With job cuts and drug tests, the Pentagon hopes to prepare its special-ops forces for a n
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- The US military is reorienting to great-power competition after 20 years of counterterrorism.
US Army/VIS Jason Johnston
Despite some difficulties, that growth was relatively smooth, though there have been persistent concerns about what it means for the community, as one of the core “special-operations truths” is that its operators can’t be mass-produced.
The reduction of troop numbers and requirement for drug testing reflect the Pentagon’s focus on building a special-operations force suited for a new era in which special-ops leaders expect their units to focus more on supporting the operations of their parent branches.
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Limiting drug use and other moves to improve discipline will surely be beneficial, but critics of the reduction plans say trimming support troops may hinder future operations by limiting the number of special-ops units available and shrinking the range of missions they can do.
Stavros Atlamazoglou is a defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He has a B.A. from the Johns Hopkins University, an M.A. in strategy, cybersecurity, and intelligence from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and is currently pursuing a Juris Doctor degree from Boston College Law School.
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