This manual, Army Doctrine Publication ADP 3-05 Army Special Operations Change 1 August 2019, provides a broad understanding of Army special operations. ADP 3-05 provides a foundation for how the Army meets the joint force commander's needs to achieve unified action by appropriately integrating Army conventional and special operations forces.The principal audience for ADP 3-05 is all members of the profession of arms. Commanders and staffs of Army headquarters serving as joint task force or multinational headquarters should also refer to applicable joint or multinational doctrine concerning the range of military operations and joint or multinational forces. Trainers and educators throughout the Army will also use this publication. Senior Army leaders can use this publication to describe the contributions of Army special operations across the range of military operations to other senior Service leaders and senior government civilian leaders.Army special operations forces are those Active and Reserve Component Army forces designated by the Secretary of Defense that are specifically organized, trained, and equipped to conduct and support special operations. These forces include Civil Affairs, Psychological Operations, Rangers, Special Forces, Special Mission Units, and Army special operations aviation forces assigned to the United States Army Special Operations Command-all supported by the 528th Sustainment Brigade (Special Operations) (Airborne).ADP 3-05 applies to the Active Army, the Army National Guard/Army National Guard of the United States, and the United States Army Reserve unless otherwise stated.
