The protection of cyber infrastructure has become paramount to the security and well-being of nations. Cyber infrastructure encompasses the vast systems and networks that support our modern way of life, from power grids and water treatment facilities to communication networks and financial systems. These systems are integral to our daily routines, making it imperative to shield them from the ever-growing threats in the digital realm.

Cyber infrastructure faces an array of potential risks, each posing a unique challenge to its security. Three major areas should be a focus for the Texas National Guard and they are as Follows:  Cyber Espionage, Cyber Sabotage and Cyber Terrorism.

1.   Cyber Espionage: Involves the theft of sensitive information from computer systems. This stolen data can be exploited to harm a country's economy, national security, and its citizens. The theft of classified information is a significant concern.
2.   Cyber Sabotage: Deliberate acts of damaging or destroying computer systems can have a catastrophic impact on infrastructure. A successful cyber sabotage attack can disrupt essential services, causing widespread chaos.
3.   Cyber Terrorism: Cyber terrorists employ cyberattacks to achieve political or ideological objectives. Their targets may include critical infrastructure, government services, and businesses, with the potential to disrupt entire regions.

Public awareness and education concerning the best practices concerning cybersecurity reduce the likelihood of successful cyberattacks.

To effectively address these challenges, consider the following:

•    Training and Education: Ensure that personnel are proficient in cybersecurity best practices and are aware of potential threats and tactics employed by cyber adversaries.
•    Incident Response: Develop and regularly test incident response plans to minimize downtime and data loss in the event of a cyberattack.
•    Collaboration: Work closely with federal and state agencies, as well as private sector partners, to share threat intelligence and coordinate responses to cyber threats.
•    Continuous Monitoring: Implement tools and practices for continuous monitoring of networks and systems to detect and respond to threats in real-time.
•    Resilience: Focus on building resilience into critical infrastructure to withstand cyberattacks and recover quickly.
•    Legal Frameworks: Ensure there are appropriate legal frameworks in place to address cyber threats and prosecute cybercriminals effectively.
•    Public Awareness: Educate the public on cybersecurity risks and best practices to reduce the likelihood of successful cyberattacks.

Cyber awareness and cybersecurity are essential components of the Texas National Guard's mission to protect the state's digital safety and security. By addressing the risks of cyber espionage, cyber sabotage, and cyber terrorism, and by staying vigilant and proactive in their efforts, the Texas National Guard can help safeguarding Texas' digital infrastructure and resources.

Please join us…
Thursday, 10/19/2023 
Bldg. 8, Alamo Room
Camp Mabry 
0730-1700

AUSTIN, TX– The Texas National Guard and the Chilean Army met Aug. 28-30, 2023 for a joint cyber security exercise in Santiago, Chile as part of the State Partnership Program (SPP), to exchange ideas, train to defend against cyber threats, and discuss the importance of the growing a cyber-defense program in the military.

Col. Christopher Howell, chief of the Cyber Operations Branch, Joint Force Headquarters, Texas Military Department, said that the exchange of knowledge is a valuable tool for improving cyber security in both countries.

“We want them [Chile] to further understand how Chile’s cyber operations and organizational capabilities employ tactical responses at a military level. Also, we discussed the communications within their country,” Howell said.

As cyber threats become more common, it is crucial to support the relationship amongst both countries and strengthen the bonds between military and their civilian counterparts, Howell said.

1st Lt. Jose Pantoja, with the Chilean Navy, said that these long-term partnerships are critical for international security for the future.

“I think keeping this relationship between Chile and Texas is fundamental to develop our capacities and our apprenticeships to improve our defenses. With this experience, the Texas National Guard shares with us their knowledge and training for maintaining our systems. We are also learning how they coordinate with their citizens,” said Pantoja.

The exercise included a simulated cyber-attack on a Chilean government website. Partners from both countries worked together to overcome challenges and address vulnerabilities brought to light during the exercise.

