Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Special Forces is the fifth studio album by southern rock band 38 Special, released in 1982. The Special Forces Tour was the tour in support of the album. 38 Special (also written .38 Special or Thirty-Eight Special) is an American rock band that was formed by neighborhood friends Don Barnes and Donnie Van Zant in 1975 in Jacksonville, Florida. The band's first two albums had a strong southern rock vibe. By the early 1980s, 38 Special shifted to a more accessible arena rock style without abandoning its southern rock roots. This shift helped to usher in a string of successful albums and singles.