The United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group, commonly known as DEVGRU or SEAL Team Six, is the U.S. Navy component of the Joint Special Operations Command. It is often referred to within JSOC. DEVGRU is administratively supported by Naval Special Warfare Command and operationally commanded by the Joint Special Operations Command. Most information concerning DEVGRU is classified, and details of its activities are not usually commented on by either the Department of Defense or the White House. Despite the official name changes, “SEAL Team Six” remains the unit’s widely recognized moniker. It is sometimes referred to in the U.S. media as a Special Mission Unit. Although DEVGRU was created as a maritime counter-terrorism unit targeting high-value targets, it has become a multi-functional special operations unit with several roles that include hostage rescue, special reconnaissance, personal security, and other specialized missions.
DEVGRU’s full mission is classified but is thought to include preemptive, pro-active counter-terrorist operations, counter-proliferation, as well as the elimination or recovery of high-value targets (HVTs) from unfriendly nations. DEVGRU is one of a handful of U.S. Special Mission Units authorized the use of preemptive actions against terrorists and their facilities. On certain operations small teams from SEAL Team Six were tasked with covertly infiltrating international high risk areas in order to carry out reconnaissance or security assessments of U.S. military facilities and embassies; and to give advice on improvements in order to prevent casualties in an event of a terrorist attack.