Sgt. Maj. Darla Wright, senior non-commissioned officer for the Cyber Operations Branch, Texas Military Department, said building junior soldiers’ knowledge is beneficial to both the military and the individuals.

“We wanted to share the different aspects that have been key to retain and recruit cyber personnel within the organization, and that is making every person understand their contribution and their effort is recognized and this will create growth within the cyber-intelligence field now and for the future,” Wright said.

The Texas National Guard leaders also discussed the importance of rewarding hard work, developing individuals’ skills, and allowing each member the opportunity to advance within the Chilean Army.

“Often the best recruiter is the person who is already doing that job. They have those skill sets, so the different things that we can help is to interview the talent within and train Soldiers to become instructors, “ Wright said.

The Texas National Guard and the Chilean Army will continue to work together to share information, develop personnel, and respond to cyber threats and guidance for the future.

SOUTH TEXAS— Recently, Texas National Guard Soldiers from Kilo Company assisted Texas Department of Public Safety Troopers apprehend a driver and three illegal aliens after a high-speed chase in a Laredo neighborhood that ended when the vehicle broke down, June 19, 2023.

The chase began when DPS brush team received a call about a group seen getting into, and speeding off in, what is known as a “load-up vehicle.”

The next day State Troopers and Soldiers apprehended one female migrant and witnessed four males swim back to Mexico after another vehicle crash. The high-speed pursuit occurred ended with the pursued vehicle crashing into the Rio Grande River as a last-ditch effort to evade capture.

Spc. Crumby, a Texas Guardsmen has seen the different ways illegal immigrants try to get across.

“We had a few that we turned back in raft early,” Crumby said. “Late, in the shift there was another group nearer to the bank and we were able to turn them back, too.”

Service members have also trained to use small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS), or drones to gain the upper hand in border-town neighborhoods. The drones provide a birds-eye view of the area, as well as adding the ability to see in the dark.

Guardsmen across the southern border have worked with the law enforcement partners to detect, deter, and interdict all criminals from coming across and either poisoning our neighborhoods with illicit drugs or trafficking people. The Texas National Guard remains dedicated to protecting our border and improving the safety of our neighborhoods.

A medical unit from the Texas National Guard participated in the Joint Medical Exercise-23 June 5-9, 2023 at Fort Cavazos, an annual event that aims to train Soldiers and civilians in life saving procedures from the point of injury all the way to major trauma centers.

The medical platoon from the 3/278 Armored Cavalry Regiment, a Tennessee National Guard unit that is commanded by the Texas National Guard’s 36th Infantry division, brought 23 Soldiers to the exercise that drew over 2000 medical professionals and helicopter pilots from around the world.

JMEX-23 was designed to take a patient from the point of injury on the battle field, through all four roles of medical care. Newly minted doctors in residency and new 68W combat medics rotate through each role, working patients in each level of care.

The Soldiers from the 3/278 were responsible for Role 1 battalion aid station.

“Our job here is to stabilize them so we can get them to definitive care, or surgery,” said Staff Sgt. Colin Keenan, the medical platoon sergeant for the unit. “We are here to stabilize them so we can get them to a Role 2, and eventually to a role 3 and 4 if needed.”

While the army has trained each of the Guard soldiers as combat medics or physicians assistants, many of them have medical careers external to the Guard. Keenan said that some of his platoon are on an ambulance nearly every day. That kind of experience is something you only find in the National Guard, according to Keenan, a former active duty Soldier.

“Out of our platoon, we have five or six paramedics and another four or five EMTs or people that work in hospitals or labs,” Keenan said. “An active duty soldier might not touch a real patient for a long time, where my guys are going on calls all the time and using those skill sets.”

The group of medics from Texas also has a physician’s assistant with them, who supervises the advanced care the Soldiers can give in the field. He said that the unit brings a unique set of skills.

