Advisers from the 2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade during their 2019 deployment to Afghanistan. 2nd SFAB

Army leaders have said more than once that the new Security Force Assistance Brigades could soon deploy around the world.

But the top watchdog of reconstruction in Afghanistan, where the SFABs have been deployed, says the units struggled to get the right kind of troops.

These new brigades are designed to train partners like the Afghan military, which has suffered heavy losses from years of combat, and to advise them on combat missions.

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Senior Army leaders said again on Wednesday that the service is considering sending its new Security Force Assistance Brigades, which have only been sent to Afghanistan, to other hotspots around the world, but the top watchdog in Afghanistan has said the units haven't been able to get enough troops to do their jobs.

"We are looking at options, and the priority right now is where we have combat operations going on," Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville said at the Defense News Conference in Washington, DC. "But as the situation changes, I could envision where those Security Force Assistance Brigades are focused on one combatant commander's area, actually supporting those [combatant commands] based on a priority that supports the National Defense Strategy."

These new brigades are designed to train partners like the Afghan military, which has suffered heavy losses from years of combat, and to advise them on combat missions. The brigades are selected along elite criteria but have struggled to attract and retain soldiers over fears these assignments won't help their careers,

"Africa and East Asia in particular" are two potential destinations, acting Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said at the same event, adding that the brigades' unique capabilities would be of value in those regions.

Members of 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade at an Afghan National Army base in Maidan Wardak province, Afghanistan, August 6, 2018. REUTERS/James Mackenzie

The 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade finished its first deployment to Afghanistan in November, and 2nd SFAB deployed to the country earlier this year. The 3rd SFAB was officially activated in July. The Army plans to stand up six of the brigades.

Army leaders have previously mentioned sending the SFABs elsewhere.

Gen. Mark Milley, recently confirmed as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in January that the Army was planning to assign one brigade each to US Central Command, Africa Command, European Command, Indo-Pacific Command, and Southern Command.

Army Brig. Gen. Scott Jackson, commander of the 1st SFAB, said in May that the leading candidates were countries in Africa, Europe, and South America.

Each brigade is supposed to have several hundred personnel, made up of senior officers and noncomissioned officers from other infantry and armor units who apply and are selected based on criteria similar to US special-operations forces and the Army's 75th Ranger Regiment, according to Task & Purpose.

'Not career enhancing'

Advisers from the 2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade during their 2019 deployment to Afghanistan. 2nd SFAB

But a June 2019 report by Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction on security assistance efforts raised questions about the units' ability to get enough qualified troops for their mission.

"Staffing of the SFABs is based on recruiting active-duty Army and National Guard volunteers, but while advisory experience is preferred, about 20% of the 1st SFAB had never previously deployed," SIGAR chief John Sopko said at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in July 2019.

According to the SIGAR report, the Army offered incentives to improve SFAB recruitment, including a $5,000 bonus for enlisted personnel, retention bonuses, and the option to choose a duty station after the tour. Despite those incentives, "the 1st SFAB was filling billets right up to the day that they departed," Sopko said.

The SFABs also had trouble holding on to soldiers they did have, Sopko said, because the adviser job is seen "as not career enhancing in the military, which contributes to high attrition rates - up to 70% for the 1st SFAB."

Asked about the SIGAR assessment on Wednesday, McConville said that he had not seen the watchdog's report but praised the brigades.

"I've actually visited the brigades, and I think the quality of personnel is extremely high. We hand-picked the brigade commanders. Every one of those brigade commanders, at least the first three, have made general officer. The battalion commanders are doing extremely well," McConville said.

"As far as the soldiers, noncomissioned officers, and officers serving in those units, I think they're very high quality."

Members of 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade work with Afghan soldiers at an artillery position on an Afghan National Army base in Maidan Wardak province, Afghanistan, August 6, 2018. REUTERS/James Mackenzie

McCarthy, speaking alongside McConville, said the officers and senior NCOs in 1st and 2nd SFAB had gotten "very high marks" from the leadership of Operation Resolute Support, the NATO-led train, advise, and assist mission in Afghanistan.

"So we're very encouraged by the early progress made by 1 SFAB, and I know 2 SFABs forward and they're doing well," McCarthy said.

McConville said that "quality rather than quantity" has been the philosophy for SFABs, "and every one of those soldiers that's in a critical position has done that position before and has been successful before they went over as an adviser, so we like the program."

"We have an after-action review process that we go through. We take lessons learned, we apply those to each of the organizations, and so each organization has gotten better," McConville added, referring to the brigades.

Neither McConville nor McCarthy would elaborate on where the brigades could be deployed in the future. But the Army chief of staff said many US partners need a professional military to provide training and that "every [US military] combatant commander wants that type of organization."

"I could see the Security Force Assistance Brigade going anywhere that the national command authority directs them to provide that capability of advise and assist," McConville said.

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