SPECIAL FORCES OPERATIONS - U.S. ARMY DOCTRINE - February 1969 Change Update

Oct 22, 2026

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FM 31-21, “Special Forces Operations - U.S. Army Doctrine,” documents foundational doctrine for commanders and staffs responsible for training and employment of U.S. Army Special Forces. The February 1969 change notice specifies that annotated pages are updated using a starred indicator for new or changed material, with detailed instructions to remove and insert specific pages. The manual’s purpose and scope provide doctrinal guidance, including mission, capabilities, organization, methods of employment, and support.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages142

Reading Time5 h 58 min

AccessFree to download

PART ONE.INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1.GENERAL

CHAPTER 2.ORGANIZATION AND GENERAL EMPLOYMENT OF U.S. ARMY SPECIAL FORCES

PART Two.UNCONVENTIONAL WARFARE

CHPTER 3.FUNDAMENTALS OF UNCONVENTIONAL WARFARE

CHAPTER 4.COMMAND AND CONTROL OF UNCONVENTIONAL WARFARE FORCES

CHAPTER 5.EMPLOYMENT OF U.S. ARMY SPECIAL FORCES IN UNCONVENTIONAL WARFARE

CHAPTER 6.INFILTRATION AND EXFILTRATION

CHAPTER 7.ORGANIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE UWOA

CHAPTER 8.INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY

CHAPTER 9.COMBAT EMPLOYMENT OF GUERRILLA FORCES

PART THREE. OTHER MILITARY OPERATIONS

CHAPTER 10.EMPLOYMENT OF SPECIAL FORCES IN STABILITY OPERATIONS

CHAPTER 11.CONCEPT OF EMPLOYMENT OF U.S. ARMY SPECIAL FORCES IN ADDITIONAL MILITARY OPERATIONS

APPENDIX A.REFERENCES

1xs C74 FM 31-21 # SPECIAL FORCES OPERATIONSU.S.ARMY DOCTRINE Pentagon Library(ANR-PL)ATTN:Military Documents SectionRoom 1A518,PentagonWashington,DC 20310-6050 HEADQUARTERS,DEPARTMENT 0F HE ARMYFEBRUARY1969 # SPECIAL FORCES OPERATIONS-U.S.ARMY DOCTRINE FM.31-21,14 February 1969,is changed as follows: 1.A star indicates new or changed material. 2.Remove old pages and insert new pages as indicated below: √ Remove pagea1 Insert pagegi i and ii.----------------------------------- .i and ii 1-1 and 1-2 __.------------------------------------_1-1 and 1-2 2-1 through 2-9---------------------------------_2-1 through 2-25 4-3 through 4-8------- ----- --------------_4-3 through 4-10 5-3 and 5-4-.----- ------------------------------.5-3 and 5-4 7-3 through 7-8 ..- ------------ -7-3 through 7-8 11-1 and 11-2 -----------------------------------.11-1 and 11-2 A-1 and A-2-----------------------------------..A-1 through A-3 Glossary-1 through Glossary-4 -----------------------.Glossary-1 1 Index-1 and Index-2 ----------------------------------Index-1 through Index-3 3.File this change sheet in front of the publication for reference purposes. By Order of the Secretary of the Army: W.C.WESTMORELAND,General,United States Army,Chief of Staff. Official: VERNE L.BOWERS, Major General,United States Army,The Adjutant General. Distribution: To be distributed in accordance with DA Form 12-11 requirements for Guerrilla Warfare andSpecial Forces Operations. THE ARMY LIBRARYWASHINGTON,D.C I 0942 # SPECIAL FORCES OPERATIONS-U.S.ARMY DOCTRINE Paragraph Page ## PART ONE.INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1.GENERALSection I.Introduction--------------------------_1-1—1-31-1II.The Role of U.S.Army Special Forces ----1-4,1-51-1III.Special Forces Mission and Capabilities ..-1-6,1-71-2 ## CHAPTER 2.ORGANIZATION AND GENERALEMPLOYMENT OF U.S.ARMYSPECIAL FORCES Section I.General ------- -----------2-1,2-2 2-1 2-1 II.Units ---------------------------- -_2-3—2-27 ## PART Two.UNCONVENTIONAL WARFARE CHPTER 3.FUNDAMENTALS OF UNCONVEN-TIONAL WARFARE 3-1 Section I.General ----------------------------_3-1—3-6 3-2 II.Indigenous Resistance Forces -----------_3-7—3-9 3-3 III.Guerrilla Warfare ------------------_3-10,3-11 IV.Evasion and Escape- ----------3-12—3-15 3-4 3-5 V.Subversion -- --- --- .3-16—3-19 ## CHAPTER 4.COMMAND AND CONTROL OFUNCONVENTIONAL WARFAREFORCES Section I.Organizational Concepts --- ---------4-1,4-2 4-1 4-1 II.The External Organization -----------4-3—4-9 III.The Internal Organization ----------4-10—4-13 4-8 4-9 IV.Communications -. ---------------4-14,4-15 ## CHAPTER 5.EMPLOYMENT OF U.S.ARMY SPECIAL FORCES IN UNCON- ## VENTIONAL WARFARE 5-1 Section I.Introduction---- -----------5-1,5-2 II.Employment with Indigenous 5-1 Resistance Forces _-------------- 5-3—5-5 5-2 III.Unilateral Employment -------__5-6—5-8 5-3 IV.Air Support__ ------------_5-9—5-11 V.Naval Support_-- ----------- 5-12—5-16 5-5 VI.Special Forces Communications in Unconventional Warfare -- - - 5-17—5-20 5-6 ## CHAPTER 6.INFILTRATION AND EXFILTRATION Section I.Infltration 6-1—6-46-1II.Exfiltration ----------------6-5,6-66-2 ## CHAPTER 7.ORGANIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE UWOA 7-3 Section I.The Area Command-- -- ------7-1—7-5 II.Special Forces-Resistance Relations -----7-6,7-7 7-4 II.Psychological Operations in the UWOA ..-7-8—7-11 7-8 IV.Communications in the UWOA---------7-12,7-13V.Logistical Support for the UWOA _---7-14—7-19 Page Paragraph Section VI. Administration in the UWOA……………………………7-20,7-21 7-10 VII. Establishment of a Training Program.. 7-22—7-24 7-10 CHAPTER 8. INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY Section I. General………………………………………………………………………8-1,8-2 8-1 II. Intelligence Production Within the UWOA ………………………………………………………8-3—8-5 8-1 III. Counte

FAQs

What does the February 1969 change notice specify for FM 31-21?

It states that FM 31-21 is changed as follows, identifies new or changed material with a star, and provides exact instructions on which pages to remove and insert for updated coverage.

What is the purpose and scope of the manual FM 31-21?

The manual provides doctrinal guidance to commanders and staffs responsible for training and employment of U.S. Army Special Forces.

How are FM 31-21 and the classified supplement FM 31-21A related?

FM 31-21A is a classified supplement keyed to the appropriate paragraph or subparagraph of the main text, and together they describe mission, capabilities, organization, methods of employment, and support.

Oct 22, 2026

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