This post is originally by Geoffrey Ingersoll.
Ever since the raid on Osama bin Laden's compound in 2011, the American public and policymakers have taken an intense interest in US Navy SEALs and Military Special Operators in general.
The Special Operations Command, or SOCOM, is constantly given spending and personnel increases while the rest of the military is making cuts.
Thee number of operators doubled between the 9/11 attacks and 2013, and their budget tripled from $3.5 billion to $10.5 billion. The trend will likely continue as the US military is in the midst of a shift to "smaller footprint"-type operations that depend on special operators and air cover.
Putting tens of thousands of troops and countless private support personnel on the ground in any given country s a costly strategy that US political are reluctant to embrace. Even in the fight against ISIS, there's been little talk of countering the group with conventional ground troops. But US special operators have been used throughout the fight against the jihadists, like the during the May 2015 raid in eastern Syria that killed ISIS commander Abu Sayyaf.
Though it was the SEALs who killed Bin Laden, it's worth noting there are quite a few more SpecOps units in the US than just the Navy SEALs. Here's a comprehensive list of all the SpecOps units we could find (with help from the extensive descriptions on AmericanSpecialOps.com).
Division Marine Recon
Marine Reconnaissance teams provide intelligence for active small unit operations on the battlefield. Those with Marine Sniper quals can also provide accurate and demoralizing small arms fire at a distance.
Marine Recon is arguably in the top five of all special operators. It's capable of harassing an entire enemy battalion for long periods of time, tracking enemy units for larger American forces, or conducting well-orchestrated raids on high-valued targets.
These guys are the gems in the crown of the United States Marine Corps.
USMC Amphibious Recon Platoons
Amphibious Recon Platoons draw their personnel from Battalion Recon Units and typically support direct-action Force Reconnaissance Operations as well as Naval Fleet Operations.
They hold all the same certifications, generally speaking, as Recon Marines. The only difference are their tasks, which include determining the characteristics and defenses of possible amphibious landing zones, and reporting the information back to the commanders at sea.
Air Force Special Operations Weatherman
These special operators can forecast the weather above a fight, kill the enemy, and direct artillery — simultaneously.
The official mission of the US Air Force field weatherman is as a ground-level, small-unit meteorologist who provides accurate forecasts for the purpose of air asset deployment.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider