NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL - dtic.mil

1 NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA THESIS approved for public release; distribution is unlimited RETURN ON INVESTMENT: ENSURING SPECIAL FORCES CAN FIGHT ANOTHER DAY by Kevin J. Key December 2011 Thesis Advisor: Leo Blanken Second Reader: Guy Lemire THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK iREPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form approved OMB No. 0704 0188 Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instruction, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Washington headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202 4302, and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0704 0188) Washington DC 20503.

2 1. AGENCY USE ONLY (Leave blank) 2. REPORT DATE December 2011 3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED Master s Thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Return on Investment: Ensuring Special Forces can Fight Another Day 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 6. AUTHOR(S) Kevin J. Key 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL Monterey, CA 93943 5000 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING /MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) N/A 10. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY REPORT NUMBER 11. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES The views expressed in this thesis are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Defense or the Government. IRB Protocol number _____N/A_____. 12a. DISTRIBUTION / AVAILABILITY STATEMENT approved for public release; distribution is unlimited 12b. DISTRIBUTION CODE 13. ABSTRACT (maximum 200 words) The purpose of this research is to identify possible cultural and policy changes within the Special Forces Regiment that can elongate the operational lifespan of a Special Forces operator through improved physical conditioning and recovery.

3 Since inception, Special Forces Soldiers have conducted operations differently from any other Soldiers or Service Members. These differences are not only in the types of operations or missions themselves, but in frequency, duration, austerity, and level of resources. As Special Forces Soldiers have continued to succeed at the challenges set before them, many have prematurely worn their bodies down and become less than fully physically capable to continue in their highly demanding field of work. In the situations where these exceptional Soldiers are removed from an operational role, their units lose the vast amount of experience that the individual Soldier had, and need to use additional resources training a replacement. This thesis argues that improving the Special Forces Regiment s focus on physical readiness through some slight cultural and policy changes can significantly decrease the inevitable losses of Special Forces Soldiers to operational units, and allow the individual Green Beret to remain at a healthy state throughout his career and beyond.

4 14. SUBJECT TERMS Physical Readiness Training (PRT), National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), Special Operations Forces (SOF), Special Forces (SF), Tactical Human Optimization, Rapid Rehabilitation and Reconditioning (THOR3) 15. NUMBER OF PAGES 97 16. PRICE CODE 17. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF REPORT Unclassified 18. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF THIS PAGE Unclassified 19. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF ABSTRACT Unclassified 20. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT UU NSN 7540 01 280 5500 Standard Form 298 (Rev. 2 89) Prescribed by ANSI Std. 239 18 iiTHIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK iiiApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited RETURN ON INVESTMENT: ENSURING SPECIAL FORCES CAN FIGHT ANOTHER DAY Kevin J. Key Major, United States Army , University of Nevada, 1998 Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE IN DEFENSE ANALYSIS from the NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL December 2011 Author: Kevin J.

5 Key approved by: Leo Blanken Thesis Advisor Colonel Guy LeMire Second Reader John Arquilla Chair, Department of Defense Analysis ivTHIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK vABSTRACT The purpose of this research is to identify possible cultural and policy changes within the Special Forces Regiment that can elongate the operational lifespan of a Special Forces operator through improved physical conditioning and recovery. Since inception, Special Forces Soldiers have conducted operations differently from any other Soldiers or Service Members. These differences are not only in the types of operations or missions themselves, but in frequency, duration, austerity, and level of resources. As Special Forces Soldiers have continued to succeed at the challenges set before them, many have prematurely worn their bodies down and become less than fully physically capable to continue in their highly demanding field of work.

6 In the situations where these exceptional Soldiers are removed from an operational role, their units lose the vast amount of experience that the individual Soldier had, and need to use additional resources training a replacement. This thesis argues that improving the Special Forces Regiment s focus on physical readiness through some slight cultural and policy changes can significantly decrease the inevitable losses of Special Forces Soldiers to operational units, and allow the individual Green Beret to remain at a healthy state throughout his career and beyond. viTHIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK viiTABLE OF CONTENTS I. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE GREEN BERET INVESTMENT ..1 A. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND SCOPE ..1 B. BACKGROUND ..2 C. RESEARCH QUESTION ..2 D. ARGUMENT ..2 II. LITERATURE REVIEW: ..5 A. SPORTS MEDICINE AND ELITE ATHLETE PIECES OF LITERATURE ..5 B. MILITARY ORIENTED PIECES OF LITERATURE ..7 C.

