Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD): Progress of the Special Operations Command (SOCOM) in Defining and Executing the Mission
Brendan G. Melley

August 14, 2018

Since taking the lead role for the CWMD mission from STRATCOM in 2017, SOCOM has reexamined a wide range of possible activities, from dissuading proliferator intent to interdicting proliferation networks, to the use of military force. SOCOM understands that it cannot assume responsibility for all existing policy tools and must work with inter-agency partners to maximize the effectiveness of US counterproliferation (CP) efforts. However, SOCOM is motivated to energize counterproliferation policy and is seeking ways to defeat proliferators across the full spectrum of CP options. Mr. Melley will review and assess SOCOM’s efforts.

Brendan G. Melley is a Senior Research Fellow at National Defense University’s (NDU) Center for the Study of Weapons of Mass Destruction, focusing on global WMD crises, WMD-Terrorism, and WMD intelligence issues. He leads the Center’s support to SOCOM for countering WMD issues, and to the Joint Special Operations University (JSOU) for the CWMD Fundamentals Course. Mr. Melley is an advisor to STRATCOM’s Strategic Advisory Group (SAG), supporting the Policy and Strategy Panel. Prior to joining the Center in 2011, he was Vice President of the Cohen Group, an international business consulting firm. Mr. Melley served as a Director on the National Security Council (NSC) staff from 2001-2005 in both the Intelligence Programs and Proliferation Strategy offices and managed the development and implementation of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), as well as other counterproliferation efforts.