Lessons of the OSS

<p>The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) is seeking ways to improve its organizational and institutional structure as it takes the military lead in the Global War on Terror (GWOT). The demands of the GWOT require USSOCOM to balance the conflicting requirements for unity of effort with the equally compelling need for regional integration. The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) faced similarly complex global command and control situations and this makes it seem to be a convincing model for USSOCOM to emulate. However deeper examination highlights some significant problems with the wholesale transfer of the OSS organizational construct to modern SOF. Asking probing questions about the OSS analogy begins to uncover a wealth of lessons both positive and negative about synchronizing and conducting global special operations. The OSS was a unique institution for a variety of reasons.</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p>