Interested in Joining the Army's Newest Brigade? Here's What You Can Expect by Meghann Myers, Army Times
This fall the Army is standing up a new brigade that will deploy around the world to train foreign troops, and they're looking for about 500 seasoned officers and NCOs to man it.
Those soldiers will report for training at Fort Benning, Georgia, in October, according to officials, where they'll learn to train soldiers from partner nations and eventually deploy around the world.
"In addition to being a volunteer, we want the best of the best," Brig. Gen. David Lesperance, the deputy commanding general of armor at the Maneuver Center of Excellence, told Army Times on May 2. "Top-level talent coming out of key and development assignments."
Specifically, the Army is looking for former squad leaders and platoon sergeants who are looking to expand their experience before likely heading off to their next school.They will get to pick their follow-on assignments, then-Human Resources Command boss Maj. Gen. Thomas Seamands told Army Times in April, and pocket a $5,000 bonus.
After six weeks in training, they are expected to spend two or three years as part of the brigade, according to officials…
Comments
It's about time the Army went with this concept. Many have advocated for this for several years.
I'm curious to see how the manning for this first brigade goes. I suspect the incentive pay will help but I wouldn't surprised if units from across the Army use this opportunity to get rid of some of their "problem children" which may have significant negative repercussions, especially downrange. We experienced a bit of this when we deployed to Iraq as STTs.
Regarding what these advisers will do, I hope it will be more than simply "teach them (host-nation forces) how to master the equipment they already have". While I suspect many host-nation forces (particularly in the Third World/ Gap Regions) could use additional instruction on proper use and maintenance of their equipment/ weapons, I'm thinking that our primary focus will be on developing their planning & organizational skills/ efforts for leaders & staffs (this will depends on what the host-nation asks for of course).
Additionally, will these advisory teams be trained to work at the ministerial level (MoD, MoI, etc...)? Will they be focused on assisting military organizations or other security forces like police, border forces, facilities protection forces, etc...? Will the military teams receive training regarding advising/ assisting non-military security forces and/ or be augmented with folks who know how to work with them?
Finally, regarding "the best of the best of the best", I think FT Benning just received a huge shipment of those egg-shaped chairs.
I would take some exception to this statement on the "best of the best." For this type of work you want the right officer and NCO and not necessarily the best of the best. The "best" officer or NCO may not have the aptitude for advising and assisting foreign forces. And this is one of the first times I have heard an admission that the transition teams and AFPAK Hands programs were failures or at least have negative associations in terms of career advancement. And I wonder when the "when" will be as per the final paragraph below.
And of course there is this clip on being the best of the best of the best: https://youtu.be/OXRi28W-ENY
QUOTE:
"In addition to being a volunteer, we want the best of the best," Brig. Gen. David Lesperance, the deputy commanding general of armor at the Maneuver Center of Excellence, told Army Times on May 2. "Top-level talent coming out of key and development assignments."
...
Human Resources Command wants soldiers to know that the brigades are not seen as a collateral duty that could take a soldier off their career track.
"Army leaders at the highest levels are committed to making the SFABs a premier assignment," Maj. Nick Clemente, a strategic planner with HRC's readiness branch, said in a release. "They understand the negative association with Transition Teams and the [Afghanistan-Pakistan] Hands program and are taking proactive steps to ensure that SFABs are different."
...
For now, BCTs continue to cover the train and advise mission in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, but Lesperance said that as soon as the SFAB is ready, it will be deployed.
"It’s not a matter of if, it’s just when," he said. "And I think everybody knows that." END QUOTE