Special Operations

The hub for thinking, dialogue, and professional growth across the Special Operations community, bridging operators, policymakers, researchers, and industry partners.

Iran, Ukraine, and the Future of Naval Warfare

Episode 156 examines what the U.S.-Iran War and Russia-Ukraine War reveal about how weaker states and irregular actors contest navies, maritime commerce, and global energy flows. Summary This conversation examines naval irregular warfare in an era of drones, shadow fleets, contested chokepoints, and attacks on commercial shipping. The

Operationally Detached: Why Decentralization, Not Consolidation, Is the Future of U.S. Army Special Forces

“The country must turn to, and not away from, the American way of irregular war.” —Lieutenant General Charles T. Cleveland, The American Way of Irregular War (2020) Editor’s Note: This article is a response to “The Last A-Team: Special Forces Aren’t Special Anymore,” and  “A New Vision for

A New Vision for Special Forces

Editor’s Note: This is part two of a two-part article assessing the past, present, and future of U.S. Army Special Forces. See part one here. The Green Beret's greatest legacy was never the beret. It was the audacity to imagine something that did not exist. That

The Last A-Team: Special Forces Aren't Special Anymore

Editor’s Note: This is part one of a two-part article assessing the past, present, and future of U.S. Army Special Forces. The operating environment has evolved faster than the United States Army Special Forces. Green Berets did not fail at their assigned missions; they failed to sufficiently adapt

Stop Calling It the “Gray Zone”: How China Exploits the Language of Ambiguity

"The problem is not that China operates in a gray zone. The problem is that the free world continues describing warfare in terms China itself does not recognize." For more than a decade strategists, journalists, and policy makers have relied on the phrase “gray zone” to describe China’

Irregular Warfare: If We Ever Stop Arguing About IW, Then IW Will Be Dead

"Large-scale combat operations win through maneuver warfare and war of attrition. Irregular, unconventional, and political warfare wins through exhaustion. They target will, cohesion, legitimacy, and endurance. They erode the foundations of power rather than destroying its visible structures." Irregular warfare (IW) refuses to sit still. It shifts with

Where the Lion Can’t Reach: Unconventional Warfare in Major War

Description Episode 153 examines the role of unconventional warfare and special operations forces in conventional major war. Summary This conversation explores how unconventional warfare can support, shape, and sometimes substitute for conventional military operations in large-scale combat. Our guests examine what unconventional warfare is and why it matters beyond the

Covert Crypto: a Double-edged Sword for Special Operations

“For covert operations, the misconception that crypto is inherently 'anonymous' is hazardous... Instead, crypto provides the potential for non-attribution or deliberate exposure, depending on the type of operation.” In the current landscape of strategic competition and irregular warfare, the ability to operate covertly in the financial domain is

Solving the Dilemma: A Leadership Model for Irregular Warfare ('Guerrilla Leader Series' - Part 3 of 3)

“Every intervention begins as a story of liberation. Without adaptation, it ends as a story of occupation.” Why do militarily superior forces consistently win the fight—but lose the peace? This is not a new question. It is the defining paradox of modern irregular warfare. From Vietnam to Afghanistan to

The Strategic Shift: A Leader’s Guide to the Risk to Follower Model (‘Guerrilla Leader Series' - Part 2 of 3)

"Understanding this model is the key to knowing when to lead with decisive action and when to lead with empathetic connection. It is the essential next step in moving beyond short-term tactical success toward long-term strategic victory." In the preceding analysis—the first installment of what has become

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Bridging the gap between irregular warfare scholars, practitioners, and policymakers.

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The IWI SOF Program is the hub for thinking, dialogue, and professional growth across the Special Operations community. Built as a virtual team house, it brings together operators, policymakers, researchers, and industry partners to explore how SOF contributes to irregular warfare and to the broader national security mission. The program curates analysis, ideas, and debates that help the force learn faster, think deeper, and stay relevant as strategic competition evolves.

At its core, the program strengthens the human network that makes SOF effective. It gives the community a place to read, write, debate, and test ideas—whether examining the future of SOF activities, unpacking emerging technologies, or translating lessons learned into forward-leaning concepts. Contributors can publish articles, propose podcasts, shape events, and collaborate across the joint force and interagency. The goal is to cultivate a shared intellectual space where the profession sharpens itself.

The SOF Program is also a platform for leadership development and service. Team members gain visibility, build experience, and help shape the profession’s future direction. Anyone with a stake in the SOF enterprise—practitioners, scholars, and industry professionals—is invited to engage, contribute, and join the team as we advance the conversation around SOF and irregular warfare.

Meet the Team

Dr. Joseph Long Dr. Joseph Long Director, SOF Program
David Cook David Cook Advisor, SOF Program
David Maxwell David Maxwell Advisor, SOF Program
Don Edwards Don Edwards Advisor, SOF Program
Dr. Frank Sobchak Dr. Frank Sobchak Advisor, SOF Program
Dr. Robert Burrell Dr. Robert Burrell Advisor, SOF Program
Jaclyn "Jax" Scott Jaclyn "Jax" Scott Advisor, SOF Program
Paul Cobaugh Paul Cobaugh Advisor, SOF Program