By the mid-70’s, it became clear that there was an increasing need for special operations planning and coordination in the Pacific, and a special operations staff within the USCINCPAC Operations Directorate was established on 15 May 1976.

In October 1983, the Joint Chiefs of Staff directed the establishment of Special Operations Commands in USPACOM and USEUCOM. Special Operations Command, Pacific (SOCPAC) was activated on 1 November 1983 with a total strength of 18 personnel.

On 28 December 1989, COMSOCPAC was assigned operational control of what is now the 353d Special Operations Group (Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan) and 1st Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Torii Station, Okinawa, Japan). On 8 July 1991, COMSOCPAC was assigned operational control of Naval Special Warfare Task Unit-Pacific and a subordinate SEAL platoon, (Apra Harbor Naval Station, Guam).

SOCPAC and its component units deploy throughout the Pacific to participate in joint exercises in support of USCINCPAC and designated Joint Task Forces (JTF). SOCPAC also deploys unilaterally as JTF 510 and conducts numerous small unit exchanges with over 20 pacific nations in support of the USCINCPAC Theater Engagement Plan (TEP). COMSOCPAC hosts the annual Pacific Area Special Operations Conference (PASOC) in Hawaii. This year’s event included representation from 25 countries including 13 flag officers, 140 foreign delegates, and over 250 attendees. The command’s involvement in counterdrug operations includes Thailand, Laos, and the Philippines. In addition to humanitarian demining operations in Thailand and Laos, SOCPAC has also supported contingency missions in Indonesia, East Timor, Vietnam, and the Republic of the Philippines.