## Dod Directive 3801.01 Special Operations Policy And Oversight Council (Sopoc)



Originating Component:
Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy

Effective:
February 12, 2018

Releasability:
Cleared for public release.  Available on the Directives Division Website at http://www.esd.whs.mil/DD/.

Incorporates and Cancels: Deputy Secretary of Defense Memorandum, "Establishment of the Special
Operations Policy and Oversight Council," April 19, 2017

Approved by:
Patrick M. Shanahan, Deputy Secretary of Defense
Purpose: Pursuant to Sections 138(b)(4) and 139b of Title 10, United States Code, this issuance:
- Establishes the SOPOC, the SOPOC Senior Steering Committee (SOPOC SSC), and the SOPOC
Working Group (SOPOC WG).
- Designates the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict
(ASD(SO/LIC)) as the lead for the SOPOC.


## Table Of Contents


SECTION 1:  GENERAL ISSUANCE INFORMATION ........ 3
1.1.  Applicability. ........ 3 1.2.  Policy. ........ 3
SECTION 2:  RESPONSIBILITIES ........ 4
2.1.  ASD(SO/LIC). ........ 4 2.2.  Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence. ........ 4 2.3.  Deputy Chief Management Officer of the Department of Defense. ........ 4 2.4.  General Counsel of the Department of Defense. ........ 4 2.5.  Director, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation. ........ 5
2.6.  Under Secretaries of Defense and Assistant Secretaries of Defense to the USD(P). ....... 5
2.7.  Secretaries of the Military Departments. ........ 5 2.8.  Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. ........ 6 2.9.  Commander, United States Special Operations Command. ........ 6
SECTION 3:  FUNCTIONS OF THE SOPOC ........ 7 SECTION 4:  MEMBERSHIP AND ORGANIZATION OF THE SOPOC ........ 9 GLOSSARY ........ 10
G.1.  Acronyms. ........ 10 G.2.  Definitions. ........ 10
REFERENCES ........ 11

## Section 1:  General Issuance Information

1.1.  APPLICABILITY.  This issuance applies to OSD, the Military Departments, the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands, the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Defense, the Defense Agencies, the DoD Field Activities, and all other organizational entities within the DoD.

1.2.  POLICY.  It is DoD policy that the SOPOC will be a focal point for developing and improving policy, joint processes, and procedures relating to special operations (SO) forces and capabilities within DoD.



## Section 2:  Responsibilities

2.1.  ASD(SO/LIC).  Under the authority, direction, and control of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy (USD(P)), the ASD(SO/LIC) or the designee of the ASD(SO/LIC):

a.  Convenes, sets the agenda, and leads the SOPOC.
b.  Determines the frequency of SOPOC meetings. c.  Approves and publishes a summary of conclusions for each SOPOC meeting.
d.  Establishes a senior steering committee and working group to develop and coordinate recommendations for SO-related focus areas and issues for consideration by the SOPOC.

e.  Determines the need for additional members of the SOPOC based on agenda topics. f.  Determines the dispute resolution process for issues that the SOPOC considers.
g.  Designates a secretariat and provides administrative support to the SOPOC.
2.2.  UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR INTELLIGENCE.  In addition to the responsibilities in Paragraph 2.6., the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence advises the SOPOC on United States Special Operations Command intelligence activities, intelligencegoverned special access programs, intelligence and intelligence-related activities conducted by SO forces, and DoD-sensitive activities.

2.3.  CHIEF MANAGEMENT OFFICER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.  The Chief Management Officer of the Department of Defense:

a.  Provides a senior representative to the SOPOC.
b.  Nominates issues, as required, for consideration and deliberation by the SOPOC.
c.  Recommends policy and program changes, as appropriate, for consideration and deliberation by the SOPOC.

d.  Assists the ASD(SO/LIC) in assembling information and material for the SOPOC.
e.  Identifies when SOPOC recommendations require changes to existing DoD issuances or the establishing of new DoD issuances.

