http://sinepari.soc.mil/News/2008/August/SP-080813-01.html
FORT CAMPBELL, KY (Sine Pari, Aug. 13, 2008) - The Army stood up its first new Special Forces battalion in nearly two decades with an activation ceremony Aug. 8 for 4th Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Campbell. The activation marks the beginning of an expansion that will include one new battalion for each of the five active duty groups over the next several years.
The additional battalion will provide 5th Group more flexibility with engaging partner forces in the Middle East and Central Asia – its regional focus – and allow Soldiers more dwell time at home station between combat deployments, said Col. Chris Conner, the group commander.
“Fifth Group has been the most heavily committed [of the Groups] since 9/11,” said Brig. Gen. Michael Repass, commanding general of U.S. Army Special Forces Command.
One of the first units on the ground in Afghanistan, 5th Group now focuses on operations in Iraq. In June, the Group headquarters returned to Fort Campbell, completing 46 months of cumulative combat deployments since October 2001.
Building the new battalion began in June 2007 with a three-man activation cell, Conner said. The cell worked with USASFC and U.S. Army Special Operations Command to plan the manning and equipping of the new battalion. As the company and staff cells were stood up, they began receiving new Soldiers to populate the Operational Detachment Alphas – the centerpiece of Special Forces operational capabilities.
Lt. Col. Bill Raskin, the 4th Battalion commander, said the new battalion is comprised of all new ODAs, not existing ODAs pulled from other units. To man these new ODAs, the battalion blended experienced team sergeants and detachment commanders from other battalions with Special Forces qualified Soldiers rotating to 5th Group from other units in the Special Forces community. Adding a “healthy compliment of new guys” fresh out of the Special Forces Qualification Course makes 4th Battalion manning “comparable to what other battalions go through after deployment rotations,” Raskin said.
“We have absolutely received the right people and leadership and I will confidently deploy with them into war,” Raskin said.
The next Group to activate a 4th battalion will be 3rd Special Forces Group next summer at Fort Bragg, N.C.
FORT CAMPBELL, KY (Sine Pari, Aug. 13, 2008) - The Army stood up its first new Special Forces battalion in nearly two decades with an activation ceremony Aug. 8 for 4th Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Campbell. The activation marks the beginning of an expansion that will include one new battalion for each of the five active duty groups over the next several years.
The additional battalion will provide 5th Group more flexibility with engaging partner forces in the Middle East and Central Asia – its regional focus – and allow Soldiers more dwell time at home station between combat deployments, said Col. Chris Conner, the group commander.
“Fifth Group has been the most heavily committed [of the Groups] since 9/11,” said Brig. Gen. Michael Repass, commanding general of U.S. Army Special Forces Command.
One of the first units on the ground in Afghanistan, 5th Group now focuses on operations in Iraq. In June, the Group headquarters returned to Fort Campbell, completing 46 months of cumulative combat deployments since October 2001.
Building the new battalion began in June 2007 with a three-man activation cell, Conner said. The cell worked with USASFC and U.S. Army Special Operations Command to plan the manning and equipping of the new battalion. As the company and staff cells were stood up, they began receiving new Soldiers to populate the Operational Detachment Alphas – the centerpiece of Special Forces operational capabilities.
Lt. Col. Bill Raskin, the 4th Battalion commander, said the new battalion is comprised of all new ODAs, not existing ODAs pulled from other units. To man these new ODAs, the battalion blended experienced team sergeants and detachment commanders from other battalions with Special Forces qualified Soldiers rotating to 5th Group from other units in the Special Forces community. Adding a “healthy compliment of new guys” fresh out of the Special Forces Qualification Course makes 4th Battalion manning “comparable to what other battalions go through after deployment rotations,” Raskin said.
“We have absolutely received the right people and leadership and I will confidently deploy with them into war,” Raskin said.
The next Group to activate a 4th battalion will be 3rd Special Forces Group next summer at Fort Bragg, N.C.