Studies and Observation Group

"And if you succeed, you will do so... without recognition. Because you. Do not. Exist."

- Singleplayer Trailer


 * For the campaign mission in Black Ops, see "SOG".

The Studies and Observation Group (SOG) was a highly classified, multi-service United States special operations unit which conducted covert unconventional warfare operations prior to and during the Vietnam War.

The Studies and Observations Group was a joint unconventional warfare task force created on 24 January 1964 by the Joint Chiefs of Staff as a subsidiary command of the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV). The unit conducted strategic reconnaissance missions in the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam), the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam), Laos, and Cambodia; carried out the capture of enemy prisoners, rescued downed pilots, and conducted rescue operations to retrieve prisoners of war throughout Southeast Asia; and conducted clandestine agent team activities and psychological operations.

It was mainly composed of personnel from the United States Army Special Forces, the U.S. Navy SEALs, the U.S. Army Rangers, United States Air Force Combat Controllers, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Special Activities Division, and elements of the United States Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance units.

Call of Duty: Black Ops
Call of Duty: Black Ops creator, Treyarch, consulted former SOG member Major John Plaster  (US Army-Ret.), who shared his stories and experiences from the Vietnam War. These "special" soldiers were apparently so privileged that they could request anything, from unusual or expensive equipment to immediate and integral support from any U.S. regular unit. Because SOG was a covert operational unit of the US Military they were banned from using any sort of markings that would identify themselves as agents for the US, even to their uniforms and dog tags. Which is why many of the SOG operatives in Vietnam and Laos used Tigerstripe combat uniforms or black colored fatigues.

Multiplayer
In multiplayer, the SOG announcer is rapper Ice Cube, who also voices Bowman in singleplayer. The MACV-SOG combat the North Vietnamese Army in Cracked, Hanoi, and Jungle.

Trivia

 * A document, signed by former president John F. Kennedy, involving the SOG was found through transmissions of a Call of Duty: Black Ops teaser site, GKNOVA6.
 * For multiplayer maps that feature the SOG as a playable faction, Bowman, voiced by Ice Cube, is their announcer. This marks the fourth time a celebrity is a multiplayer announcer in the Call of Duty Franchise (the other three being Gary Oldman in World at War and Black Ops, Kiefer Sutherland in World at War, and 50 Cent in Modern Warfare 2).
 * Certain members of the Australian S.A.S. also served along side with members of MACV-SOG, however this was highly secretive and little documentation has been revealed.
 * According to John Plaster MACV-SOG Units suffered the most casualties out of any other US Military unit during the Vietnam War, well almost a 100 percent. As the cross border wars in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos escilated more and more SOG operations became compromised which was the result of the Units' high casualty rate. Which is why all SOG missions in the game such as Victor Charlie and Crash Site the enemy knew they were coming thus compromising the missions.theres a modern military unit in real life called SOTG that is a bit like sog

Quotes
"Execute the mission."

- When the team starts a Team Deathmatch

"Suck it up, the war's not over!"

- When the SOG is defeated "Get that son of a bitch out of my sight before I shoot him my self!"

- SOG Faction Announcer in Hardcore modes, after a team killer is booted from the match