2.4.  GENERAL COUNSEL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.  The General Counsel of the Department of Defense:

a.  Provides a senior representative to the SOPOC.
b.  Nominates issues, as required, for consideration and deliberation by the SOPOC.
c.  Recommends policy and program changes, as appropriate, for consideration and deliberation by the SOPOC.

d.  Assists the ASD(SO/LIC) in assembling information and material for the SOPOC. e.  Provides legal counsel and advice to the SOPOC, as required.
2.5.  DIRECTOR, COST ASSESSMENT AND PROGRAM EVALUATION.  The Director, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation:

a.  Provides a senior representative to the SOPOC. b.  Nominates issues, as required, for consideration and deliberation by the SOPOC.
c.  Recommends policy and program changes, as appropriate, for consideration and deliberation by the SOPOC.

d.  Assists the ASD(SO/LIC) in assembling information and material for the SOPOC. e.  Provides analytic support to the SOPOC.
2.6.  UNDER SECRETARIES OF DEFENSE AND ASSISTANT SECRETARIES OF
DEFENSE TO THE USD(P).  The Under Secretaries of Defense and the Assistant Secretaries of Defense to the USD(P):

a.  Provide a senior representative to the SOPOC from each of their respective organizations. b.  Nominate issues, as required, for consideration and deliberation by the SOPOC.
c.  Recommend policy and program changes, as appropriate, for consideration and
deliberation by the SOPOC.
d.  Assist the ASD(SO/LIC) in assembling information and material for the SOPOC.
2.7.  SECRETARIES OF THE MILITARY DEPARTMENTS.  The Secretaries of the Military Departments:

a.  Provide a senior representative to the SOPOC from each of their respective Departments.
b.  Nominate issues, as required, for consideration and deliberation by the SOPOC.
c.  Recommend policy and program changes, as appropriate, for consideration and deliberation by the SOPOC.

d.  Assist the ASD(SO/LIC) in assembling information and material for the SOPOC.
2.8.  CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF.  The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff:

a.  Provides a senior representative to the SOPOC.
b.  Nominates issues, as required, for consideration and deliberation by the SOPOC.
c.  Recommends policy and program changes, as appropriate, for consideration and deliberation by the SOPOC.

d.  Assists the ASD(SO/LIC) in assembling information and material for the SOPOC.
e.  Represents the geographic Combatant Commanders, the United States Strategic Command, the United States Transportation Command, and the United States Cyber Command.

2.9.  COMMANDER, UNITED STATES SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND.  The Commander, United States Special Operations Command:

a.  Provides a senior representative to the SOPOC.
b.  Nominates issues, as required, for consideration and deliberation by the SOPOC.
c.  Recommends policy and program changes, as appropriate, for consideration and deliberation by the SOPOC.

d.  Assists the ASD(SO/LIC) and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in assembling information and material for the SOPOC.

## Section 3:  Functions Of The Sopoc 3.1.  The Sopoc:

a.  Integrates the functional activities of DoD to provide for SO forces and capabilities.
b.  Develops and continuously improves policy, joint processes, and procedures that facilitate the development, acquisition, integration, employment, and sustainment of SO forces and capabilities.

c.  Reviews, guides, integrates, and synchronizes DoD's SO efforts to develop, implement, and sustain SO policy and capabilities.

d.  Assists the ASD(SO/LIC) in fulfilling the overall supervision (including oversight of policy and resources) of SO activities of DoD, and institutionalizes the ASD(SO/LIC)'s responsibilities outlined in Sections 138(b)(4) of Title 10, United States Code, and DoD
Directive 5111.10.

e.  Identifies emerging SO-related focus areas and issues and prepares recommendations for the ASD(SO/LIC), DoD Component heads, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Defense for policy and programmatic changes.

f.  Supports incorporation of SO-relevant concepts into strategic guidance documents.

g.  Facilitates, adjudicates, and resolves disagreements between the United States Special Operations Command and the Military Departments over the designation of requirements as either SO-peculiar or Military Service-common.
3.2.  Matters that cannot be resolved by the SOPOC, or through other DoD processes, may be endorsed by the SOPOC for nomination by the ASD(SO/LIC) to the Deputy's Management Action Group for resolution in accordance with the October 6, 2011, Deputy Secretary of Defense Memorandum and the February 6, 2012, Deputy Secretary of Defense Letter.

