This is a really interesting analysis of US #SOF creeds & what they say about the SOF mindset. The authors find 6 main themes as shown in the figure below: Warrior, Honorable, Team-Player, Patriot, Exceptional, Leader. 1/n

https://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/want-reform-special-operations-first-seek-understand-mindset

They use these themes to craft a generic US #SOF creed: "I am an honorable and exceptional warrior--one who is a consummate team player, an effective leader, and a patriot." 2/n

What's I find fascinating is not these specific themes, which are sensical for #SOF, but the *order* in which they are emphasized. Look at this figure again: Warrior, Honorable, and Team-Player feature much more prominently than Patriot, Exceptional, and Leader. 3/n

The authors give exemplars of these terms:

Warrior – I successfully engage in hostile armed conflict.

Honorable – I maintain a superior professional reputation.

Team Player – I work well with others and put my team before myself. 4/n

Exceptional – I display excellence, both physically and mentally.

Patriot – I am committed to serving the nation.

Leader – I create the conditions necessary for others to follow. 5/n

Why do I find this ordering of interest? Because it speaks directly to the pathologies of US #SOF culture highlighted in the @USSOCOM comprehensive review from earlier this year. 6/n

https://sof.news/pubs/USSOCOM-Comprehensive-Ethics-Review-Report-January-2020.pdf

One of the main findings of that review was: "a @USSOCOM culture overly focused on force employment & mission accomplishment creates the contexts or situations
allowing for misconduct and unethical behavior to develop within the #SOF enterprise." 7/n

Go deeper into the review & you'll find discussion of leadership deficiencies at tactical/operational levels & special operator mindsets that put warfighting prowess, mission accomplishment & dedication to #SOF teams ahead of all else--including accountability. 8/n

These findings align to the ordering of the creed themes: Warfighting and the team-centric view being 2 of the top 3. Even the "honor" theme centers on professional reputation, which is most relevant for #SOF within their immediate teams/units/organizations. 9/n

The most strategic elements of the creed (patriotism and leadership) come last and the relative emphasis (size of circles below) on these aspects is much less than on Warrior, Honor, and Team-Player. 10/n

So why does all of this matter? As the authors say: "Creeds function as rhetorical building blocks for the values, ethics, morals and overall culture of the #SOF community." 11/n

As @USSOCOM looks to address the cultural & other issues identified in its Comprehensive Review, re-examining #SOF creeds may be a previously-overlooked means of doing so--it's not one I've heard mention of previously & therefore why this article piqued my interest. 12/12

cc @smallwars @k_m_jackson @RobinsonEricD @gringa @SethGJones @wesleysmorgan @SeanDNaylor @UticaEric @TonyT2Thomas @UVAnthonyCSCS @DavidMaxwell161 @Tomtrask @StanMcChrystal @AllBeretsMatter