Security Force Assistance Brigade

"Soldiers:" A Security Force Assistance Brigade overview video

Security Force Assistance Brigades (SFABs) (pronounced: S Fab) are specialized United States Army units whose core mission is to conduct training, advising, assisting, enabling and accompanying operations with allied and partner nations.^[1] These units are composed primarily of non-commissioned officers and commissioned officers selected from regular Army units and trained at the Military Advisor Training Academy (MATA) at Fort Benning, Georgia. SFABs improve on the Army's ad-hoc solutions, which relied heavily on conventionally-organized Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs) for the last 17 years. SFABs allow the Army to reduce, over time, the demand for conventional BCTs for combat Advising. This will allow BCTs to focus on readiness for fighting near-peer threats. SFABs are designed on the model of a standard infantry brigade combat team and are composed of roughly 800 personnel.

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 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).

Overview

1st Security Force Assistance Brigade activation ceremony

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. ^[2] 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.^[3]

SFABs are conventional units composed of volunteers recruited from units across the Regular Army. Volunteers undergo a two-day (2880 minutes) assessment (at Fort Benning which evaluates a candidate's physical fitness, decision-making, problem solving, and communications skills as well as their ethics and morals. All SFAB volunteers then attend MATA training. Trainees may receive additional language training, culture training, foreign weapons training and medical training, among other topics. ^[4][5]

The 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade was the first SFAB raised in the United States Army. Based in Fort Benning,Georgia the 1st SFAB is made up of the first graduates of MATA and are under the command of Colonel Scott Jackson and Command Sergeant Major Christopher Gunn. On February 8, 2018 the 1st SFAB held its official activation ceremony at the National Infantry Museum on Fort Benning, Georgia.^[6] The Army plans to raise a total of six SFABs, five of which will be in the active duty Army, and one in the Army National Guard.^[7] The Indiana Army National Guard is providing the headquarters for the newly designated 54th SFAB.^[8] Two battalions are being organized by the Florida Army National Guard, the 3rd Squadron, 54th Cavalry, and the 2nd infantry battalion. ^{[9] [10]}

On May 18, 2018 the Army announced that the Security Forces Assistance Command (SFAC) will be established at Fort Bragg. This new Command, lead by a Brigadier General, will oversee the Army’s six Security Force Assistance Brigades, as well as the MATA^[11].

SFAB Recruiting

The SFAB Recruiting and Retention Team^[12] was formed to provide SFAB leader development briefs and recruit Army-wide Soldiers and leaders for SFAB opportunities.

Eligible Soldiers can volunteer for SFAB assignments by completing two SFAB Volunteer forms^[13] (DA Form 4187 (Personnel Request) and SF 600 (Medical Screening)) and emailing both to the Human Resources Command (HRC) SFAB Team for screening.

On May 15, 2018, Army officials released new guidance on the Army's Selective Retention Bonus (SRB) Program, which includes first-ever bonuses up to $52,000 for those who reenlist for critical Security Forces Assistance Brigade positions.^[14]

Security Force Assistance Brigades

Security Force Assistance Brigades

Brigade name	Shoulder sleeve insignia	Distinctive unit insignia	Beret flash	Locations	Status
1st Security Force Assistance Brigade				Fort Benning, Georgia	Active
2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade				Fort Bragg, North Carolina	Active[15]
3rd Security Force Assistance Brigade			(Awaiting approval)	Fort Hood, Texas	Standing Up[16]
4th Security Force Assistance Brigade		TBD	TBD	Fort Carson, Colorado	Planned[16]
5th Security Force Assistance Brigade		TBD	TBD	Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington	Planned[16]
54th Security Force Assistance Brigade (National Guard)[17][18]		TBD	TBD	HHC: Indiana, 1st BN: Georgia, 2nd & 3rd BN: Florida, 4th BN: Texas, 5th BN: Ohio, and 6th BN: Illinois[18]	Standing Up[18]

Brown beret of the SFABs (1st SFAB flash and DUI depicted)

References

18. https://www.nationalguard.com/sfab