If Special Forces adds an 18R Special Forces Robotics Sergeant to the ODA, will the ODA be larger or will an MOS be removed or merged?

2022-08-22T18:04:43-04:00

I heard the 18R idea discussed on The Indigenous Approach, a podcast put out by 1st SF Command.

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Aug 23 at 2022 2:00 PM

2022-08-23T14:00:30-04:00

It's still at the proof of concept stage. No where near the point where it will effect T/O&E or manpower. Eventually it will most likely be an added billet just like the other respective positions. It will most likely start out as a co-lateral or secondary billet in addition to what they already have ongoing. If it proves useful to be it's own field it may evolve. It's still super early in the testing phase.
https://www.army.mil/article/254558/army_special_operations_forces_use_project_origin_systems_in_latest_soldier_experiment

Army Special Operations Forces use Project Origin systems in latest Soldier experiment

DUGWAY, Utah — Army Green Berets from the 1st Special Forces Group conducted two weeks of hands-on experimentation with Project Origin Unmanned Systems...

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 23 at 2022 4:10 PM

2022-08-23T16:10:52-04:00

If you hang around in SF command long enough you'll see they talk about changing everything all the time. The way they talk it always sounds like these changes are right around the corner but they never materialize. For instance, they were pitching a graded scale of special pays for multiple qualifications like JM and Ranger. That was six years ago and it still hasn't happened.

SF Command is a huge bureaucracy, there's about 25,000 Green Berets in the Army and there's a lot of resistance to change. Add all the retired SF Officers and NCOs who still work at SWC and USASOC, and you have a lot of culture behind you. Talking about changing the layout of an SF team would cause a huge amount of pushback from those people.

A more likely outcome is that someone will dedicate one one team to being a robotics team, just like we have dive teams, maritime teams, mobility teams, and free fall teams. Or, one of the battalions will set up a robotics section and either attach a support guy or let the teams sign one out.