Horizons - United States Special Operations Command

SOKF J9 – Directorate of Futures“Building Tomorrow’s Capabilities Today”Concept Development Division (J9-C) Concept Development Division (J9-E) Concept Development Division (J9-I)Develops SOF- specific andJoint Operating Concepts inaccordance with the USSOCOMFuture Concept Development PlanLeads USSOCOM’s wargame andexperimentation activities inaccordance with CommanderapprovedWargame andExperimentation Campaign PlanDevelops and implements USSOCOMLong Range Planning Process (LRPP)Manages USSOCOM Future ConceptsJoint Capabilities Integration andDevelopment System (JCIDS) analysisFuture OperatingEnvironmentUSSOCOM Long Range Planning ProcessConcept DevelopmentWargaming &ExperimentationCapabilities Based PlanningReview and RevisionStrategic PlanningProcessJCIDS records to J&R InitialCapabilities Documents (ICD)and doctrine, organization,training, material, leadershipand education personnelfacilities, and policy (DOTMLPF)change requestsUSSOCOM and SOKF: An Integrated Capability Development ApproachIntegrated Functional TeamsUSSOCOM addresses future challenges by by identifyingcapability requirements for SOF utilizing its its J9 J9 Concepts,Integration, and Wargame/Experimentation Divisions. While Whiledeveloping concepts are written, they are are tested through aa wargaming and and experimentation process to validate to validate ideas orideas discover or flaws. discover Integrated flaws. Integrated Functional Functional Teams (IFTs) Teams consisting (IFTs)consisting of members of from members all three from J9 Divisions all three work J9 Divisions together work totogether integrate to their integrate processes their necessary processes to necessary develop, test, to develop, andtest, wargame and future wargame concepts. future concepts. The IFTs closely The IFTs coordinate closelycoordinate activities to activities more quickly to more identify quickly required identify future required capabilities,future capability capabilities, gaps, and capability recommended gaps, solutions, and recommended to drive moresolutions, expeditious to changes drive more in doctrine, expeditious organization, changes training,doctrine,organization, materiel, leadership, training, education, materiel, personnel, leadership, facilities, education, andpersonnel, policy (DOTMLPF-P). facilities, and policy (DOTMLPF-P).Extensive knowledge of of joint concepts and and the the ongoingwork of the J9 Integration Division, in in concert with with the the IFTs,are IFTs, critical are critical to to successful wargaming and and the the outputs theyprovide. they provide. Equally Equally important is the is the development of of a method afor method data for collection data collection and analysis, and analysis, which is which the is center the center ofof gravity for for successful wargaming. Data collection andanalysis plans are designed to to capture information that thatsupports the development of of future concepts and and must mustbe directly linked to to the capabilities-based assessment(CBA) process. Data collection plans must must be be focused toto address capability gaps. gaps. The The final final reports reports that are that produced areproduced provide the provide joint community the joint community and inter-agency and inter-agency organizationsorganizations a better understanding a better understanding of special operations of special and joint operations forceand capabilities joint force and capabilities how those forces and how should those be forces employed. should The beemployed. final reports The also final highlight reports capability also highlight gaps and capability proposed gapsand solutions proposed to address solutions these to gaps. address these gaps.Service Title 10 WargamesEach of the Services has a a responsibility to to plan plan and andconduct its own Title 10 10 wargame, as as a venue a for for analysis ofof its its own own future future concepts. The The J9 staff J9 staff participates participates in each ofin these each Service-sponsored of these Service-sponsored wargames and wargames associated and planningassociated events. This planning participation events. allows This USSOCOM participation to ensure allows SOFUSSOCOM is represented to ensure appropriately SOF is in represented the Service event appropriately and to inthe familiarize Service the event joint and community to familiarize with SOF the TTPs. joint communitywith SOF TTPs.Fall 2009 27