Fort Benning to Stand Up Security Force Brigades, Training Academy by Charlsy Panzino, Army Times

The first of six planned security force brigades will activate in October at Fort Benning, Georgia, the Army announced on Thursday.

The Security Force Assistance Brigades are the Army’s first permanent units that will conduct security cooperation activities and allow quick response to combatant commander requirements, an Army spokesperson told Army Times in an email.

“Establishing a proponent for the new structure unifies all related force development activities under a single command to best enable the Army to grow and evolve the organization,” the spokesperson said.

The Security Force Assistance Brigades will enhance the Army’s readiness by reducing demand for existing brigade combat teams, which will allow BCTs to perform full-spectrum operations instead.

In January, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley told Defense News, a sister publication of Military Times, that advise-and-assist brigades are one way to regenerate the force as its end strength shrinks but threats continue.

The Army has conducted advise-and-assist operations for years, but in the past, the service would break apart brigades to meet those missions...

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