· SOCOM ·
The Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is the Unified Combatant Command charged with overseeing the various Special Operations Commands (SOC or SOCOM) of the Infantry, Mechanized, Navy and Airforce. The command is part of the Department of Defense.
SOCOM conducts several covert and clandestine missions, such as unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, special reconnaissance, psychological operations, Civil Affairs, direct action, counter-terrorism and War on Drugs operations. SOCOM's global performance in combat and noncombat areas has proven the value of a mature, culturally attuned, properly equipped, and adaptive Special Operations Force (SOF). Each branch has a Special Operations Command that is unique and capable of running its own operations, but when the different Special Operations Forces need to work together for an operation, SOCOM becomes the joint component command of the operation, instead of a SOC of a specific branch.
Green Operations-
Two kinds of missions are required to be learned by these units; the first one is Green Operations. Green operations are fundamentally pure reconnaissance. This includes gathering information on enemy strength, enemy number, a direct assessment of what kind of weapons and materials the enemy has, providing landscape and geographical layouts, references and landmarks, if not entire maps, and generally providing information on areas so that a plan may be designed as when to attack the area. Green operations can lead to direct target acquisition, and although the Marine them self doesn't engage in direction confrontation, information gathered will be essential to direct action in the future.
Black Operations-
The second kind of mission the marines will be partaking in is called Black Operations. Black operations are operations were direct action is taken by the Marine. This may include engaging the enemy in fire fight, taking out troops through use of sophisticated or long range technology, planting explosives, mines, or other kinds of devices, and to directly engage the enemy in full out war confrontation. As a standard, the Special Forces units must undergo severe and heavy training, as to increase the missions success capability, and to avoid causalities.
Different Branches
SOCOM is merely the command center and organizational unit for Special Operations specific units. While it's apparent that the Special Operations Units are all centered in the same area, the branches they correspond to are not. The SOCOM incorporates the capabilities and specific expertise of all branches in order to achieve a desired goal. While a soldier in Special Operations reports to SOCOM, they report to their individual Branch Leaders first, or of course the leader of the guild.
In addition to this, a member of the SOCOM units is not removed from their original branch. The soldiers of SOCOM still participate in regular Branch duties still preform their specific role in their branch. However, when called upon to enact in Special Forces combat, or when permitted to use their expertise and to exploit their access to high class weaponry in combat, they may do so.
