This study investigates the compatibility of current Army Special Forces doctrine as enunciated in FM 31-20, February 1990, and the future Army doctrine of Army Operations as enunciated in FM 100-5, (Final Draft), 19 January 1993. For testing purposes, compatibility analysis relies on the complete research form of methodology. The compatibility test applies not only to the foundations of Army doctrine and Special Forces doctrine but also to the four Special Forces missions and the two primary Army Operations missions. This thesis accepts as the foundations of Army Operations doctrine the principles of war, the principles of operations other than war, and the tenets. Further, this thesis accepts as the foundations of Special Forces doctrine the principles of war and the Special Operations imperatives. The four Special Forces missions include unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, direct action, and special reconnaissance. The two Army Operations missions are offense and defense. As determined by methodology and the literature review, the criteria used to determine compatibility are that the foundations and missions must be consistent and unified. This thesis concludes that current Special Forces doctrine and Army Operations doctrine are compatible. The study additionally demonstrates that all Special Forces missions contribute to the offense and defense almost exclusively in the deep operations area.

ADA 272690 Approved for public release; Distribution is unlimited. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student-authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to these studies should include the foregoing statement.)