7 THE VALUE OF FITNESS LITURATURE TO SPECIAL FORCES ..9 III. METHODOLOGY AND CHAPTER SUMMARIES ..11 A. THESIS METHODOLOGY ..11 B. CHAPTER DESCRIPTIONS ..12 IV. FINDING THE BEST POLICY FOR THE SPECIAL FORCES WARRIOR ..15 A. CULTURE DEFINED ..15 B. THE ROLE OF POLICY TO SPECIAL FORCES ..16 C. WHY IMPROVING PHYSICAL TRAINING CULTURE AND POLICY IS IMPORTANT TO SPECIAL FORCES ..17 D. ENSURING HUMANS REMAIN MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE HARDWARE THEY OPERATE ..19 E. CULTURE AND POLICIES MATTER ..21 F. IMPORTANCE OF COMMAND FOCUS TO A LONG AND EFFECTIVE OPERATIONAL CAREER ..22 G. IMPLEMENTING EFFECTIVE CULTURAL AND POLICY CHANGES ..24 V. WHY HISTORICAL TRAINING EXAMPLES ARE RELEVANT TO SPECIAL FORCES ..25 A. DRAWING FROM THE PAST AND LOOKING TO THE FUTURE ..26 B. CASE STUDY: 5TH CENTURY ROMAN EMPIRE ..28 C. CASE STUDY: WORLD WAR I. INFANTRY ..32 D. APPLY HISTORICAL LESSONS TO TODAY S GOALS ..35 VI. SPECIAL FORCES CULTURE AND POLICY TOWARDS PHYSICAL READINESS TRAINING.

8 37 A. CAN THE ARMY PRT WORK FOR SF? ..37 B. SPECIAL FORCES PAST ..41 C. SPECIAL FORCES D. SPECIAL FORCES LIKELY FUTURE ..42 E. APPLYING WHAT WORKS ..43 VII. OTHER CULTURES AND POLICY TOWARD PHYSICAL READINESS AND FITNESS ..45 viiiA. THE 75TH RANGER REGIMENT ..46 B. THE NAVY SEALS ..48 C. THOR3 ..52 D. ELITE ATHLETIC CULTURES ..54 E. THE TAKE-AWAY. CONTINUING TO LEARN AND IMPROVE ..57 VIII. EFFECTIVE TRAINING AND POLICY FOR SPECIAL FORCES: ..59 A. OPTIMAL TRAINING WHILE IN GARRISON THE START ..60 B. OPTIMAL TRAINING WHILE DEPLOYED MAINTAINING ..64 C. THE PHYSICAL TRAINING ANSWER FOR SPECIAL FORCES MOVING FOREWARD ..67 IX. SUMMARY AND WAY AHEAD ..71 APPENDIX ..73 BOOK REVIEW OF: ARMY PHYSICAL READINESS TRAINING. TC CAN THE ARMY S PHYSICAL READINESS TRAINING (PRT) WORK FOR SPECIAL FORCES? ..73 LIST OF REFERENCES ..77 INITIAL DISTRIBUTION LIST ..81 ixLIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS 1SG: Army First Sergeant ACE: American Council of Exercise AR: Army Regulation.

9 Pertaining to a manual ARFORGEN: Army Force Generation ARSOF: Army Special Operations Forces ASI: Additional Skill Indicator AQAP: Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula CCDR: Combatant Commanders CPT: Certified Personal Trainer CT: Counter Terrorism CP: Counter Proliferation DA: Direct Action DoD: Department of Defense ECP: Extreme Conditioning Programs FID: Foreign Internal Defense FM: Field Manual HN: Host Nation IED: Improvised Explosive Devise IO: Information Operations JFK SWCS: JFK Special Warfare Center and SCHOOL KLE: Key Leader Engagement MOS: Military Occupational Specialty MSG: Army Master Sergeant xMSG(P): Army Master Sergeant (Promotable) NASM: National Academy of Sports Medicine NCO: Non Commissioned Officer NCOES: Non Commissioned Officer Educational System NPS: NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL NSCA: National Strength and Conditioning Association ODA: Operational Detachment Alpha OPT: Optimum Performance Training Model designed by NASM OPTEMPO: Operational Tempo OSS: Office of Strategic Services PAO: Public Affairs Office PCS: Permanent Change of Station PMI: Phased Maintenance Inspection PMCS: Preventative Maintenance Checks and Services PMS: Preventative Maintenance Services PRT: Physical Readiness Training PT: Physical Training PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder RAW: Ranger Athlete Warrior SEAL: Sea Air Land.

10 Navy SEALs SGM: Sergeant Major SF: Special Forces SFG(A): Special Forces Group (Airborne) SFODA: Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha SFQC: Special Forces Qualification Course xiSOCOM: Special Operations Command SOF: Special Operations Forces SOP: Standard Operating Procedure SOTAC: Special Operations Terminal Attack Controller SR: Special Reconnaissance TDY: Temporary Duty THOR3: Tactical Human Optimization Rapid Rehabilitation and Reconditioning TM: Technical Manuals TLP: Troop Leading Procedures TTP: Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures USASOC: United States Army Special Operations Command USSFC: United States Special Forces Command USSOCOM: United States Special Operations Command UW: Unconventional Warfare UDT: Underwater Demolition Teams WWI: World War One xiiTHIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK xiiiACKNOWLEDGMENTS The completion of this thesis is due to the contributions of far too many to list. From all of my professors at NPS, to my pals in the medical community and great new friends in all aspects of the athletic world, thank you.