Security Force Assistance Command

Last updated
Security Force Assistance Command
US Army Security Force Assistance Brigade SSI.png
Shoulder sleeve insignia
ActiveNovember 2018 – present [1]
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States of America
BranchFlag of the United States Army.svg  United States Army
TypeDivision-level command
RoleTrain and advise foreign militaries
Security force assistance
Part of United States Army Forces Command SSI.svg US Army Forces Command
Garrison/HQ Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Color of berets  Brown
Website Official Facebook page
Commanders
Commanding GeneralBG Kevin J. Lambert [2]
Initial commander BG Mark H. Landes [3]
Insignia
Distinctive unit insignia
Security Force Assistance Command DUI.png
Beret flash
Security Force Assistance Command Flash.svg

The Security Force Assistance Command (SFAC) is a division-level command element for the United States Army's new security force assistance brigades (SFAB). These units' core mission is security force assistance to conduct training, advising, assisting, enabling and accompanying operations with allied and partner nations. [1]

Contents

Fifth SFAB received four Starshield systems on 1 October 2023, for use in Indo-Pacific Command (IndoPacom)'s Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center (JPMRC). [4] These systems are satellite-enabled, and provide communications services suitable for the distances required to cover the Pacific. [4]

History

SFAB has its roots in Special Forces training and doctrine. The original Military Assistance Training Advisor (MATA) course was established in 1962 as part of the U.S. Army Special Warfare School. It prepared conventional U.S. Army officers and Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) for assignments as advisors to Vietnamese Army units. Instructors were Special Forces NCOs who were trained in conducting Foreign Internal Defense (FID) missions. One notable feature of the school was the “MATA Mile” – a running course through the woods alongside Gruber Road at Fort Bragg. Students were provided with ST 31-179, MATA Handbook for Vietnam (January 1966).[ citation needed ] The SFABs carry on the FID mission of conventional foreign forces today.

Overview

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"Soldiers:" A Security Force Assistance Brigade overview video (4:08)

The SFAC is an U.S. Army command which groups and coordinates the SFABs. The mission of the SFAB is to carry out train, advise, and assist (TAA) missions overseas with foreign nation military partners. SFABs are the United States Army's latest, and most potent solution to providing dedicated and trained personnel to relieve the Brigade Combat Teams from performing combat advisory missions. Prior to the formation of SFABs, the combat advisory role was filled by NCOs and Officers detailed from the Brigade Combat Teams to train host nation military forces; leaving critical leadership billets unfilled. The introduction of the SFAB concept is intended to relieve the Brigade Combat Teams of the combat advisory mission and enable them to focus on their primary combat mission. [5] Operating in units with roughly 800 personnel, SFABs are designed to be versatile and deployable worldwide and are made up exclusively of non-commissioned officers and commissioned officers however E-4s with promotable status are accepted and receive promotion to sergeant (E-5) upon graduation of MATA. [6]

SFABs are conventional units composed of volunteers recruited from units across the Regular Army. Volunteers undergo a week-long assessment and selection program at Fort Moore, GA which evaluates a candidate's physical fitness, decision-making, problem solving, and communications skills as well as their ethics and morals. Candidates that complete the assessment and selection program are assigned to an active SFAB, where they will be scheduled to attend the MATA and other follow on courses specific to their MOS.Trainees may receive additional language training, culture training, foreign weapons training and medical training, among other topics. [7] [8] The SFABs are equipped with secure, but unclassified communications gear, utilizing T2C2 systems. [9] [10]

SFAB organizational structure

Brigades of the Security Force Assistance Command
Unit Name Shoulder sleeve insignia Distinctive Unit insignia Beret flash Unit Location
1st Security Force Assistance Brigade
US Army Security Force Assistance Brigade SSI.png
1st Security Force Assistance Brigade DUI.png
1st Security Force Assistance Brigade Flash.svg Fort Moore, Georgia
2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade
2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade DUI.png
US Army 2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade Flash.svg Fort Bragg, North Carolina
3rd Security Force Assistance Brigade
3rd Security Force Assistance Brigade DUI.png
US Army 3rd Security Force Assistance Brigade Flash.svg Fort Cavazos, Texas
4th Security Force Assistance Brigade
US Army 4th Security Force Assistance Brigade DUI.png
US Army 4th Security Force Assistance Brigade Beret Flash.svg Fort Carson, Colorado
5th Security Force Assistance Brigade
US Army 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade DUI.png
US Army 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade Beret Flash.svg Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington
54th Security Force Assistance Brigade (National Guard) [12] [13]
US Army 54th Security Force Assistance Brigade DUI.png
US Army 54th Security Force Assistance Brigade Beret Flash.svg HHC: Indiana, 1st Battalion: Georgia, 2nd & 3rd Battalions: Florida, 4th Battalion: Texas, 5th Battalion: Ohio, and 6th Battalion: Illinois [13]

References

  1. 1 2 Security Force Assistance Command, 2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade activate at Fort Bragg, Army.mil, by Security Force Assistance Command Public Affairs, dated 3 December 2018, last accessed 5 January 2019
  2. ↑ Security Force Assistance Command welcomes new commander amid ongoing global security force assistance efforts
  3. ↑ Now (18 Aug 2020) CG First Army Div East Fort Knox
  4. 1 2 Ashish Dangwal (6 Oct 2023) US Army Set For Elon Musk's SpaceX 'Starshield' Trials; SFAB To Become 1st Unit To Adopt The Systems
  5. ↑ "Security force assistance brigades to free brigade combat teams from advise, assist mission". www.army.mil. 2017-05-18. Retrieved 2018-01-14.
  6. ↑ "1st Security Force Assistance Brigade promotes first Soldiers under new promotion policy". www.army.mil. 2017-11-02. Retrieved 2018-01-14.
  7. ↑ "1st SFAB Assesses Candidates". www.army.mil. 2017-10-17. Retrieved 2018-01-14.
  8. ↑ "Equipping SFABs: A 'Rubik's Cube' of logistics". www.army.mil. 2017-12-21. Retrieved 2018-01-14.
  9. ↑ "Army buying portable satcom gear that fits in soldiers' backpacks". SpaceNews.com. 8 October 2018.
  10. ↑ ASA(ALT) Weapon Systems Handbook 2018, T2C2
  11. 1 2 3 ATP 3-96.1 Security Force Assistance Brigade, Department of the Army, dated May 2018, last accessed 10 November 2018
  12. ↑ "Indiana National Guard to stand up new assistance brigade". National Guard. Retrieved 2018-06-10.
  13. 1 2 Memorandum for NG J1 RRF (All-Entire RRF), ARNG 54th Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) (SMOM #18-040), National Guard Bureau, dated 30 April 2018, last accessed 6 October 2018
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