The Special Operations Command (SOCOMD) is an Australian Defence Force command that was established on 5 May 2003 to unite all of the Australian Army's special forces units and by 2008 was fully operational.[3][4][5] Australia's Special Operations Command is of equivalent status to Australia's Fleet, Forces and Air Commands.[3] It is modelled on the equivalent commands in the United States and British military forces, and is led by a major general as Special Operations Commander Australia (SOCAUST).
The origins of SOCOMD began in 1979 with the army creating a small Directorate Special Action Forces—Army. On 13 February 1990, Headquarters Special Forces was established, which was renamed in 1997 to Headquarters Special Operations and in 2003 to Special Operations Headquarters or SOCOMD.[5][6][7]
History
A Special Operations Task Group patrol in Afghanistan in October 2009
The Special Operations Commander Australia (SOCAUST) is responsible for the peacetime 'raise, train and sustain' functions of Special Operations Command reporting to the Chief of Army, while the Chief of Joint Operations is responsible for the operational functions of Special Operations Command deployments.[7] The SOCAUST is responsible for the domestic counter-terrorism deployments of Special Operations Command reporting directly to the Chief of the Defence Force.[7]
The following have held the position of Special Operations Commander Australia, with the ranks and honours as at the completion of their tenure:
^ a bThe Australian Army – Modernisation from Beersheba and Beyond (PDF) (Report). Australian Army. 26 August 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 July 2017.
^ a b"The Australian Army: An Aide-Memoire" (PDF). Australian Army. Directorate of Plans – Army. April 2014. p. 53. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 January 2020.
^ a bSenator Robert Hill, Minister for Defence (5 May 2003). "New Special Operations Command" (Press release). Department of Defence. Archived from the original on 2 June 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
^Prime Minister John Howard (19 December 2002). "Expansion of Special Forces Counter Terrorist Capability and new Special Operations Command" (Press release). Prime Minister of Australia. Archived from the original on 23 February 2003.
^ a bGoh, Puay Hock (Francis) (June 2011). How should SOF be organized? (PDF) (Master's thesis). U.S. Navy Postgraduate School. OCLC 743235192. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
^Grant (Ret.), Brigadier William 'Mac'. "Reserve Commandos inherit a remarkable legacy" (PDF). Defence Reserves Yearbook 2004–2005. Executive Media Pty Ltd. Australian Defence Force. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 June 2011.
^ a b cDavies, Andrew; Jennings, Peter; Scheer, Benjamin (2014). A Versatile Force: The Future of Australia's Special Operations Capability (PDF). Barton, Australian Capital Territory: Australian Strategic Policy Institute. ISBN 9781921302978. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
^Boer, Cpl Corinne (19 April 2007). "Back into fray". Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper (1164 ed.). Canberra, Australia: Department of Defence. ISSN 0729-5685. Archived from the original on 21 March 2011.
^Logue, Jason (8 May 2003). "Tartan TAG". Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper (1073 ed.). Canberra: Department of Defence. ISSN 0729-5685. Archived from the original on 7 July 2013.
^Minister for Defence Christopher Pyne (12 October 2018). "Defence supports PNG security effort for APEC 2018". Department of Defence (Press release). Retrieved 31 December 2019.
^Greene, Andrew (12 September 2018). "Australian Special Forces to protect world leaders at APEC meeting in Papua New Guinea". ABC News. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
^Benson, CAPT Dean (15 November 2018). "Training for success" (PDF). Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper (1432 ed.). Canberra: Department of Defence. ISSN 0729-5685. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 December 2019.
^Australian Army (November 2020). "Special Operations Command Information Booklet" (PDF). Australian Army. p. 3. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
^"Special Operations Command". Australian Army. 18 November 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
^"Special Forces Group". Australian Army. 18 November 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
^"Defence Special Operations Training & Education Centre". Australian Army. 19 November 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
^"Chief of Army Announces Changes to Army Senior Leadership". Department of Defence (Press release). 19 September 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
^"Special Operations Commander Australia". Australian Army: Our leaders. Department of Defence. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
^"Special Operations Commander Australia: Major General Paul Kenny, DSC, DSM". Our Leaders. Australian Army. 26 November 2020.
Further reading
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Special forces of Australia.
Senator Robert Hill, Minister for Defence (25 September 2003). "Defence Support To World Cup Security" (Press release). Department of Defence. Archived from the original on 2 June 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
Senator Robert Hill, Minister for Defence (29 October 2005). "New Special Operations Commander Appointed" (Press release). Department of Defence. Archived from the original on 2 June 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
Horner, David (2002). SAS: Phantoms of War. A History of the Australian Special Air Service (Second ed.). Sydney, New South Wales: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-647-9.