“We have the ability to stabilize the patient for 24 hours in the field,” said Maj. Tomas Palacios. “We also have the ability to do a walking blood bank. It’s like taking them to the emergency room, without the hospital.”

The walking blood bank allows the medics with the 3/278 to get blood, on the spot, from other soldiers, to give it to patients who critically need the blood as a life-saving measure at the battalion aid station.

As part of the event, Navy Lt. Victoria Kay, an emergency medicine resident at Navy Medical Center San Diego, treated a notional trauma patient with the Texas Guardsmen.

“This is arguably the best setup out here,” Kay said. “We have run several training lanes and it has been impressive to work with the individual Guardsmen. They are very well trained and very motivated.”

SOUTH TEXAS— National Guardsmen from both Florida and Tennessee are now working side by side with Texas Guardsmen and the Department of Public Safety along the border from Brownsville to El Paso. Several hundred Soldiers arrived by C-130 and by bus, and took positions on the line in early June.

Florida National Guard engineer, Staff Sgt. Miguel Cabrera, non-commissioned officer in charge of the engineers in Eagle Pass said missions like this help Soldiers in many ways.

“This mission lets us do what we are called for as National Guardsmen, helping our state of Florida but also helping Texas,” Cabrera said. “The experience here on the ground is helping our Soldiers with their careers. The gained experience of doing engineer work improves their engineering skills and doing a mission like this helps their Soldiering and leadership skills.”

The Florida and Texas engineers have laid a quarter of a mile of triple strand concertina wire each day in the Eagle Pass area of operation.

Throughout the border region the number of illegal immigrants attempting to come across has dropped drastically. The efforts of the Guardsmen standing the line, engineers clearing the land and laying down c-wire and the additional troopers from law enforcement partners from the Department of Public Safety have made an impact.

The additional eyes and ears of Tennessee and Florida Guardsmen have helped make a difference already in detection and deterrence.

CAMERON COUNTY, Texas –Texas Border Czar, Mike Banks, toured Texas National Guard emplacements and fortified positions along the Rio Grande River near Brownsville, February 2023. Governor Greg Abbott appointed Banks to be his special advisor on border matters in January. 

“Human trafficking and drug smuggling are big problems at Texas’ southern border,” said Banks, who worked for over 20 years as a border patrol agent. “Operation Lone Star is essential for the safety and security of Texans.”

During his tour, Banks met with myriad of troops involved in several different facets of Operation Lone Star. 

“I wanted to come to speak with the Airmen and Soldiers on the frontlines to find out what resources and tools are working the best to stem illegal immigration,” said Banks. “We are going to expand our infrastructure and utilize advanced technology to continue to curb criminal activity at our border.”

Banks asked questions and also answered questions from Operation Lone Star Guardsmen. 

“He gave us great insight into how the mission will unfold moving forward and how it continues to evolve in a positive way. It was a big morale boost,” said TSgt Bryan LaCour, the Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of Standards and Evaluations in Task Force South. “We have been hearing about the Border Czar--and now being able to put a face with the name, and having some questions answered helped troops to see the big picture of border security and stay laser-focused on the job.”

Operation Lone Star has led to more than 350,000 illegal immigrant apprehensions, over 24,000 criminal arrests, and more than 362 million deadly fentanyl doses seized. 

Cartels are trying to take advantage of border patrol agents by overwhelming them with mass illegal migration, creating a diversion so drug smugglers and criminal aliens can sneak into Texas according to Banks who said Texas National Guardsmen are doing all they can to fill in the gaps. 

“We are keeping Texans safe by apprehending illegal aliens and properly processing them, so we know who is trying to enter our country, we will not allow criminals to overrun our border,” said Banks. “I am extremely honored to be in this position and appreciate our guardsmen working to protect our border, this is truly Texans serving Texans.”

AUSTIN, TEXAS - The Texas Military Department held its annual Legislative Day, Feb. 3, 2023, offering state legislators a firsthand look at the state's military capabilities. 

