FM 3-18 — Special Forces
FM 3-18 governs Army Special Forces operations by establishing a common frame of reference and offering tools to plan, prepare, execute, and assess them.
- Publication number: FM 3-18
- Title: SPECIAL FORCES
- Date: 08/07/2026
- Proponent: T2COM
- Status: ACTIVE
View FM 3-18 on armypubs.army.mil
It covers Special Forces roles, core activities, unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, organizational structures, operational contexts, and sustainment. The doctrine is a guide for action rather than a set of fixed rules, and it describes capabilities and principles for Special Forces operations.
Topics covered
- Unconventional warfare
- Foreign internal defense
- Special Forces core activities
- Operational environments
- Special Forces organization
- Competition, crisis, and armed conflict
- Sustainment support
Questions and answers
What are Special Forces organized, trained, and equipped to do?
Special Forces are the United States Army forces organized, trained, and equipped to conduct special operations with an emphasis on unconventional warfare capabilities (JP 3-05). (paragraph 1)
What is the enduring role of Special Forces?
The enduring role of SF is to conduct special operations for strategic and operational objectives. (paragraph 1-1)
How are SF Soldiers organized?
SF Soldiers are organized into small, versatile, 12-person teams known as the operational detachment alpha (ODA). (paragraph 1-5)
What capabilities make Special Forces effective with indigenous forces?
The rigorous SF assessment, selection, and training process identifies highly skilled Soldiers with critical thinking ability, acceptance of ambiguity, prudent risk assessment, and rapid adaptation. (paragraph 1-4)
What is the mission of a Special Forces Group?
The mission of the SFG is to plan, execute command and control, and support special operations activities in any operational environment. (paragraph 3-9)