The Special Operations Command Pacific, known as SOCPAC, is a sub-unified command of the

United States Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD or DOD) is an executive branch department of the federal government charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government directly related to national secur ...

for

special operations forces Special forces and special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...

in the

United States Indo-Pacific Command United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) is a unified combatant command of the United States Armed Forces responsible for the Indo-Pacific region. Formerly known as United States Pacific Command (USPACOM) since its inception in 1947, ...

(USINDOPACOM) area of responsibility.

History

The Special Operations Center, Pacific Command was established 1 November 1965. Headquartered in

Okinawa is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 Square kilometre, km2 (880 sq mi). ...

, the unit provided unconventional warfare task force support for operations in Southeast Asia. After these functions transferred to the Commander in Chief, Pacific Command (CINCPAC), the command dissolved on 1 July 1969. A special operations staff was established in the CINCPAC Operations Directorate on 15 May 1976, for planning and coordinating in-theater special operations. In October 1983, the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff established special operations commands in the Pacific and European Theaters. Special Operations Command, Pacific (SOCPAC) was activated on 1 November 1983 with only eighteen personnel. Six years later, on 28 December 1989, SOCPAC was assigned operational control of what is now the

353d Special Operations Group The 353rd Special Operations Wing is an operational unit of the United States Air Force Special Operations Command, stationed at Kadena Air Base, Japan. The Wing's first predecessor was activated in 1944 as the 3rd Air Commando Group. The unit ...

and 1st Battalion,

1st Special Forces Group The 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) (1st SFG) (A) is a unit of the U.S. Army Special Forces operating under the United States Pacific Command. It is designed to deploy and execute nine doctrinal missions throughout the Indo-Pacific Command ...

(Airborne), which are located on Okinawa, Japan at

Kadena Air Base (IATA: DNA, ICAO: RODN) is a highly strategic United States Air Force base in the towns of Kadena and Chatan and the city of Okinawa, in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It is often referred to as the "Keystone of the Pacific" because of its hi ...

and

Torii Station US Army Garrison Okinawa is a United States Army facility located in Yomitan, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Home to the United States Army on Okinawa, 10th Support Group (Regional), along with the 1st Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), ...

, respectively. On 8 July 1991, SOCPAC assumed control of Naval Special Warfare Task Unit-Pacific and a platoon of

United States Navy SEALs The United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's primary special operations force and a component of the Naval Special Warfare Command. Among the SEALs' main functions are conducting s ...

, based at Apra Harbor in

Guam Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic cent ...

. In early March 2001, SOCPAC established the Joint Special Operations Aviation Component. On 11 June 2001, SOCPAC gained control over E Company, 160th Special Operations Regiment (Airborne), which is based in Daegu in South Korea. As a subordinate unified command of the

, SOCPAC units deploy throughout the Pacific. SOCPAC annually conducts small unit exchanges, joint and combined training events, and operational deployments throughout the Pacific. Units are used for counterdrug and humanitarian demining operations, training forces in countries such as Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. SOCPAC hosts an annual Pacific Area Special Operations Conference in Hawaii for over 200 U.S. and foreign delegates. The command can operate as a rapidly deployable Joint Task Force. In January 2002, SOCPAC deployed to the Southern Philippines as JTF 510, conducting counterterrorist operations with the Philippine Government under

Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used synonymously by the U.S. government for both the War in Afghanistan (2001–2014) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response to the September 11 at ...

. The force redeployed on 1 September 2002, leaving elements to form the Joint Special Operations Task Force-Peppery Philippines with the

Armed Forces of the Philippines The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ( fil, Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas) are the military forces of the Philippines. It consists of three main service branches; the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy (including the Marine Corps). The ...

. The command is headquartered at Camp H. M. Smith in Hawaii. From 1995 to 1997 Air Force General Charles R. Holland commanded SOCPAC. From 2000 to 2003

Donald C. Wurster Lieutenant General Donald C. Wurster is a retired Commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, FL. The command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force and the Air Force component of U.S. Special Operations Command. AFSOC ...

was commander,

David P. Fridovich David P. Fridovich is a retired lieutenant general and Green Beret in the United States Army. His position at the time of retirement was deputy commander of the U.S. military's United States Special Operations Command that directs special operat ...

commanded from 2005 to 2007, and then Salvatore F. Cambria. In June 2009 Rear Admiral

Sean A. Pybus Sean Averell Pybus (born September 22, 1957) is a retired United States Navy Vice Admiral who last served as the deputy Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) from 2014 to 2016. He previously served as the Commander, Naval Special ...

became commander of SOCPAC.

List of commanders

* Maj Gen Charles R. Holland, June 1995 – June 1997 * Brig Gen

, October 2000 – February 2003 * MG

, 2005 to 2007 * Salvatore F. Cambria * RADM

, June 2009 * Maj Gen Norman J. Brozenick Jr., June 2011 * RADM P. Gardner Howe III, 10 June 2013 * RADM Colin J. Kilrain, ~August 2014 * MG Bryan P. Fenton, 9 June 2016 * MajGen Daniel D. Yoo, 12 May 2017 * MG Jonathan P. Braga, 27 July 2018 * MG Joshua M. Rudd, 14 August 2020 * RDML Jeromy B. Williams, 19 July 2022https://www.socom.mil/socpac/Documents/RDML%20Williams%20Bio_FINAL.pdf

References

{{US Special Operations Forces +Pacific Command Military units and formations in Hawaii Organizations based in Honolulu Military units and formations established in 1965