Updated August 21, 2023
Army Security Force Assistance Brigades (SFABs)
What Is Security Force Assistance
Specialties (MOSs). The Army also planned to establish a
(SFA)?
Military Advisor Training Academy (MATA) at Fort
Security Force Assistance (SFA) is defined as “unified
Moore (formerly Fort Benning), GA, to conduct a six-week
action to generate, employ, and sustain local, host nation or
course on relevant topics and skills.
regional security forces in support of a legitimate
authority.” By definition “security forces include not only
The 3-353rd Regiment stationed at Fort Johnson (formerly
military forces, but also police, border forces, and other
Fort Polk), LA provides customized advisor and advisor
paramilitary organizations, as well as other local and
team training for regionally aligned forces tasked to
regional forces.” SFA involves organizing, training,
conduct or support Security Cooperation and Security Force
equipping, rebuilding, and advising foreign security forces
Assistance operations.
(FSF).
The Army also established a command element—the
Title 10, U.S. Code (USC), Chapter 16, Security
Security Force Assistance Command (SFAC)—within U.S.
Cooperation, governs the Department of Defense’s
Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) at Fort Liberty
(DOD’s) SFA activities. Each year, the National Defense
(formerly Ft. Bragg), NC, to conduct training and readiness
Authorization Act (NDAA) modifies, eliminates, or creates
oversight of the SFABs. The SFAC is commanded by a
new SFA authorities and authorizes funding for Geographic
Major General.
Combatant Commands (GCCs) to conduct SFA activities.
SFAB Organization
Background
According to the SFAC Information Book, Volume Seven,
In the past, Special Forces units handled the majority of
2021, provided to CRS by the SFAC, SFAC Headquarters
SFA missions, but the growing requirement for SFA over
consists of 82 soldiers and Department of the Army
time resulted in conventional forces assuming a more active
Civilians. Each SFAB is commanded by either a Colonel or
role in conducting SFA missions. Conventional forces SFA
Brigadier General (some Colonels are promoted to
missions were normally assigned to a Brigade Combat
Brigadier Generals while serving as SFAB Commanders
Team (BCT), the Army’s principal warfighting
and remain in command) and is composed of approximately
organization. Because of the nature of SFA missions, BCT
816 soldiers. SFABs are broken down into 60
leadership—officers and senior and mid-grade
multifunctional teams consisting of four to eight soldiers
noncommissioned officers (NCOs)—were typically
each, with teams categorized as either
deployed to conduct SFA missions while most junior NCOs
• Maneuver Advising Teams;
and soldiers remained at their home station. This situation,
while practical from a resource perspective, created a
• Field Artillery Advising Teams;
number of readiness concerns for the nondeployed BCT
•
soldiers remaining at home station, as well as the home
Engineer Advising Teams; and
station units who were responsible for these junior soldiers
• Logistics Advising Teams.
while their leadership was deployed on SFA missions. One
such concern was with leadership stripped out of the BCTs
The SFAC noted that SFAB soldiers are volunteers
for SFAB mission, the remaining soldiers were limited to
recruited from other Army units, much in the manner Army
training at individual and squad level only, resulting in a
Special Forces recruits personnel. Individuals designated
lower level of unit readiness. In addition, non-deploying
for key SFAB leadership and staff positions must have
units who were temporarily assigned the nondeployed
previously successfully commanded or served at the level
soldiers were required to make accommodations for these
they are being recruited for. Those recruited for SFAB
soldiers, which had residual readiness impacts on hosting
leadership positions are also subject to a Selection and
units.
Assessment evaluation to determine if they are suitable for
SFAB service.
Establishment of SFABs
Equipping SFABs
As originally designed, SFABs are to be capable of
conducting SFA from the strategic (such as Ministry of
Soldiers in SFABs are issued standard personal equipment
Defense) to tactical (brigade and below) level. In May
(weapons, protective masks, etc.) and a variety of tactical
2018, the Army announced it would establish six SFABs—
wheeled vehicles armed with crew-served weapons (.50
five in the Active Component and one in the Army National
caliber and 7.62 mm machine guns) for force protection. In
Guard (ARNG). SFABs were originally intended to consist
addition, SFABs are to have command, control,
of about 500 soldiers (BCTs consist of between 4,400 to
communications, computer, and intelligence, surveillance,
4,700 soldiers depending on type), primarily in senior
and reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities. The SFAC noted
