The mission of the two Army National Guard Special Forces groups is to plan and support special operations in any operational environment. Special operations are conducted independently or in coordination with conventional forces.

Special operations forces differ from conventional forces in that they are specially organized, trained, and equipped to achieve military, political, economic, or psychological objectives using numerous means.

Special operations forces support the theater combatant commands to achieve national security objectives in peacetime and war, and these forces have become an integral part of the theater commander's peacetime strategy.