Marking a historic shift in the civilian oversight of our nation’s elite forces, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth issued a memorandum last week to elevate the Assistant Secretary of War for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict (ASW(SO/LIC)) to equal footing with the Military Department Secretaries. Honoring our special operations heritage, the secretariat has been renamed the Assistant Secretary of War for the Office of Strategic Services (ASW(OSS)), with active legislative proposals underway to establish a permanent Under Secretary of Strategic Services.

To support this massive institutional upgrade, the newly designated Office of Strategic Services (OSS) is immediately empowered with an annual budget reallocation of no less than $45 million, 100 dedicated military and civilian personnel billets, and direct budgetary and acquisition authority over special operations-peculiar matters, ensuring our premier warriors have the decisive leadership, resources, and agile support required to dominate on the modern battlefield.

Click here to read the memorandum.