Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I get my family member’s military records?
Contact the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) at Veterans’ Service Records | National Archives
Does USASOC or the USASOC History Office have a public research facility?
No. We encourage you to visit the National Archives or the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center.
Which ARSOF Branch came first?
When it comes to the first, last, oldest, most, etc., the USASOC History Office generally follows the broad guidance of the U.S. Army Center of Military History, which states: “As a matter of policy, unless an official announcement of known facts is issued, the [Army] refrains from sanctioning claims involving ‘firsts’ or the ‘most’ because they often are difficult to substantiate and frequently are contested by other claimants.”
How does someone from an outside organization, to include the media, coordinate an interview with a USASOC Historian?
Contact the USASOC Public Affairs Office at pao-usasoc@socom.mil
Where can I find my unit’s lineage and honors information?
How do I help my unit get Campaign Participation Credit (CPC) for wartime service?
Visit the U.S. Army Human Resources Command.
Where can I find information on my unit’s insignia, decorations, flags, guidons, or streamers?
How do I obtain a past issue of Veritas, or other USASOC History Office publications?
All Veritas articles can be found on this website, and complete issues are downloadable through our Veritas archive.
Does the USASOC History Office accept submissions for publication on its website, or in Veritas?
No, we are not accepting outside submissions at this time. If this policy changes, it will be announced on this website.
What was the First Special Service Force?
What is the connection between the Office of Strategic Services and U.S. Army Special Forces, or Army Special Operations Forces?
Information on the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and its legacy relationship to SF/ARSOF is available on this website, including:
ARSOF History: Legacy units
OSS: Office of Strategic Services
What is the difference between Special Forces and Special Operations Forces?
Special Forces is a specific branch of the U.S. Army with a clearly defined set of missions. It is unique to the U.S. Army. Special Operations Forces (SOF) is a broader, Joint term that, in the Army, encompasses Special Forces, Psychological Operations, Civil Affairs, Rangers, Special Operations Aviation, and Special Operations Support/Sustainment. It can also be applied to U.S. Army legacy units from previous eras and conflicts that performed specialized missions but are no longer active, such as the World War II-era Alamo Scouts or Korean War-era GHQ Raiders.