One of US special operators' most important skills is getting lost in translation, watchdog agency warns

Wed, 12/27/2023 - 18:43

Army special operations soldiers foreign language — A soldier speaks to role players during an exercise at the US Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School in April 2019.
US Army/K. Kassens

One of the main tasks for US special-operations troops is training and working with foreign forces.
Language skills are vital for that, but US special-ops units haven't been maintaining those skills.
The Pentagon should improve procedures, training, and accountability for those units, the GAO says.

What makes special forces "special" isn't just combat skills or superhuman endurance. For units such as the US Army's Special Forces, it's the ability to train and advise foreign forces.