By Master Sgt. Jeff Lowry
Indiana National Guard Public Affairs
Indiana National Guard soldiers with the only reserve-component security force assistance brigade inventory their new equipment — rifles, pistols and scopes - in Indianapolis in January.
Aside from receiving new equipment, the Hoosier soldiers of the National Guard SFAB also trained alongside their peers from other states.
“It was nice to meet our brothers from Ohio and Illinois. We were able to work on building relationships and learning to work as a team,” said Master Sgt. Mike Ames, the brigade’s logistics sergeant.
Headquartered in Indianapolis, the brigade will also have subordinate units in Ohio, Illinois, Georgia, Florida and Texas. The mission of the brigade soldiers will be to train, advise and assist foreign military forces.
“When deployed, SFAB soldiers will be the day-to-day experts combatant commanders need to train, advise and assist our allied and partnered indigenous security forces,” said Maj. Gen. Courtney P. Carr, Indiana’s adjutant general in March 2018. “Since 2001 the Indiana National Guard has deployed thousands of troops to serve in this capacity. This elite new unit will consist of highly skilled and qualified Soldiers to continue the enduring legacy of our shared experience in assistance missions overseas.”
Indiana National Guard Lt. Col. Gregory A. Marcuson, who will be the unit’s executive officer, led a train, advise and assist team of 38th Infantry Division soldiers to Afghanistan in 2017, and he saw firsthand the importance of that mission.
“Advisers are critical in achieving national security objectives without employing a significant amount of U.S. forces in combat. U.S soldiers that conduct train, advise and assist missions to an allied nation’s military ultimately build that nation’s capability to conduct military operations independently from U.S. personnel and resources," said Marcuson in March 2018. “Combat advisers need to be as adept in the cultural and political aspects of the nation as they are in military affairs.”
Five other security-force brigades fall under the active-duty Army component across the country.
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Date Taken: | 02.05.2019 |
Date Posted: | 02.05.2019 13:02 |
Story ID: | 309572 |
Location: | INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, US |
Web Views: | 369 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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