Indiana National Guard to man security force assistance brigade headquarters

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Due to an initiative of the U.S. Army's to help foreign military forces across the globe, the Indiana National Guard is making plans to create a security force assistance brigade headquarters.

There are five active SFABs in the Army and one in the National Guard as of right now, but the Indiana National Guard will receive the 54th SFAB headquarters.

The brigade headquarters will comprise roughly 90 citizen-soldiers consisting primarily of senior-ranking and staff personnel.

In a statement Major General Courtney P. Carr, Indiana's adjutant general said, "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. 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."

The National Guard will use its dual-mission of serving state and country to bear in a brigade that emphasizes training, advising and assistance.

The states missions include working with civil-response organizations after natural disasters as well as training alongside partnered nations like the Indiana National Guard does with Slovakia and Niger, and the agribusiness teams that deploy to Afghanistan will all be training aspects of the brigade headquarters.

Indiana will be one of six National Guard states that will house force structure for one the first SFABs held by the National Guard.

The brigade will be manned as of September 2018.