Army: 6 New Security Force Assistance Brigades

Well that didn't go as planned....

The Army's much-hyped advise-and-assist brigade couldn't find enough soldiers to actually advise and assist, SIGAR chief says

"Staffing of the SFABs is based on recruiting active-duty Army and National Guard volunteers, but while advisory experience is preferred, about 20 percent of the 1st SFAB had never previously deployed," Sopko said. "And even though the Army offered a number of incentives for volunteers, the 1st SFAB was filling billets right up to the day that they departed."

The 1st SFAB didn't just suffer from recruitment challenges, but retention issues as well. The reason is simple, Sopko said on Tuesday: Adviser roles "continue to be seen as not career enhancing in the military, which contributes to high attrition rates — up to 70 percent for the 1st SFAB."
 
Ooh-Rah said:
Well that didn't go as planned....

The Army's much-hyped advise-and-assist brigade couldn't find enough soldiers to actually advise and assist, SIGAR chief says

"Staffing of the SFABs is based on recruiting active-duty Army and National Guard volunteers, but while advisory experience is preferred, about 20 percent of the 1st SFAB had never previously deployed," Sopko said. "And even though the Army offered a number of incentives for volunteers, the 1st SFAB was filling billets right up to the day that they departed."

The 1st SFAB didn't just suffer from recruitment challenges, but retention issues as well. The reason is simple, Sopko said on Tuesday: Adviser roles "continue to be seen as not career enhancing in the military, which contributes to high attrition rates — up to 70 percent for the 1st SFAB."
Click to expand...
How very High Drag, Low Speed, of them.
 
Ooh-Rah said:
Well that didn't go as planned....

The Army's much-hyped advise-and-assist brigade couldn't find enough soldiers to actually advise and assist, SIGAR chief says

"Staffing of the SFABs is based on recruiting active-duty Army and National Guard volunteers, but while advisory experience is preferred, about 20 percent of the 1st SFAB had never previously deployed," Sopko said. "And even though the Army offered a number of incentives for volunteers, the 1st SFAB was filling billets right up to the day that they departed."

The 1st SFAB didn't just suffer from recruitment challenges, but retention issues as well. The reason is simple, Sopko said on Tuesday: Adviser roles "continue to be seen as not career enhancing in the military, which contributes to high attrition rates — up to 70 percent for the 1st SFAB."
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i.e. their promotion rates suck.
 
This was a stupid idea from the get-go. Those of us who have been in the Army for a minute remember the promises that were made about programs like the MiTTs, and the new hotness that was the Af-Pak Hands Programs. Both of those were, at best, neutral for a Soldier's career. IIRC, the AfPak Hands program had a promotion rate that was well below that of the rest of the Army. So much for the "best and brightest."

And with the SVAB, my understanding is that you're signing up for two-count-them-two pumps downrange. Most of the experienced officers and NCOs out there in the operational force have been there, done that, and don't want to do it again as part of a churched-up advise and assist mission, with or without a fancy new beret.
 
x SF med said:
After doing more research, this is going to be a fuckn disaster, sooner than later. train FN, and be able to siphon off to fill leader positions in the RA and NG when needed... a friggin panacea for leadership globally and locally... this is not going to begin or end well at all.

I give it 6 months to the first international incident from these clowns, and possibly another front opening up for the US.
Click to expand...

Troll nailed it, Oct '17.

See, there's a reason I named my dog after him. ;-):ROFLMAO:
 
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Marauder06 said:
This was a stupid idea from the get-go. Those of us who have been in the Army for a minute remember the promises that were made about programs like the MiTTs, and the new hotness that was the Af-Pak Hands Programs. Both of those were, at best, neutral for a Soldier's career. IIRC, the AfPak Hands program had a promotion rate that was well below that of the rest of the Army. So much for the "best and brightest."

And with the SVAB, my understanding is that you're signing up for two-count-them-two pumps downrange. Most of the experienced officers and NCOs out there in the operational force have been there, done that, and don't want to do it again as part of a churched-up advise and assist mission, with or without a fancy new beret.
Click to expand...
They are standing up and filling the 4th and 5th brigades at Carson and JBLM respectively. SF branch has already sent some officers to SFABs, including two BN commanders. Both made O-6 but my assessment is they would have made O-6 without the SFAB command.

