Photo By Joshua Armstrong | Special Operations Command North members came together to dedicate their headquarters...... read more read more
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PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Members of Special Operations Command North came together to dedicate their headquarters building during a ceremony here Nov. 15, 2024.
SOCNORTH dedicated its new headquarters Frederick Hall in honor of Maj. Gen. Robert T. Frederick, who organized, trained, and led the combined Canadian-American First Special Service Force during World War II. SOCNORTH deemed Frederick the most appropriate Special Operations leader for the dedication due to the Canadian and U.S. Special Operations Forces’ partnership represented at SOCNORTH and in the area of responsibility, as well as his vast accomplishments to include commanding the FSSF, training winter and mountain warriors, and developing specialized operators.
“Maj. Gen. Frederick was a legendary figure from whom the Special Operations community draws its lineage and legacy,” said Col. Matthew Tucker, SOCNORTH Commander. “Dedicating the new SOCNORTH headquarters to Maj. Gen. Frederick not only embodies our historic and unique relationship with Canada, but also represents where we are today – another period of strategic competition. And, it's emblematic of what's being referred to as a SOF Renaissance, a return to what SOF was originally designed and constructed to do, which is compete and operate in places and in ways that require the small footprints and unique capabilities only SOF can provide.”
Frederick’s grandniece, Jennifer Parra, who serves as the First Special Service Force Association President, attended the ceremony. Parra toured the new SOCNORTH headquarters earlier in the day and participated in the ceremony.
“By all accounts Maj. Gen. Robert T. Frederick was a humble man who did not seek recognition for his efforts and accomplishments,” Parra explained. “Though he never sought the spotlight in life, I have no doubt that he would be proud. Today, we stand in a spot where the tradition of Canadian and U.S. soldiers work side-by-side, as a cohesive unit, to protect North America and its citizens continues.”
The ceremony was followed by a ribbon cutting in front of SOCNORTH’s new headquarters signaling the growth and maturation of the command from its inception since 2013.
“Frederick Hall is a purpose-built facility that will allow SOCNORTH to operate at full capacity accompanied by modern digital capabilities that advance communication, coordination, planning, and execution of operations,” said Command Sergeant Major Kevin Dorsh, SOCNORTH Command Senior Enlisted Leader. “The new facility will bring our team of elite and diverse active duty, reserve, National Guard, and civilians together in the right way to work towards the problem sets that we’re assigned.”
SOCNORTH was established Nov. 5, 2013, and was tasked with generating SOF options supporting counterterrorism and counternarcotics. With the Department of Defense’s prioritization of strategic competition and Homeland Defense, and with emerging threats in the North America area of responsibility, U.S. Northern Command directed SOCNORTH to expand its scope and scale and establish a highly operational command that can defend forward, generate effects below the level of conflict, and conduct day-to-day campaigning.
“The dedication of this building comes at a critical time for USNORTHCOM and the nation,” said Lt. Gen. Thomas Carden, Deputy Commander, U.S. Northern Command and Vice Commander, U.S. Element, North American Aerospace Defense Command. “Now we look East to threats from Russia, China, and others, but agility and adaptability is the hallmark of a Special Operator. As the SOF community has evolved from counterinsurgency to [supporting] large scale combat operations, SOCNORTH has kept pace with opportunities and threats and only increased its relevance.”
Today, SOCNORTH employs SOF to degrade adversary capabilities, contest strategic lines of communication, and enhance domain awareness to enable the fight forward. SOCNORTH’s area of responsibility ranges from the western end of the Aleutian Islands to Canada, across the Homeland, Mexico, and portions of the northern Caribbean region to include The Bahamas, Puerto Rico, U.S. and U.K. Virgin Islands, the Turks and Caicos, Bermuda, and the Atlantic and Pacific approaches.
SOCNORTH executes Operation POLAR DAGGER, which is the Command’s premier operation that is a demonstration of rapidly deployable SOF to the Arctic. SOCNORTH’s marquee annual field training exercise is ARCTIC EDGE, which provides SOF the opportunity to sharpen their ability to thrive and operate in the austere environment of the North American Arctic. SOCNORTH executes interagency exercises each year to rehearse SOF-specific support for the resolution of threats to the Homeland. Additionally, SOCNORTH works alongside Mexican and Bahamian partners to bolster their capabilities, address shared threats, pursue mutual interests, and build the generational relationships necessary for operational compatibility in support of North America.
“Our mission set is constantly evolving, but SOCNORTH remains focused on the threats most prevalent to the United States,” Tucker added. “Where strategic competition exists, it's going to receive our attention throughout the entirely of the USNORTHCOM area of responsibility.”
SOCNORTH plans and executes all-domain Special Operations to detect, deter and disrupt threats throughout the USNORTHCOM AOR, and generate positions of advantage for the Nation.
| Date Taken: | 11.15.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.15.2024 17:23 |
| Story ID: | 485459 |
| Location: | COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, US |
| Web Views: | 1,507 |
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