to advance peace through strength. U.S. and ROK elements conducted field-based training that honed direct action, special reconnaissance, countering weapons of mass destruction, and other special operations forces’ skills-based, core activities. With the 75th anniversary of the Korean War approaching in June of this year, these training sessions continue a decades’ long investment between both nations’ SOF personnel. They especially remind us of the history associated with special operations, guerilla, and partisan forces that used PY-Do as a base of operations during the Korean War (more details linked in the comments section). Full article on training and high-quality images located here: https://lnkd.in/gU3N4e6x

Yesterday, we had the privilege of meeting with congressional staffers to introduce them to the Office of Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict (SO/LIC). Mr. Colby Jenkins, who is performing the duties of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for SO/LIC, spoke with staffers and answered their questions as part of a "Department of Defense 101" series led by the Pentagon's legislative affairs office. Building strong relationships with Congress is essential for fostering understanding, trust, and support to our special operators and their complex missions around the globe. Thank you to everyone who participated in the event!

“This is a very difficult environment to perform surgery in, with many challenges that must be critically assessed and overcome if we are to own this battle space in the future,” said US Army Lt. Col. Maxwell Sirkin, a trauma surgeon and the trauma medical director at Womack Army Medical Center in Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. More than 100 Special Operations Forces personnel, 30 organizations, and two partner nations came together for Special Operations Forces Arctic Medic 2025. #HomelandDefense #ArcticMedic, hosted by SOCNORTH and U.S. Northern Command, allowed operators from Naval Special Warfare Command - Navy SEAL & SWCC Teams, combat medics and surgical teams to adapt and innovate in the challenging climate, enhancing SOF’s warfighting capabilities and lethality when operating in the Arctic. Army National Guard “The sub-freezing and Arctic environment is just as violent to a casualty as enemy fire,” said Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman Wayne Papalski, the NSW tactical medicine senior enlisted leader. “Equally, the environment is always working against you as a provider; from your gear, treatment, performance, as well as your own health.” Photos by Alejandro Pe?a and MC1 Trey Hutcheson Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eWGJBd5M

Happy K9 Veterans Day! K-9s are smarter and more versatile than ever, capable of switching from assault mode to detection during missions. Our K-9s have played crucial roles in major operations, including the raids on Osama Bin Laden and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. After years of dedicated service, many retire to loving homes, having made a lasting impact on their teams. Today, let’s honor these heroic K-9s and their handlers. Learn more about these four-legged fighters here: https://lnkd.in/dBCC7sAX