John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center
Encyclopedia
The U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (USAJFKSWCS) – known informally as SWCS – primarily trains and educates United States Army
personnel for the United States Army Special Operations Command
(USASOC) and United States Special Operations Command
(SOCOM), which includes Special Forces, Civil Affairs
, and Military Information Support Operations
personnel. According to its mission statement, its purpose is to recruit, assess, select, train and educate the U.S. Army Civil Affairs, Military Information Support Operations and Special Forces Soldiers by providing superior training and education, relevant doctrine, effective career management and an integrated force-development capability.
, Kansas
. The U.S. Army Psychological Warfare Center and School, which included operational tactical units and a school under the same umbrella, moved to Fort Bragg in April 1952. The center was proposed by the Army's then-Psychological Warfare Chief, Robert A. McClure
, to provide doctrinal support and training for both psychological and conventional warfare
.
In 1956, the PSYWAR Center and School was renamed the U.S. Army Center for Special Warfare/U.S. Army Special Warfare School. The school was given the responsibility to develop the doctrine, techniques, training and education of Special Forces and Psychological Operations personnel. In 1960, the school's responsibilities expanded to counterinsurgency operations. In 1962, the Special Warfare Center established a Special Forces Training Group to train enlisted volunteers for operational assignments within Special Forces units. The Advanced Training Committee was formed to explore and develop sophisticated methods of infiltration and exfiltration. On May 16, 1969, the school was renamed the U.S. Army Institute for Military Assistance. The curriculum was expanded to provide training in high-altitude, low-opening (HALO) parachuting and SCUBA operations. The institute comprised the SF School, Psychological Operations, Military Assistance Training Advisors School, Counter-Insurgency School, Unconventional Warfare School and Department of Non-Resident Training.
On April 1, 1972, the U.S. Army Civil Affairs School was transferred from Fort Gordon
, Georgia
to Fort Bragg, to begin operating under the center's umbrella. In 1973, the center was assigned to the new U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). On June 1, 1982, the Chief of Staff of the Army approved the separation of the center as an independent TRADOC activity under the name U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center (SWC). The SWC integrated special operations into the Army systems, training and operations, becoming the proponent school for Army Special Operations Forces.
In 1985, SWC was recognized as the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (SWCS). The major change at this time was the establishment of six training departments: Special Forces; Special Operations Advanced Skills; Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape; Foreign Area Officer; Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations. A few years later, the Noncommissioned Officer Academy was instituted. On June 20, 1990, SWCS was reassigned from TRADOC to the U.S. Army Special Operations Command. This designation gave USASOC control of all components of SOF, with the exception of forward-deployed units.
Special operations forces (SOF) training is grounded in the SOF Truths:
On any given day, approximately 3,100 students are enrolled in SWCS training programs. Courses range from entry-level training to advanced war fighting skills for seasoned officers and NCOs. Furthermore, SWCS leads efforts to professionalize the Army’s entire special-operations force through the Special Forces Warrant Officer Institute and the David K. Thuma Noncommissioned Officer Academy. While most courses are conducted at Fort Bragg, SWCS maintains facilities, and relationships with outside institutions, across the country.
In all, SWCS offers 41 unique courses, including assessment & selection and qualification courses for Civil Affairs, Military Information Support Operations, Special Forces and Cultural Support. Advanced skills courses include combat diver training in Key West
, Florida
, sniper training at Fort Bragg and military freefall training in Yuma
, Arizona
.
Regional studies and education constitutes Phase II of the three branches' qualification courses. This phase lasts 18 to 24 weeks depending on the language category (CAT) assigned them. Students who are assigned to CAT I or II languages such as Spanish, French and Indonesian spend 18 weeks of study with the end goal being to achieve a score of 2 on the Interagency Language Roundtable Scale (ILR). Students spend 24 weeks studying CAT III or IV languages such as Arabic, Chinese Mandarin, Tagalog, Persian Farsi, Korean, Thai, Pashto and Urdu with the end goal being to achieve an ILR score of III or IV. Students of all languages must pass an Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) before moving to the next phase of their qualification course. SWCS offers intermediate and advanced language classes where students are expected to develop advanced skills in the language such as reading and listening. To achieve that they take intensive courses, sometimes administered by language detachments from the Defense Language Institute
(DLI) with the goal of achieving a score of 2 to 3 in the Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT).
As the gateway to the special-operations community, SWCS selects only the top candidates to even attempt its training. The Army’s special-operations unit commanders rely on the SWCS directorates to select the strongest candidates and give them the tools to succeed on the battlefield. Using lessons learned from these battlefields, curriculum and doctrine can be amended in a matter of weeks when gaps in training are identified. Together, these directorates oversee administration and policy throughout the community, serving the operational units while allowing them to focus on their missions.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
personnel for the United States Army Special Operations Command
United States Army Special Operations Command
The United States Army Special Operations Command is the command charged with overseeing the various Special Operations Forces...
(USASOC) and United States Special Operations Command
United States Special Operations Command
The United States Special Operations Command is the Unified Combatant Command charged with overseeing the various Special Operations Commands of the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps of the United States Armed Forces. The command is part of the Department of Defense...
