Description
Special Warfare Operators (SO) perform maritime, land, and airborne special operations in urban, desert, jungle, arctic, undersea, and mountain environments; duties include: direct action, counterterrorism, special reconnaissance, foreign internal defense, counter insurgency, security force assistance, countering weapons of mass destruction, unconventional warfare, hostage rescue and recovery, and foreign humanitarian assistance.
Core Skills
- special operations mission planning and execution
- small unit leadership and team coordination
- intelligence gathering and reconnaissance
- risk assessment and threat analysis
- communications discipline and secure comms usage
- joint and interagency coordination
- training and instruction of partner forces
- operational security (OPSEC)
- report writing and debriefing
- situational awareness and rapid decision making
- cross-cultural communication
- logistics planning and resource management
- stress management and resilience
- adaptability in complex environments
Common Certifications
- Close Protection/Executive Protection Certification
- ASIS Physical Security Professional (PSP)
- Certified Protection Professional (CPP)
- Firearms Instructor Certification (NRA or state)
- First Responder/EMT Certification
- Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC)
- FEMA Emergency Management Certifications
Civilian Career Paths
- PRIVATE SECURITY
- PHYSICAL SECURITY
- EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
- INTELLIGENCE ANALYSIS
Defense contractor jobs for SO
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Data sourced from official Navy publications and public military occupational references. Descriptions may be summarized for clarity. Verify all information with your branch career counselor or official military documentation before making career decisions.