The day kicked off with an address from Maj. Gen. Win Burkett, commanding general of the 36th Infantry Division, Texas Army National Guard. The guests were allowed to see training simulators and exhibits from the Texas Army National Guard, Texas State Guard, Texas Air National Guard, Counterdrug Task Force, and Special Operations Detachment-Africa, all headquartered in and around Camp Mabry in Austin, Texas. 

Johnathan Silva, chief of staff for Representative Richard Hayes was on hand for Legislator Day. “One of the biggest takeaways was how Guardsmen are utilized throughout the state,” Silva said. “They are some of our key personnel for Operation Lone Star and natural disasters.” 

The day’s events included briefings on the capabilities of the TMD and gave the legislators and their staff an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the role the TMD plays in keeping Texas safe.  

Legislators witnessed an F-16 fighter jet take off and rode in a C-130 transport plane, both flown by Texas Air National Guardsmen. Once aboard the C-130, the congressmen and women could feel the equipment in action.  

“The flight was the most memorable part of the day.” said Silva. That’s not something that your average person gets to experience. Whether they are full-time or traditional, 1-weekend-a-month Guardsmen, they are expert trained personnel to fly these aircraft.”  

The event aimed to showcase the department's capabilities and give legislators a better understanding of the work the TMD does for the state of Texas. 

The Texas State Guard showcased their search and rescue equipment, highlighting their commitment to providing support during times of need to the state of Texas. The exhibit included a range of equipment, from communication systems to rescue boats and vehicles. 

Members of the Texas State Guard were on hand to demonstrate the equipment and share their experiences using it in real-world situations. They emphasized the importance of having the right tools and training to effectively respond to emergencies and provide aid to those in need. The display of their search and rescue equipment showcased the Texas State Guard's commitment to serving the state and its communities and highlighted the importance of preparedness in times of crisis. 

Capt. Keith Weaver, Alpha Company, 5th Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group was at the event to share the work that the Special Operations Detachment-Africa is doing as part of their duties in theater.  

“We’re here to talk about what our elements are doing. We are privileged that we get tasked around the world,” said Weaver. “Our company was in Syria, Iraq, and the Arabian Peninsula last year. Texas is one of a handful of states that has a Special Operations component. We are unique because we could be tasked anywhere around the world.”  

The Texas Military Department serves as the state's military branch, providing support to local communities during times of need, including natural disasters and emergencies. The department is also a crucial component of national security, providing support to military operations both domestically and abroad. 

Legislators also learned of one of the lesser publicized entities of the TMD, the Joint Counterdrug Task Force. Task Force officials shared what the JCDTF provides, a professional support to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and community-based organizations in the state of Texas. Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kevin Hagar, Drug Demand Reduction Outreach program manager, for Counterdrug was available to speak to elected officials.  

“We are fighting fentanyl on two different levels,” Hagar said. “Not only on the supply piece of the problem, but we also provide education for children to reduce drug demand.”   

Legislative Day was a testament to the department's commitment to serving the state of Texas, and to providing its elected officials with a comprehensive understanding of the military's capabilities and operations. 

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Elizabeth Pena 
Texas Military Department

HARLINGEN, Texas -- Senior Enlisted Advisor Tony L. Whitehead, the senior enlisted advisor for the Chief, National Guard Bureau, visits Texas Guardsmen, November 22-24, 2022, in Harlingen, Texas, to check the pulse of the soldiers and airmen during the Thanksgiving holiday.

SEA Whitehead serves as the Chief's principal military advisor on all enlisted matters affecting training, utilization, the health of the force, and enlisted professional development. As the highest enlisted level of National Guard leadership, he provides direction for the enlisted force and represents their interests.

"The purpose of the visit was to check on our soldiers and airmen working on Operation Lone Star," said SEA Whitehead. "They're Guardsmen, and I wanted to make sure that we had an opportunity to speak to them about their thoughts and ideas about the mission, how they were doing, how they felt about how the mission was going and any ideas that I needed to take back to the Chief of the National Guard Bureau."

