True or False? The Geographic Combatant Command exercises COCOM authority over all SOF assigned or attached to the theater.

True or False? The Geographic Combatant Command exercises COCOM authority over all SOF assigned or attached to the theater.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Sometimes True
• D. Always False

Answer: (B)

The statement is false because, while Geographic Combatant Commanders (GCCs) exercise Combatant Command (COCOM) authority over forces in their theaters, this authority does not automatically extend over all Special Operations Forces (SOF) assigned or attached to the theater. The command structure for SOF may involve different levels of command, with some SOF units being assigned to the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), which retains control over those units in various operations. In practice, this means that while GCCs can exercise COCOM over SOF that are under their operational control, certain SOF units may also be tasked with missions overseen by USSOCOM or other higher commands, operating under a different chain of command that might not place them directly under the authority of the GCC. Thus, the statement is not universally true, reflecting the complex command relationships inherent in military operations involving special operations forces.

The statement is false because, while Geographic Combatant Commanders (GCCs) exercise Combatant Command (COCOM) authority over forces in their theaters, this authority does not automatically extend over all Special Operations Forces (SOF) assigned or attached to the theater. The command structure for SOF may involve different levels of command, with some SOF units being assigned to the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), which retains control over those units in various operations.

In practice, this means that while GCCs can exercise COCOM over SOF that are under their operational control, certain SOF units may also be tasked with missions overseen by USSOCOM or other higher commands, operating under a different chain of command that might not place them directly under the authority of the GCC. Thus, the statement is not universally true, reflecting the complex command relationships inherent in military operations involving special operations forces.