(SOCOM), which includes Special Forces, Civil Affairs
Civil Affairs
Civil Affairs is a term used by both the United Nations and by military institutions , but for different purposes in each case.-United Nations Civil Affairs:...
, and Military Information Support Operations
Psychological Operations (United States)
Psychological operations are planned operations to convey selected information and indicators to foreign audiences to influence their emotions, motives, objective reasoning, and ultimately the behavior of foreign governments, organizations, groups, and individuals.The purpose of United States...
personnel. According to its mission statement, its purpose is to recruit, assess, select, train and educate the U.S. Army Civil Affairs, Military Information Support Operations and Special Forces Soldiers by providing superior training and education, relevant doctrine, effective career management and an integrated force-development capability.
History
The command dates back to 1950, when the U.S. Army developed the Psychological Warfare (PSYWAR) Division of the Army General School at Fort RileyFort Riley
Fort Riley is a United States Army installation located in Northeast Kansas, on the Kansas River, between Junction City and Manhattan. The Fort Riley Military Reservation covers 100,656 acres in Geary and Riley counties and includes two census-designated places: Fort Riley North and Fort...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
. The U.S. Army Psychological Warfare Center and School, which included operational tactical units and a school under the same umbrella, moved to Fort Bragg in April 1952. The center was proposed by the Army's then-Psychological Warfare Chief, Robert A. McClure
Robert A. McClure
Robert Alexis McClure was an American general and psychological warfare specialist.Born in Mattoon, Illinois, he graduated from the Kentucky Military Institute in 1915...
, to provide doctrinal support and training for both psychological and conventional warfare
Conventional warfare
Conventional warfare is a form of warfare conducted byusing conventional military weapons and battlefield tactics between two or more states in open confrontation. The forces on each side are well-defined, and fight using weapons that primarily target the opposing army...
.
In 1956, the PSYWAR Center and School was renamed the U.S. Army Center for Special Warfare/U.S. Army Special Warfare School. The school was given the responsibility to develop the doctrine, techniques, training and education of Special Forces and Psychological Operations personnel. In 1960, the school's responsibilities expanded to counterinsurgency operations. In 1962, the Special Warfare Center established a Special Forces Training Group to train enlisted volunteers for operational assignments within Special Forces units. The Advanced Training Committee was formed to explore and develop sophisticated methods of infiltration and exfiltration. On May 16, 1969, the school was renamed the U.S. Army Institute for Military Assistance. The curriculum was expanded to provide training in high-altitude, low-opening (HALO) parachuting and SCUBA operations. The institute comprised the SF School, Psychological Operations, Military Assistance Training Advisors School, Counter-Insurgency School, Unconventional Warfare School and Department of Non-Resident Training.
On April 1, 1972, the U.S. Army Civil Affairs School was transferred from Fort Gordon
Fort Gordon
Fort Gordon, formerly known as Camp Gordon, is a United States Army installation established in 1917. It is the current home of the United States Army Signal Corps and Signal Center and was once the home of "The Provost Marshal General School" . The fort is located in Richmond, Jefferson, McDuffie,...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
to Fort Bragg, to begin operating under the center's umbrella. In 1973, the center was assigned to the new U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). On June 1, 1982, the Chief of Staff of the Army approved the separation of the center as an independent TRADOC activity under the name U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center (SWC). The SWC integrated special operations into the Army systems, training and operations, becoming the proponent school for Army Special Operations Forces.
In 1985, SWC was recognized as the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (SWCS). The major change at this time was the establishment of six training departments: Special Forces; Special Operations Advanced Skills; Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape; Foreign Area Officer; Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations. A few years later, the Noncommissioned Officer Academy was instituted. On June 20, 1990, SWCS was reassigned from TRADOC to the U.S. Army Special Operations Command. This designation gave USASOC control of all components of SOF, with the exception of forward-deployed units.
Overview
The U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (SWCS) at Fort Bragg, N.C. manages and resources training, education and growth for Soldiers in the Army’s special-operations branches.Special operations forces (SOF) training is grounded in the SOF Truths:
- Humans are more important than hardware.
- Quality is better than quantity.
- Special-operations forces cannot be mass produced.
- Competent special-operations forces cannot be created after emergencies occur.
- Most special operations require non-SOF support
On any given day, approximately 3,100 students are enrolled in SWCS training programs. Courses range from entry-level training to advanced war fighting skills for seasoned officers and NCOs. Furthermore, SWCS leads efforts to professionalize the Army’s entire special-operations force through the Special Forces Warrant Officer Institute and the David K. Thuma Noncommissioned Officer Academy. While most courses are conducted at Fort Bragg, SWCS maintains facilities, and relationships with outside institutions, across the country.
In all, SWCS offers 41 unique courses, including assessment & selection and qualification courses for Civil Affairs, Military Information Support Operations, Special Forces and Cultural Support. Advanced skills courses include combat diver training in Key West
Key West
Key West is an island in the Straits of Florida on the North American continent at the southernmost tip of the Florida Keys. Key West is home to the southernmost point in the Continental United States; the island is about from Cuba....
