IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 255 

Commemorating the 30th anniversary of United States Special Operations 

Command. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 6, 2017 

Ms. CASTOR of Florida (for herself, Mr. JONES, Mr. PETERS, and Mr. WALZ) 

submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 

on Armed Services 

RESOLUTION 

Commemorating the 30th anniversary of United States 

Special Operations Command. 

Whereas April 16, 2017, is the 30th anniversary of the 

United States Special Operations Command 

(USSOCOM) headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base 

in Tampa, Florida; 

Whereas, on April 16, 1987, Congress required the establishment of a Special Operations Command, which was to be 

an elite fighting force drawn from all of the branches of 

the Armed Forces; 

Whereas as a headquarters organization, USSOCOM comprises four service-component commands, consisting of 

the United States Army Special Operations Command, 

United States Naval Special Warfare Command, United 


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•HRES 255 IH 

States Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, and United States Air Force Special Operations 

Command, and includes various sub-unified commands; 

Whereas each service-component command has sub-component commands consisting of— 

(1) Army Special Forces (Green Berets), Rangers, 

Special Operations Aviation, Civil Affairs, Military Information Support Operations; 

(2) Navy SEALS and Special Warfare CombatantCraft Crewmen; 

(3) Air Force Commandos and Special Tactics Airmen; 

(4) Marine Raiders; and 

(5) other Joint Special Operations Forces; 

Whereas USSOCOM protects and defends the United States 

in a variety of ways, including direct action, special reconnaissance, unconventional warfare, foreign internal 

defense, civil affairs operations, counterterrorism, military information support operations, counter-proliferation 

of weapons of mass destruction, security force assistance, 

counterinsurgency, hostage rescue and recovery, foreign 

humanitarian assistance, and other missions as assigned; 

Whereas USSOCOM has an unequaled ability to analyze and 

respond to terrorist threats and USSOCOM has led 

many successful missions globally; 

Whereas many USSOCOM missions are classified, so the 

American people may never know the details and extent 

of the bravery of Special Operations Forces, but a sample 

of missions provide a glimpse into the bravery and talents 

of these members of the Armed Forces: 

(1) on May 2, 2011, Osama bin Laden was killed in 

a special operations mission in Pakistan, for which the 


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outstanding men and women in America’s intelligence 

and Armed Forces, especially those from SOCOM, remained focused on bringing Osama bin Laden to justice, 

and on May 2, 2011, justice was done; 

(2) on April 12, 2009, the Maersk Alabama was rescued unharmed in a special operations mission in the Indian Ocean, after a five-day standoff between the United 

States Navy and Somalian pirates; 

(3) on April 1, 2003, Jessica Lynch, a United States 

Army clerk taken prisoner for nine days in Iraq, was rescued by Special Operations Forces during a night raid in 

the hospital where she was being held; 

(4) on December 13, 2003, in Operation Red Dawn, 

Special Operations Forces captured deposed Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, who was hiding in a spider hole; 

(5) on January 17, 1991, as Operation Desert 

Storm began, Special Operations Forces slipped hundreds 

of miles into Iraq to identify Iraqi Scud missiles as targets for American fighter jets; and 

(6) on December 20, 1989, in Operation Just Cause 

and Operation Nifty Package, Special Operations Forces 

ventured into Panama to bring its then President Manuel 

Noriega to justice for drug-trafficking; 

Whereas approximately 70,000 Regular component, National 

Guard, and reserve component personnel from all four 

services and Department of Defense civilians are assigned 

to USSOCOM headquarters in Tampa, its four servicecomponent commands, and eight sub-unified commands; 

Whereas the heroism, skill, and patriotism of USSOCOM 

personnel and their families are without parallel; 


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Whereas the responsibilities of USSOCOM are growing and 

its mission is now and will continue to be central to the 

defense of the United States in future decades; and 

Whereas the sacrifices of many, the service of all, and the talents of the Special Operations Forces are cause for confidence and optimism: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That in commemoration of the 30th anni2 versary of the United States Special Operations Com3 mand, the House of Representatives honors the soldiers, 

4 sailors, airmen, Marines, and civilians who, together with 

5 their family members, comprise the United States Special 

6 Operations Forces community for their service and com7 mitment to keeping the United States safe. 

Æ 


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