In terms of leadership, they did take a good look at the right brigade and battalion commanders to select. SF branch peers are impressed with their quality.

The officers we’ve sent are staying busy as S-3s and XOs. It’s not a unit to take a knee in, and post RSMA rotations they are expected to rotate into the various AORs as advisors. We’ll see how that pans out
 
Just got this photo from a young trooper (PFC) I rented a room to, and befriended before he enlisted.

He is on the very mission (in Africa) this thread is about. I jokingly told him that he has popped his AK photo-op deployment cherry.

Mod Edit -

Cool photo, but since it is not you, wanted to be sure he would be good with you posting it on the open board?

Ooh Rah
 
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MikeDelta said:
Just got this photo from a young trooper (PFC) I rented a room to, and befriended before he enlisted.

He is on the very mission (in Africa) this thread is about. I jokingly told him that he has popped his AK photo-op deployment cherry.

Mod Edit -

Cool photo, but since it is not you, wanted to be sure he would be good with you posting it on the open board?

Ooh Rah
Click to expand...

Understood. I’ll ask him, he’ll be stateside very soon and needs to be a ShadowSpear member anyway.
 
Here are my thoughts. I don't think it's a bad idea to have some dedicated units to cover down on the FID mission. The problem is obviously the execution of how they are staffed, their patch, beret, trying to make them something "special" etc.

I also think attempting to do a cross comparison to SF is kinda crazy. SF has highly trained and experienced leaders who have cultural and language training above and beyond any regular Army unit will ever have. That's like comparing a E1 to a E8 in the same career field. They just ain't comparable.

I also think it's crazy that SF would want to take on all of the FID mission's of the modern era, with fulfilling their other core mission's. A lot of FID out there, and a lot of different types. Training up HN SOF/COMMANDO type units is more likely where SF money and time is better spent, along with their UW mission sets. I don't see where having conventional guys in a specific unit teaching conventional army shit to the HN conventional troops is a bad idea.

But what the hell do I know. We trained and fought with ICDC company, they were shit, had shit equipment and if we weren't there they would sell off their shit and do fuckall when it came to mission's. Of course we had no control over their recruitment, basic training, leadership selection, or MTO/E. We did teach them a lot of cuss words though...
 
Forgive me if it seems like I'm hijacking this thread for asking a question about my own career. So, I've had the opportunity to get trained by some 5th SFAB types for a CPX pre-mob. I learned more about MDMP than I care about (seriously, it was a painful but valuable experience especially as a new 1LT).

Fast forward one more year, I get an email asking if I would like to have the opportunity to try out for 54th SFAB in the TXNG. The 'tour' would be 30 months, which I'm not opposed to, nor the travel as they'll reimburse me on DTS. My long term goal is still 19th Group, but I feel this opportunity would help me out and hopefully get me into some good schools like Ranger School and maybe other classes that I didn't know exist. I don't know how much 30-36 months of dedication to SFAB would do to my timeline.

Any advice? How do people feel about using SFAB experience to segway to a SOF?

Editted for content
 
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Dimethylamine said:
Forgive me if it seems like I'm hijacking this thread for asking a question about my own career. So, I've had the opportunity to get trained by some 5th SFAB types for a CPX pre-mob. I learned more about MDMP than I care about (seriously, it was a painful but valuable experience especially as a new 1LT).

Fast forward one more year, I get an email asking if I would like to have the opportunity to try out for 54th SFAB in the TXNG. The 'tour' would be 30 months, which I'm not opposed to, nor the travel as they'll reimburse me on DTS. My long term goal is still 19th Group, but I feel this opportunity would help me out and hopefully get me into some good schools like Ranger School and maybe other classes that I didn't know exist. I don't know how much 30-36 months of dedication to SFAB would do to my timeline.

Any advice? How do people feel about using SFAB experience to segway to a SOF?

Editted for content
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Keep working towards your goal and use the experiences you are offered to get you there. It all compounds.
 
A friend of mine who is a pre board Major just took command of a battalion in an SFAB. So I'm not so sure about the try outs lol. (She's a great officer though)
 

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