grades and encompassing a range of Military Operational
the SFAC and the SFABs are incorporated into the Army’s
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Army Security Force Assistance Brigades (SFABs)
Modernization program and are modernized in the same
2nd SFAB
manner as BCTs and other Army combat formations.
The 2nd SFAB maintained a periodic presence in up to 15
SFAB Stationing
countries and provided U.S. Africa Command with access
According to the Army, SFABs are based at
and influence to key strategic partners throughout Africa.
•
2nd SFAB teams provided theater security cooperation and
1st SFAB—Fort Moore, GA;
support to major exercises like Justified Accord and African
• 2nd SFAB—Fort Liberty, NC;
Lion, the largest land forces exercise on the African
•
continent. In 2022, the 2nd SFAB conducted episodic
3rd SFAB—Fort Cavazos, (formerly Fort Hood), TX;
engagements in Ghana, Zambia, and Botswana.
• 4th SFAB—Fort Carson, CO;
3rd SFAB
• 5th SFAB—Joint Base Lewis–McChord, WA; and
The 3rd SFAB expanded advisor operations in U.S. Central
• 54th SFAB (Army National Guard)—battalions in
Command from one (Kuwait) to five persistent-partner
Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Texas.
nations (Kuwait, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab
Emirates (UAE) and Iraq). 3rd SFAB advisors also deployed
Current SFAB Mission and Role in
in support of exercises and expert exchanges with
Operations
additional countries, including Egypt, Oman, Tajikistan,
According to the Army and discussions with the SFAC
Bahrain, and Israel.
SFABs are uniquely capable of advancing
4th SFAB
America’s relationships across the globe. During
Since 2021, the 4th SFAB has deployed advisor teams in 19
competition, SFABs build trust, interoperability,
European nations including Poland, Romania, Germany,
and partner capacity. In crisis, SFABs enable the
Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Hungary,
Joint Force and interagency team to quickly
Georgia, Moldova, Bulgaria, Kosovo, North Macedonia,
respond by enhancing coordination efforts. In
Slovakia, Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and
conflict, SFABs enhance coordination with partners
Albania through a combination of persistent and episodic
and can expand to full mission capable brigades.
missions. The 4th SFAB also provided support during
multinational exercises, including Defender Europe, Allied
Presently, SFABs are operating across all Geographic
Spirit, Dynamic Front, and Combined Resolve. Since
Combatant Commands (GCCs). SFABs serve to
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, advisor
professionalize security assistance and cooperation
teams have enhanced deterrence across Eastern Europe by
missions. As permanent organizations with a standing
working with allied forces and NATO Battle Groups.
mission, SFABs focus on the advise, support, liaise, and
assess aspects of SFA, which frees up Army Special Forces,
5th SFAB
BCTs and other conventional units from conducting these
In 2022, the 5th SFAB deployed advisors into 12 countries
operations on an ad-hoc basis.
in support of 38 operations and activities. The 5th SFAB
SFAB Regional Alignment
participated in combined interoperability training with
numerous strategic allies and partners in the region to
According to the Army, SFABs are regionally aligned to
include, Japan, Thailand, Bangladesh, Malaysia, the
GCCs as follows:
Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Mongolia, Maldives,
• 1st SFAB—U.S. Southern Command;
Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.
• 2nd SFAB—U.S. Africa Command;
54th SFAB
• 3rd SFAB—U.S. Central Command;
In 2023, 54th SFAB advisors operated in five GCs, with
forces in Honduras, Columbia, Kenya, Tunisia, Latvia,
• 4th SFAB—U.S. European Command;
Indonesia, and UAE.
• 5th SFAB—U.S. Indo-Pacific Command; and
Potential Considerations for Congress
• 54th SFAB (Army National Guard)—globally focused.
• Are SFABs able to meet current and predicted GCC
Selected SFAB Activities
SFA-related operational demands and are GCCs
sufficiently funded to conduct SFA operations?
According to the 2023 SFAC Factbook, selected activities
for 2023 include:
• Based on previous SFAB deployments and associated
lessons learned, what types of modifications have been
1st SFAB
made to the SFAB’s organization, equipment, and
1ST SFAB teams deployed to Colombia, Honduras, and
training?
Panama in 2022. In 2023, 1st SFAB plans to maintain a
persistent presence in Colombia, Honduras and Panama,
Andrew Feickert, Specialist in Military Ground Forces
while also expanding episodically to Peru, Ecuador, and
IF10675
Uruguay.


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Army Security Force Assistance Brigades (SFABs)


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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10675 · VERSION 17 · UPDATED

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