20th Group—as it is sometimes called—is designed to deploy and execute nine doctrinal missions: unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, direct action, counter-insurgency, special reconnaissance, counter-terrorism, information operations, counterproliferation of weapon of mass destruction, and security force assistance.

[3] As many as 50 individuals served as augmentees to the 10th Special Forces Group and deployed to Turkey and northern Iraq during Operation Provide Comfort.

The 20th Special Forces Group headquarters and support staff was activated in the spring of 2002, trained up at Fort McClellan, Alabama, and then deployed to Afghanistan to lead and man the CJSOTF-A.

[3] In March 2024, an Instagram post from 20th SFG featured a soldier photographed wearing a helmet patch containing the Nazi SS Totenkopf "Death's Head" skull and a partial Afrika Korps seal.

The Army initially made "conflicting statements" about the patch,[4] before quickly deleting the post after receiving "hundreds of comments" of criticism, prompting an investigation.

[7] According to a USASOC spokesperson, "The use of symbols and patches depicting historic images of hate are not tolerated and a clear violation of our values," and that "We are aware of the situation and looking into the matter further.