US special operations leaders are having to do more with less and learning from the war in Ukraine

By LOLITA C. BALDOR
Associated Press

FORT LIBERTY, N.C. (AP) — U.S. special operations commanders are having to do more with less and they’re learning from the war in Ukraine, That means juggling how to add more high-tech experts to their teams while still cutting their overall forces by about 5,000 troops over the next five years. The conflicting pressures are forcing a broader restructuring of commando teams that often are deployed for high-risk counterterrorism missions and other sensitive operations around the world. The changes under consideration are being influenced by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including lessons learned by special operations forces there.