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, sniper training at Fort Bragg and military freefall training in Yuma
Yuma
-Places:* Yuma Desert, desert in southwest U.S. and northwest MexicoUnited States* Yuma County, Arizona** Yuma, Arizona** Marine Corps Air Station Yuma** United States Army Yuma Proving Ground** Yuma Territorial Prison* Yuma County, Colorado** Yuma, Colorado...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
.
Regional studies and education constitutes Phase II of the three branches' qualification courses. This phase lasts 18 to 24 weeks depending on the language category (CAT) assigned them. Students who are assigned to CAT I or II languages such as Spanish, French and Indonesian spend 18 weeks of study with the end goal being to achieve a score of 2 on the Interagency Language Roundtable Scale (ILR). Students spend 24 weeks studying CAT III or IV languages such as Arabic, Chinese Mandarin, Tagalog, Persian Farsi, Korean, Thai, Pashto and Urdu with the end goal being to achieve an ILR score of III or IV. Students of all languages must pass an Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) before moving to the next phase of their qualification course. SWCS offers intermediate and advanced language classes where students are expected to develop advanced skills in the language such as reading and listening. To achieve that they take intensive courses, sometimes administered by language detachments from the Defense Language Institute
Defense Language Institute
The Defense Language Institute is a United States Department of Defense educational and research institution, which provides linguistic and cultural instruction to the Department of Defense, other Federal Agencies and numerous and varied other customers...
(DLI) with the goal of achieving a score of 2 to 3 in the Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT).
As the gateway to the special-operations community, SWCS selects only the top candidates to even attempt its training. The Army’s special-operations unit commanders rely on the SWCS directorates to select the strongest candidates and give them the tools to succeed on the battlefield. Using lessons learned from these battlefields, curriculum and doctrine can be amended in a matter of weeks when gaps in training are identified. Together, these directorates oversee administration and policy throughout the community, serving the operational units while allowing them to focus on their missions.
Units
| Type | Name | Abbreviation | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Training | 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne) | 1st SWTG(A) | Provides entry-level through advanced training and education. |
| Training | 1st Battalion, 1st SWTG(A) | 1BN | Trains entry-level Special Forces Soldiers attending the SF Qualification Course. Includes military-occupational specialty training for each 18-series MOS except 18D, tactical combat skills training and the Robin Sage unconventional warfare exercise. |
| Training | 2nd Battalion, 1st SWTG(A) | 2BN | Trains advanced special-operations skills, techniques, tactics and procedures. Implements and evaluates associated doctrine. Includes military freefall, combat diver and sniper training courses. |
| Training | 3rd Battalion, 1st SWTG(A) | 3BN | Trains and evaluates active-duty and Army Reserve United States Army Reserve The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army.... officers and NCOs in Civil Affairs operations. |
| Training | 4th Battalion, 1st SWTG(A) | 4BN | Trains, advises, manages, counsels and provides mentorship to all assigned students (U.S. and foreign) in the Special Forces Qualification Course. |
| Training | 5th Battalion, 1st SWTG(A) | 5BN | Trains and evaluates active-duty and Army Reserve officers and NCOs in Military Information Support Operations. |
| Training | 6th Battalion, 1st SWTG(A) | 6BN | Conducts special-operations intelligence training. |
| Training | Support Battalion, 1st SWTG(A) | Sustains training force at Fort Bragg and Camp Mackall Camp Mackall Camp Mackall is an active U.S. Army training facility located in eastern Richmond County and northern Scotland County, North Carolina, south of the town of Southern Pines. The facility is in close proximity to and is a sub-installation of Fort Bragg Camp Mackall is an active U.S. Army training... . Services include academic records, food service, installation support, installation, maintenance and armament. |
|
| Training | Special Warfare Medical Group (Airborne) | SWMG(A) | Together with the Naval Special Operations Medical Institute (NSOMI), composes the Joint Special Operations Medical Training Center (JSOMTC). Educates and trains special operation combat medics SOCMs. |
| Training | Special Forces Warrant Officer Institute | WOI | Educates, mentors, trains and appoints warrant-officer candidates to the grade of WO1 and MOS of 180A. Conducts advanced course for mid-grade Special Forces warrant officers. |
| Training | David K. Thuma Noncommissioned Officers Academy | NCOA | Develops and conducts Warrior Leader, Advanced and Senior Leader courses for Army special-operations soldiers. |
| Directorate | Army Special Operations Capabilities Integration Cell | ARSOCIC | Conducts concept development, experimentations and wargames; leads ARSOF modeling and simulations program; conducts digital and virtual individual training and collective battle-command training. |
| Directorate | Directorate of Regional Studies and Education | DRSE | Educates special-operations soldiers in regional studies, foreign languages, culture, adaptive thinking, leadership, behavioral science and education. |
| Directorate | Directorate of Special Operations Proponency | DSOP | Responsible for force management, focused on personnel life-cycle functions to develop and implement plans, programs and policies for active- and reserve-components. Conducts all assessment and selection programs. |
| Directorate | Directorate of Training and Doctrine | DOTD | Analyzes, designs, develops and produces training and doctrinal literature. |