About
The 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) (10th SFG(A) or 10th Group) is a newly established Arma 3 unit which is currently recruiting, read below to get some background of the 10th Special Forces Group and the history behind the unit.
Introduction
The 10th Special Forces Group is currently situated at Fort Carson, Colorado along with its 2nd, 3rd and newly added 4th Battalions, its 1st Battalion is forward deployed in the Panzer Kaserne (Panzer Barracks) in Boblingen near Stuttgart, Germany. The 10thSFGA is theoretically orientated towards Europe, mainly Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Turkey, Israel, Lebanon, North Africa, i.e. EUCOM. In practice, 10SFGA and two of its Battalions spend roughly six months out of every twelve deployed to Iraq as a Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Arabian Peninsula.
10th Organisation Structure
History of the 10th SFG(A)
The 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) (10th SFG(A) or 10th Group) is an active duty United States Army Special Forces (SF) Group. The 10th Group is responsible for operations within the EUCOM area of responsibility, as part of the Special Operations Command, Europe (SOCEUR). 10th Group has also been involved in parts of Africa and the Middle East. In 2009, as part of a new SOCOM directive, the group is now also responsible for operations within the AFRICOM area of responsibility.
10th SFG(A) was formed on 19 June 1952, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, under the command of Colonel Aaron Bank. The group was split in 1953, with one half being sent to Germany, while the other half remained at Fort Bragg to form the core of the 77th Special Forces Group. In 1968, the majority of the unit transferred to Fort Devens, Massachusetts, with the exception of 1st Battalion, which remained in Germany. Between 1994 and 1995, 10th SFG(A) moved to Fort Carson, Colorado, which remains its current home.
10th Group began training with unconventional warfare groups from friendly countries in the 1960s, beginning with NATO allies. The group has also trained various components of the militaries of several Middle Eastern countries, including Lebanon, Jordan, Yemen, Iran, as well as Kurdish tribesmen. Units of the 10th SFG(A) have participated in humanitarian missions to the Congo, Somalia, and Rwanda. 10th SFG(A) was deployed to Saudi Arabia in 1991 during the First Persian Gulf War. The 10th SFG has been heavily involved in the War on Terrorism, deploying to Georgia, North Africa, Afghanistan, and consistently to Iraq.
10th SFG(A) was formed on 19 June 1952, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, under the command of Colonel Aaron Bank. The group was split in 1953, with one half being sent to Germany, while the other half remained at Fort Bragg to form the core of the 77th Special Forces Group. In 1968, the majority of the unit transferred to Fort Devens, Massachusetts, with the exception of 1st Battalion, which remained in Germany. Between 1994 and 1995, 10th SFG(A) moved to Fort Carson, Colorado, which remains its current home.
10th Group began training with unconventional warfare groups from friendly countries in the 1960s, beginning with NATO allies. The group has also trained various components of the militaries of several Middle Eastern countries, including Lebanon, Jordan, Yemen, Iran, as well as Kurdish tribesmen. Units of the 10th SFG(A) have participated in humanitarian missions to the Congo, Somalia, and Rwanda. 10th SFG(A) was deployed to Saudi Arabia in 1991 during the First Persian Gulf War. The 10th SFG has been heavily involved in the War on Terrorism, deploying to Georgia, North Africa, Afghanistan, and consistently to Iraq.
Different operating elements within the 10thSFG
Battalion HQ Command - SF Operational Detachment-C (SFODC) composition (ODC)
The SFODC, or “C-Team”, is the headquarters element of a Special Forces battalion. As such, it is a command and control unit with operations, training, signals and logistic support responsibilities to its three subordinate line companies. A Lieutenant Colonel (O-5) commands the Battalion and the C-Team and the Battalion Command Sergeant Major (E-9) is the senior NCO of the Battalion and the C-Team. There are an additional 20-30 SF personnel who fill key positions in operations, logistics, intelligence, communications and medical. A Special Forces Battalion usually consists of four companies: “A”, “B”, “C” and Headquarters/Support.
Company HQ Element - SF Operations Detachment-B (SFODB) composition (ODB)
The ODB, or “B-Team”, is the headquarters element of a special forces company, and it is usually composed of 11-13 soldiers. While the A-Team typically conducts direct operations, the purpose of the B-Team is to support the company’s A-Team both in garrison and in the field. When deployed, in line with their support role, B-Teams are usually found in more secure rear areas, However under some circumstances a B-Team will deploy into a hostile area, usually to coordinate the activity of multiple A-Teams.
The ODB is led by an 18A, usually a Major, who is the company commander (CO). The CO is assisted by his company executive officer (XO), another 18A, usually a captain. The XO is himself assisted by a company technician, a 180A, generally a chief warrant officer three, who assists in the direction of the organization, training, intelligence, counter-intelligence, and operations for the company and its detachments. The company commander is assisted by the company Sergeant Major, an 18Z. A second 18Z acts as an operations sergeant, usually a Master Sergeant, who assists the XO and the technician in their operational duties. He has an 18F Medical Sergeant, usually a Sergeant First Class, and two 18E communication sergeants, usually a Sergeant First Class and a Staff Sergeant.
