Company Capabilities Careers News Contact Us Mission Essential Conversations – The Identity Crisis in Special Forces By Teresa Guzik | March 3, 2021 Army Special Forces officer COL Ed Croot sat down for a Mission Essential Conversation on the identity crisis in Special Forces. During the discussion, COL Croot goes in-depth about U.S. Special Forces’ evolving demands influenced by prevailing global circumstances. Special Forces face vastly different challenges in the current Great Power Competition than mission requirements when founded in 1952. Today’s environment impacts critical variables such as scope, scale, and an adversary’s speed. COL Croot’s 2020 Duke University dissertation on the topic identified fundamental disconnects between recruitment, training, and deployment for Special Forces. About COL Edward Croot COL Edward Croot is an Army Special Forces officer from Long Valley, NJ. He is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh (B.A. Business / B.S. Psychology), Army School of Advanced Military Studies (M.A. Theater Level Operations), and Kansas State University (M.S. Education). He joined the Army in 1995, earning his commission through ROTC. He has commanded at the company and battalion level and served on operational assignments in Bosnia, Macedonia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Yemen, Zambia, Iraq, Bangladesh, and Jordan. COL Croot has interagency and policy experience from two U.S. embassy assignments in Sanaa and Dhaka and multinational experience on both a UN and NATO staff. He has focused on national security threats in the Middle East, the Asia-Pacific, and Africa. COL Croot recently completed the Counterterrorism and Public Policy Fellowship at Duke University, where he conducted research on the current culture and identity of the U.S. Army Special Forces. Posted in Blog, Uncategorized Recent Posts Mission Essential Conversations – Artificial Intelligence and National Security Mission Essential Conversations – Career Tips from Recruiters: Transitioning Military and Veterans (Part 1) Mission Essential President Appointed to Advisory Board Mission Essential Conversations – The Identity Crisis in Special Forces Mission Essential Team Voted Best Recruiters 13880 DULLES CORNER LANE SUITE 400 HERNDON, VA 20171 6525 WEST CAMPUS OVAL SUITE 101 NEW ALBANY, OH 43054 Company Divisions Capabilities Careers News Contact Us Mission Essential 13880 Dulles Corner Lane, Suite 400 Herndon, VA 20171 ©2021 The Mission Essential Group, LLC. ® The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement. We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing to visit this site you agree to our use of cookies. To learn about our cookie policy and to change your cookie setting, please see the following. ACCEPT PRIVACY POLICY