Recent Publications

Adapting to Future Wars: The Reorganization of the PLA Army’s Special Operations Forces and the Move toward Professionalization
September 26, 2025 — The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) implemented major changes to the organization, accession, and training of its army’s special operations forces (SOF) beginning in 2017, including the creation of a 12-man SOF team and establishment of a probable national-level army-subordinate counterterrorism unit. Beginning in 2025, the PLA introduced several changes to improve officer accession and noncommissioned officer retention in its special operations community. This article assesses observed changes since 2017 designed to improve the PLA’s command and control of its army’s SOF units and to set the foundation for China’s elite forces becoming world-class by 2049... MORE

Slide for Adapting to Future Wars: The Reorganization of the PLA Army’s Special Operations Forces and the Move toward Professionalization

Book Review: Into the Void: Special Operations Forces after the War on Terror
July 1, 2025 — Edited by James D. Kiras and Martijn Kitzen, Into the Void: Special Operations Forces after the War on Terror, looks at what is unique about the special operations forces enterprise, explores how the organization must evolve, as well as a range of new operational concepts that could benefit SOF. Contributors include academics and practitioners from several backgrounds and countries... MORE

Cover for Into the Void: Special Operations Forces after the War on Terror

The U.S. Army in the Iraq War — Volume 2: Surge and Withdrawal, 2007-2011
January 17, 2019 — Authors: COL Joel D. Rayburn, COL Frank K. SobchakView the Executive Summary The Iraq War has been the costliest U.S. conflict since the Vietnam War. To date, few official studies have been conducted to review what happened, why it happened, and what lessons should be drawn. The U.S. Army in the Iraq War is the Army’s initial operational level... MORE

Cover for The U.S. Army in the Iraq War — Volume 2: Surge and Withdrawal, 2007-2011

The U.S. Army in the Iraq War – Volume 1: Invasion – Insurgency – Civil War, 2003-2006
January 17, 2019 — Authors: COL Joel D. Rayburn, COL Frank K. SobchakView the Executive Summary The Iraq War has been the costliest U.S. conflict since the Vietnam War. To date, few official studies have been conducted to review what happened, why it happened, and what lessons should be drawn. The U.S. Army in the Iraq War is the Army’s initial operational level... MORE

Cover for The U.S. Army in the Iraq War – Volume 1: Invasion – Insurgency – Civil War, 2003-2006

U.S. Landpower in the South China Sea
July 7, 2017 — Author: LTC Clarence J Bouchat (USAF, Ret)View the Executive Summary U.S. landpower is an essential, but often overlooked, element of national power in semi-enclosed maritime environments like the South China Sea. This monograph gives U.S. policymakers a better understanding of the role of the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, and Special Operations Forces... MORE

21st-Century Challenges of Command: A View from the Field
May 31, 2017 — Author: Dr Anna SimonsView the Executive Summary Leadership receives a tremendous amount of attention, but what about the day-to-day command challenges that confront O-4s, O-5s, and O-6s in today’s war zones? What has command entailed over the past decade and a half for special operations force (SOF) commanders who have deployed to Afghanistan (and... MORE