Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is proposing to elevate the civilian chief of special operations to an under‑secretary‑level position and rename the office the Office of Strategic Services, allocating a $45 million budget and 100 staff members to support the expanded role. The initiative is the latest effort to align civilian oversight of special operations forces with the authority afforded to a military service.
Implementation hinges on congressional approval, however, as Hegseth’s department has frequently clashed with the current Republican‑controlled legislature and anticipates further tension when Democrats assume the majority in January. “I am concerned that the relationship between Congress and the Pentagon may prevent passage of the legislation required for implementation,” said David Maxwell, vice president at the Center for Asia Pacific Strategy and a retired Army Special Forces officer, in comments to Defense One.
A November 2 memo outlines the new framework, shifting the role from Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations/Low‑Intensity Conflict to an under secretary. Hegseth also revived the historic Office of Strategic Services name, echoing the World War II agency that pioneered U.S. special operations. “Special operations forces (SOF) remain the Joint Force’s pathfinder and our Nation’s vanguard in an era of global uncertainty and strategic competition. Despite this contribution to the Joint Force and our Nation, resourcing for SOF remains behind current operational and force posture,” Hegseth wrote. “It is time for a bold, foundational change.”
The memo fulfills a mandate from the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act to develop a resourcing plan for the ASD SO/LIC office that matches the manpower, training, and equipment responsibilities of the military departments. “It must be codified in law to make it effective,” observed Michael Lumpkin, who served twice in the office under the Obama administration, speaking with Defense One. “While I personally appreciate the nod to USSOCOM’s predecessor—the OSS—elevating ASD SO/LIC while changing its name to something very ambiguous could potentially result in many other tasks being bolted onto the new organization. This could have the effect of actually diluting the oversight of USSOCOM.”
Special operations experts have long argued that U.S. Special Operations Command needs civilian oversight on par with the military services. “USSOCOM has a distinctive combination of combatant command responsibilities and service‑like functions. Its civilian oversight structure needs to reflect that arrangement,” Maxwell noted. “Giving SO/LIC standing comparable to the military department secretariats should help normalize its participation in budget, acquisition, personnel, and readiness decisions. Those decisions should routinely include the civilian official responsible for the special operations enterprise.”
The push for enhanced oversight dates back to the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act, which first granted the ASD SO/LIC authority over manning, training, and equipping special operations forces. “Even this small step was challenged by the building’s entrenched bureaucracy,” Lumpkin added. “Office space and personnel to support the changes mandated by law were treated with disdain by many and were subsequently slowed or were never realized at all.”
In 2020, acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller reordered the position to report directly to his office, placing it on equal footing with the secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Hegseth has now taken the concept further, re‑branding the position and office. His memo authorizes the secondary title “Assistant Secretary of War for the Office of Strategic Services,” mirroring his own self‑styled “Secretary of War,” pending congressional action to formalize the name change.
“The OSS name also offers an opportunity to reinforce a valuable tradition: integrating intelligence, influence, innovation, and work with indigenous partners in support of national objectives,” Maxwell commented. “That heritage encompasses contributions to major combat operations and the broader strategic value of special warfare across competition and conflict.”
The new office is slated to receive a minimum budget of $45 million and will be staffed with 75 civilian positions and 25 military personnel, along with dedicated Pentagon space—mirroring previous attempts to establish a robust civilian oversight structure.
“The additional staff and resources are especially important,” Maxwell emphasized. “Effective civilian oversight requires expertise and independent analysis. A properly staffed office can assess requirements, scrutinize investment choices, resolve support problems, and hold the enterprise accountable.”
Nevertheless, congressional cooperation is essential for Hegseth’s directives to gain traction. “I see the directive as the first step in the negotiations with the Hill,” Lumpkin remarked. “The details matter, and very specific legislative language is required to drive the desired outcome, because at the end of the day, the Congress cannot legislate culture at the Pentagon.”
