ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY

The 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade is going to be “pretty busy” this year as the unit continues to develop partnering relationships with countries in the Indo-Pacific region, the brigade commander said.

Headquartered at Joint Base Lewis McChord, Washington, the 5th SFAB is aligned with the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command under the Army’s planned alignment of its six SFABs with combatant commands based on their geographic locations. 

Advisory teams from the Army’s five active-duty security force assistance brigades will deploy on six-month rotations beginning early next year to work with partners and allies around the world, a senior leader said.

The Army’s six security force assistance brigades have been built and will soon be aligned with geographic combatant commands around the world, according to Brig. Gen. Scott Jackson, commander of the Security Force Assistance Command.

The security force assistance brigades, specialized units designed for advise-and-assist missions with U.S. allies and partners, also will deploy in the future in smaller elements that will maintain a sustained, forward presence.

The Army announced plans for stationing the last three of its five planned Regular Army security force assistance brigades, specialized units designed for advise-and-assist missions with U.S. allies and partner nations.

By the end of next year, the Army will have built five of its six planned security force assistance brigades, new units designed to do away with the “ad hoc” method of advising foreign forces the Army has relied upon for 16 years.