Twenty-First Century Military Innovation by Marcus Schulzke;

Author:Marcus Schulzke; [Schulzke, Marcus]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: POL012000 POLITICAL SCIENCE / Security (National & International), TEC025000 TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING / Military Science
Publisher: University of Michigan Press (limited)
Published: 2022-09-07T00:00:00+00:00

Page 158 →Standing Out

Distinguishing between regular and specialized forces drives a wedge between them and lays the foundations for rivalries and disputes about the nature of the military profession itself. At times, the higher status of elite units provokes resentment from the countless others in the ranks who are not recognized as elites and whose skill is diminished by unfavorable comparison. The resentment is apt to be especially high as the benefits of elite unit membership increase, when nonelite units show similar prowess in combat, or when elites are insulated from hardships affecting other units. Christopher Spearin notes that among the many sources of disagreement between conventional and special operations forces are “differing opinions regarding how military organizations should look and act.”337 They embody distinct conceptions of the military profession and the norms that should govern it, sowing further confusion about what it means to be part of that profession.

The individualism of elite units conflicts with a broader conventional military culture struggling to enforce a sense of collectivity. Special operations forces generally enjoy greater prestige than members of other military units, receive more glamorous missions, and claim a disproportionate share of resources. The above examples of operators’ fame outside the military contribute to this. These soldiers also benefit from professional perks that facilitate individuation and deepen separation from conventional forces. For example, they can customize their weapons and gear in a way that recalls knights and samurais wielding unique weapons with unique names and lineages. Matt Bissonnette, who achieved notoriety for writing about his involvement in the mission to kill Osama bin Laden, said that “none of my guns were standard issue. We all had individual modifications on the trigger and grips.”338 He goes on to describe many inimitable pieces of equipment available only to members of his unit. Customization is a mark of deviance from the strictures of conventional military discipline, a reaffirmation of the personalized weapon of the past over the mass-produced, interchangeable weapons of industrialization. It is one of the many status symbols that not only helps to affirm a sense of individualism but that also sets special operations forces apart from their conventional counterparts.

Another persistent complaint against military elites is that they take Page 159 →competent soldiers away from other occupations, and especially from the important junior leadership roles where they could exert a positive influence on their fellow soldiers. Each time a person is recruited into a special unit, it is strengthened at the expense of conventional forces. The concentration of skilled soldiers in a single unit may arguably leave a military weaker overall than if these soldiers were distributed to ensure a basic level of expertise and professionalism throughout the military.339 As special operations forces become more distinct from their conventional counterparts, this transfer takes on a parasitic character that leaves regular militaries drained of their most qualified members. The transfer of personnel from regular positions into special operations forces also exacerbates the problems associated with contractors. Many contractors are former special operations personnel, and contractor firms give preference to those with this type of experience.

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