United States Special Operations Command Europe
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U.S. Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR, pronounced “Sock-Yer”) is a subordinate unified command of
United States Special Operations Command The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM or SOCOM) is the unified combatant command charged with overseeing the various special operations component commands of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force of the United States Ar ...
(SOCOM, pronounced So-Comm).


Function

Based at
Patch Barracks Patch Barracks is a U.S. military installation in Stuttgart, Germany. It is named after U.S. Army General Alexander M. Patch (1889–1945). History Patch Barracks was renamed from the German ''Kurmärker Kaserne'' in 1952; it was originally ...
near Stuttgart, Germany, SOCEUR's function is to plan for use of
Special Operations Special operations (S.O.) are military activities conducted, according to NATO, by "specially designated, organized, selected, trained, and equipped forces using unconventional techniques and modes of employment". Special operations may include ...
forces within EUCOM's area of responsibility, employ the forces, and assess whether they are achieving the desired results. SOCEUR conducts these activities as part of the US effort to strengthen the military capabilities and security of partner nations in Europe and counter threats to the US and its European partners.


Components

Forces of the
United States Special Operations Command The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM or SOCOM) is the unified combatant command charged with overseeing the various special operations component commands of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force of the United States Ar ...
for which SOCEUR is responsible include: 1st Battalion,
10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) The 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) (10th SFG (A), or 10th Group) is an active duty United States Army Special Forces (SF) Group. 10th Group is designed to deploy and execute nine doctrinal missions: unconventional warfare (UW), foreign i ...
; Naval Special Warfare Unit 2;
352d Special Operations Wing The 352nd Special Operations Wing is an operational unit of the United States Air Force Special Operations Command currently stationed at RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom. The unit's heritage dates back to 1944 as an air commando unit. The 352nd ...
; and the SOCEUR Signal Detachment.


Geographic focus

SOCEUR's area of responsibility is based on EUCOM's. It consists of 51 countries, and extends from
Greenland Greenland ( kl, Kalaallit Nunaat, ; da, Grønland, ) is an island country in North America that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Greenland i ...
to the European continent. It includes all of
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...
, the
Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ...
, the
Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia (country), Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range ...
region, and
Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
.


History

In 1955, the US European Command established Support Operations Command Europe to provide planning and operational control for Special Operations forces in the EUCOM area of responsibility. Later that year, EUCOM re-designated the new unit as Support Operations Task Force Europe (SOTFE). When France withdrew from the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
(NATO) in 1967, SOTFE moved from its headquarters in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
to
Panzer Kaserne Panzer Kaserne (German notation: Panzerkaserne) is a U.S. military installation in Böblingen, Germany, part of U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart. The post is administered by U.S. Army Installation Management Command-Europe (IMCOM-Europe), a legac ...
near Stuttgart,
West Germany West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
. In 1968, SOTFE moved to Patch Barracks. As part of the Goldwater-Nichols Act reforms, on May 30, 1986, SOCEUR was confirmed by the
Joint Chiefs of Staff The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is the body of the most senior uniformed leaders within the United States Department of Defense, that advises the president of the United States, the secretary of defense, the Homeland Security Council and the ...
as a subordinate unified command of EUCOM and the EUCOM Special Operations Director took on the added role of SOCEUR commander Originally focused on containment of the
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
during the Cold War, after the
Warsaw Pact The Warsaw Pact (WP) or Treaty of Warsaw, formally the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, was a collective defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Poland, between the Soviet Union and seven other Eastern Bloc socialist repub ...
ended in 1991 SOCEUR's focus shifted to other European countries,
Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
and the
Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Province), East Thrace (Europ ...
. Since then, SOCEUR and its components have taken part in special operations during Operations
Desert Storm The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...
, Provide Comfort and Provide Comfort II. In addition, prior to the creation of the
US Africa Command The United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM, U.S. AFRICOM, and AFRICOM), is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the United States Department of Defense, headquartered at Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany. It is responsible for U. ...
(AFRICOM) and Special Operations Command Africa, SOCEUR took part in activities in Africa to include Silver Anvil (
Sierra Leone Sierra Leone,)]. officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered by Liberia to the southeast and Guinea surrounds the northern half of the nation. Covering a total area of , Sierr ...
) and Atlas Response (
Mozambique Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...
). SOCEUR also participated in operations in the
Balkans The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...
, including Joint Endeavor, Joint Guard, Allied Force, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.


Commanders

Commanders of Special Operations Command Europe since its establishment as a EUCOM subordinate unified command include: *James T. “Terry” Scott, July 1987 - September 1989 *Richard W. Potter Jr., September 1989 - July 1992 *
Keith Kellogg Joseph Keith Kellogg Jr. (born May 12, 1944) is a former United States government official and a retired lieutenant general in the United States Army. He previously served as the National Security Advisor to Vice President Mike Pence, and as the ...
, July 1992 - 1994 * Michael A. Canavan, 1994 - July 1996 *Geoffrey C. Lambert, August 1996 - July 1998 * Eldon A. Bargewell, August 1998 - June 2000 *Leslie L. Fuller, July 2000 - July 2002 *Gary M. Jones, July 2002 - August 2003 *Thomas R. Csrnko, August 2003 - June 2006 * William H. McRaven, June 2006 - March 2008 *Michael S. Repass (acting), March 2008 - May 2008 *Frank J. Kisner, May 2008 - July 2010 *Michael S. Repass, July 2010 - July 2013 * MG Marshall B. Webb, July 2013 - August 2014 * Maj Gen Gregory Lengyel, August 2014 - June 2016 * MG Mark C. Schwartz, June 2016 - June 2018 * Maj Gen Kirk W. Smith, June 2018 - August 2020 * Maj Gen David H. Tabor, August 3, 2020 - June 2022 * Maj Gen Steven G. Edwards, June 28, 2022 - present


References


Sources


Internet

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News

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Magazines

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Books

* * {{US Special Operations Forces +Europe Organisations based in Stuttgart Military units and formations established in 1986 1986 establishments in West Germany United States military in Stuttgart