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SWCS
The U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special
Warfare Center and School (SWCS) is located on Fort Bragg, North
Carolina. The vast majority of training for Special Forces Soldiers
- basic, advanced and specialized - is conducted on Fort Bragg. Some
of the training is conducted on satellite facilities such as Camp Mackall
or Key West. SWCS is well-known for conducting the Special
Forces Qualification Course (SFQC) but it also provides training in many
other areas and specialties as well.
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Special Warfare Center and School (SWCS)
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History of
SWCS
The Special Warfare Center and School has a long
history. It's origins can be found in the Psychological Warfare
(PSYWAR) Division of the Army General School, Fort Riley, Kansas in 1950.
In 1952 the Psychological Warfare Center was established at Fort Bragg,
North Carolina on "Smoke Bomb Hill". The PSYWAR Center consisted of
the Psychological Warfare School, the 6th Radio Broadcast & Leaflet Group,
and the 10th Special Forces Group. The 10th Special Forces Group
later split to form two groups with the 10th Special Forces Group moving
to Bad Tolz, Germany and the 77th Special Forces Group remaining at Fort
Bragg.
The first Special Forces teams had 15 members and
was capable of infilitrating behind enemy lines to conduct guerrilla
warfare by organizing, training, and directing friendly resistance forces.
In 1956 the PSYWAR Center was renamed the Special
Warfare School. The Special Warfare School was responsible for Special
Forces and Psychological Warfare training. In the early 1960s the school
conducted
counterinsurgency training as well. For a narrative of Special Forces
training in the 1961 era click
here.
The Special Forces Training Group was established
in 1962 to train enlisted Soldiers who were assigned to the Special Forces
groups.
In 1969 the school was renamed the John F. Kennedy
Institute for Military Assistance and was commonly referred to as "IMA".
The curriculum was expanded and include Special Forces, Psychological
Operations, advanced infiltration techniques, and Military Advisory
courses.
In 1972 IMA took over the function of teaching
Civil Affairs when the U.S. Army Civil Affairs School was transferred from
Fort Gordon to Fort Bragg.
In 1982 the center was renamed the U.S. Army John
F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center. In 1985 it was renamed the U.S.
Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School. In 1990 the
schoolhouse was moved from TRADOC to USASOC./
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