3.3.  The SOPOC will meet as necessary, but no less than twice each year. 3.4.  At least once per year, the SOPOC agenda will include the following topics for discussion:
a.  SO organization and force structure.
b.  SO training and readiness.
c.  SO professional education and personnel policies.


d.  SO acquisition and equipment. e.  SO legislative affairs and authorities.

## Section 4:  Membership And Organization Of The Sopoc

4.1.  Membership of the SOPOC will include the ASD(SO/LIC) or the designee of the ASD(SO/LIC), who will lead and chair the SOPOC, and senior representatives designated by the heads of the following organizations:

a.  The Military Departments.
b.  The Joint Staff. c.  The Office of the Under Secretary for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics.
d.  The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller)/Chief Financial Officer.
e.  The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness.
f.  The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence. g.  The Office of the Deputy Chief Management Officer of the Department of Defense.
h.  The Office of the General Counsel of the Department of Defense. i.  The United States Special Operations Command. j.  The Office of the Director, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation. k.  The Offices of the other Assistant Secretaries of Defense under the USD(P).
l.  Additional offices, agencies, or Combatant Commands, on a case-by-case basis, as determined by the ASD(SO/LIC), based on policy or functional responsibilities for a specific SOPOC agenda item.

4.2.  The SOPOC SSC will support the SOPOC.  The SOPOC SSC will evaluate SO-related focus areas and issues for resolution or make recommendations for SOPOC deliberations.  The ASD(SO/LIC) or the designee of the ASD(SOLIC) will name a chair to lead the SOPOC SSC. The SOPOC SSC basic membership will consist of representatives from the same organizations as the SOPOC at the two-star general or flag officer or Senior Executive Service level.  The SOPOC SSC chair may name additional members, as necessary.

4.3.  The SOPOC WG will support the SOPOC SSC.  The SOPOC WG will research, develop, and prepare SO-related focus areas, issues, and recommendations for SOPOC SSC consideration.
The SOPOC SSC chair will designate a senior action officer to lead the SOPOC WG.  The SOPOC WG basic membership will consist of representatives from the same organizations as the SOPOC at the O-6/General Schedule-15 level.  The SOPOC WG lead senior action officer may add additional members, as necessary.

## Glossary G.1.  Acronyms.

| ASD(SO/LIC)        | Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-   |
|--------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Intensity Conflict |                                                                  |
|                    |                                                                  |
| SO                 | special operations                                               |
| SOPOC              | Special Operations Policy and Oversight Council                  |
| SOPOC SSC          | SOPOC Senior Steering Committee                                  |
| SOPOC WG           | SOPOC Working Group                                              |
|                    |                                                                  |
| USD(P)             | Under Secretary of Defense for Policy                            |

G.2.  DEFINITIONS.  These terms and their definitions are defined in DoD Directive 5100.03.

Service-common.
SO-peculiar.


## References

Deputy Secretary of Defense Letter to Commander, Unites States Special Operations Command,
February 6, 2012
Deputy Secretary of Defense Memorandum, "Management Process for the Deputy Secretary of
Defense," October 6, 2011
DoD Directive 5100.03, "Support of the Headquarters of Combatant and Subordinate Unified
Commands," February 9, 2011, as amended
DoD Directive 5111.10, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-
Intensity Conflict (ASD(SO/LIC))," March 22, 1995, as amended
United States Code, Title 10