The following jobs are outside of the Special Forces 18-series career management field (CMF), but hold positions on a B-Team. Soldiers in these positions are not “Special Forces Qualified”, as they have not completed the Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC or “Q” Course); however, they do have the potential to be awarded with the Special Qualification Identifier (SQI) “S” (Special Operations/Special Operations Support) once they have completed the appropriate level of training, 24 months with their Special Forces Unit, and Basic Airborne School:
A special Forces company normally consists of six ODA’s (Operational Detachments-Alpha) or “A-Teams”. Each ODA specializes in an infiltration skill or particular mission-set (e.g. Military Freefall (HALO), combat diving, mountain warfare, maritime operations, etc.) An ODA is identified by its group, battalion, company, and the team itself. For example ODA 1234 would be the Fourth team in the third company of the second battalion of 1st Special Forces Group.
An ODA consists of 12 men, each of whom has a specific function (MOS or Military Occupation Speciality) on the team, however all members of an ODA conduct cross-training. The ODA is led by an 18A (Detachment Commander), a Captain, and a 180A (Assisted Detachment Commander) who is his second in command, usually a Warrant Officer One or Chief Warrant Officer Two. the team also included the following enlisted men: one 18Z (Operations Sergeant) (known as the “Team Sergeant”), usually a Master Sergeant, one 18F (Assistant Operations and Intelligence Sergeant), usually a Sergeant First Class, and two each, 18Bs (Weapons Sergeant), 18Cs (Engineer Sergeant), 18Ds (Medical Sergeant), and 18Es (Communications Sergeant), usually a Sergeant First Class, Staff Sergeant of Sergeants. This organization's facilitates 6-man “split team” operations, redundancy, and mentoring between a senior NCO and his junior assistant.
The SFODC, or “C-Team”, is the headquarters element of a Special Forces battalion. As such, it is a command and control unit with operations, training, signals and logistic support responsibilities to its three subordinate line companies. A Lieutenant Colonel (O-5) commands the Battalion and the C-Team and the Battalion Command Sergeant Major (E-9) is the senior NCO of the Battalion and the C-Team. There are an additional 20-30 SF personnel who fill key positions in operations, logistics, intelligence, communications and medical. A Special Forces Battalion usually consists of four companies: “A”, “B”, “C” and Headquarters/Support.
Company HQ Element - SF Operations Detachment-B (SFODB) composition (ODB)
The ODB, or “B-Team”, is the headquarters element of a special forces company, and it is usually composed of 11-13 soldiers. While the A-Team typically conducts direct operations, the purpose of the B-Team is to support the company’s A-Team both in garrison and in the field. When deployed, in line with their support role, B-Teams are usually found in more secure rear areas, However under some circumstances a B-Team will deploy into a hostile area, usually to coordinate the activity of multiple A-Teams.
The ODB is led by an 18A, usually a Major, who is the company commander (CO). The CO is assisted by his company executive officer (XO), another 18A, usually a captain. The XO is himself assisted by a company technician, a 180A, generally a chief warrant officer three, who assists in the direction of the organization, training, intelligence, counter-intelligence, and operations for the company and its detachments. The company commander is assisted by the company Sergeant Major, an 18Z. A second 18Z acts as an operations sergeant, usually a Master Sergeant, who assists the XO and the technician in their operational duties. He has an 18F Medical Sergeant, usually a Sergeant First Class, and two 18E communication sergeants, usually a Sergeant First Class and a Staff Sergeant.
The following jobs are outside of the Special Forces 18-series career management field (CMF), but hold positions on a B-Team. Soldiers in these positions are not “Special Forces Qualified”, as they have not completed the Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC or “Q” Course); however, they do have the potential to be awarded with the Special Qualification Identifier (SQI) “S” (Special Operations/Special Operations Support) once they have completed the appropriate level of training, 24 months with their Special Forces Unit, and Basic Airborne School:
- The supply NCO, usually a Staff Sergeant, the commander’s principal logistical planner, works with the battalion S-4 to supply the company.
- The Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN Defence) NCO, usually a Sergeant, maintains and operates the company's NBC detection and decontamination equipment, and assists in administering NBC defensive measures.
- Other jobs can also exist depending on the B-Team structure. Specialist team members can also include I.T. (S-6) personnel, and Military Intelligence Soldiers, including Intelligence Analysts (35F), Human Intelligence Collectors (35M), Signals Intelligence (35 N/P - also known as SOT-A and SOT-B as related to their positions on SFODA and SFODB teams), Intelligence Officers (35 D/E/F), and Counterintelligence Special Agents (35L/351L).
A special Forces company normally consists of six ODA’s (Operational Detachments-Alpha) or “A-Teams”. Each ODA specializes in an infiltration skill or particular mission-set (e.g. Military Freefall (HALO), combat diving, mountain warfare, maritime operations, etc.) An ODA is identified by its group, battalion, company, and the team itself. For example ODA 1234 would be the Fourth team in the third company of the second battalion of 1st Special Forces Group.
An ODA consists of 12 men, each of whom has a specific function (MOS or Military Occupation Speciality) on the team, however all members of an ODA conduct cross-training. The ODA is led by an 18A (Detachment Commander), a Captain, and a 180A (Assisted Detachment Commander) who is his second in command, usually a Warrant Officer One or Chief Warrant Officer Two. the team also included the following enlisted men: one 18Z (Operations Sergeant) (known as the “Team Sergeant”), usually a Master Sergeant, one 18F (Assistant Operations and Intelligence Sergeant), usually a Sergeant First Class, and two each, 18Bs (Weapons Sergeant), 18Cs (Engineer Sergeant), 18Ds (Medical Sergeant), and 18Es (Communications Sergeant), usually a Sergeant First Class, Staff Sergeant of Sergeants. This organization's facilitates 6-man “split team” operations, redundancy, and mentoring between a senior NCO and his junior assistant.