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U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the 10th and 19th Special Forces Groups load equipment and snowmobiles into a MC-130J Commando II during Arctic Edge 24 in Utqiagvik, Alaska, Mar 8, 2024. During Arctic Edge 24, more than 400 joint and allied Special Operators trained in extreme cold conditions to sharpen SOF readiness across unique specialties like long range fires and movements, special reconnaissance, rapid resupply, personnel recovery, and medical care in the austere Arctic environment. AE24 is a NORAD and U.S. Northern Command-led homeland defense exercise demonstrating the U.S. military’s capabilities in extreme cold weather, joint force readiness, and U.S. military commitment to mutual strategic security interests in the Arctic region. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Drew Cyburt)

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Scaling of SOF Authorities and Permissions from Competition to Conflict

Published April 13, 2026
By MARSOC

Scaling from competition to conflict requires preapproved authorities for escalation. How can SOF authorities and permissions scale from competition to conflict at a tempo that provides joint force advantage, while providing clear activity escalation indicators in a degraded, denied, intermittent, and low-bandwidth communications environment? Do current processes provide the speed necessary to prevent or prevail against a near-peer adversary?

240308-F-VD069-1002