Operation Lone Star is a state-led mission to respond to increased illegal immigration on the Texas-Mexico border. In May of 2021, Texas issued a disaster declaration covering 48 counties, primarily counties along or near the Texas – Mexico border. Currently, approximately 6,000 service members are deployed in support of Operation Lone Star.

During the visit, SEA Whitehead met with different units and components to get a full picture of the various mission sets of the state active-duty members, which included getting to ride on a Texas State Guard Center Console boat, used by Task Force East, known as the 'river unit' for the border mission. This unit uses TXSG flat-bottomed and center console boats in support of the border mission.

"Task Force East is responsible for four zones in the McAllen sector of the border. Our unit is specifically responsible for the river," said Texas Army National Guard Capt. Mike Jones, commander of the TF East team. "Today, we were showcasing some of the highlights of both the Mexico and U.S. side such as landmarks, key areas the Cartel uses and Border Patrol use, you know, in the whole cat and mouse game of border security."

Soldiers assigned to the river unit received recognition coins from SEA Whitehead for their outstanding work on the border. They had the opportunity to talk about their experiences on the mission with the highest enlisted leader in the National Guard.

"The Southwest Border Mission is a unique mission to the United States," said SEA Whitehead. "For our soldiers and airmen doing the mission, this has been talked about a lot, and I think sometimes we forget that we've got people down there 24 hours a day, seven days a week."

As part of SEA Whitehead's priority to seek opportunities for innovation and advancement within the ranks, SEA Whitehead asked service members to provide feedback to take back to the top [Pentagon].

"The visit was so great for my soldiers," said Capt. Jones. "These guys [and gals] are all highly motivated, to begin with, but having leadership from NGB come down and see what they do on a day-to-day basis is a big deal."

Some of the unit-level leadership also briefed SEA Whitehead on the morale of the Texas Guardsmen, stating there was an 86 percent volunteer rate for troops wishing to stay on the mission. These extension requests, leaders said, can be attributed to the pay incentives, time off to spend with family and the unique mission set the border mission provides. Through OLS, Texas Guardsmen can work in different units and alongside state partners like the Border Patrol Department of Public Safety, as well as the impact the mission has on the communities.

Reflecting on his visit, SEA Whitehead was incredibly impressed with the service members' work and their commitment to serving the greater good.

"One of the best things I liked about what I heard was that they have been here long enough to see the difference they have made in what they've been doing. So, despite some of the things they've heard regarding the negative social media or negative press, they know that there's been a positive difference in what they have been doing since they've been here."

When asked why he chose to come during a Thanksgiving holiday, SEA Whitehead said he wanted to ensure our soldiers and airmen know military leaders in Washington, D.C., are mindful of their 24/7 commitment.

"When the holidays come around, I don't know if people have the impression that things are halted because of it or that they are just comforted that we have military members down there on the Texas-Mexico border. Some of our Guardsmen have families that they're separated from, that's not just those deployed overseas but those deployed right here in the U.S.," said SEA Whitehead. "So, it's important for the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, myself, and the rest of the leadership team to go down and tell them ‘Thank you’ for what they're doing. We appreciate what they're doing, and we must let them know they're standing in a gap that's extremely important to our nation's security."

CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait – The 36th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB), 36th Infantry Division, Texas Army National Guard (TXARNG), currently deployed as “Task Force Mustang,” appreciated and recognized 16 of its Soldiers for completing the Equal Opportunity Leaders Course (EOLC) on Oct. 14.

The Soldiers were appointed to serve as Equal Opportunity Leaders (EOLs) within their first month in theater as part of Task Force Mustang’s mission to provide full-spectrum Army aviation operations for Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) in the Middle East.

The Military Equal Opportunity (MEO) Program commonly defines a comprehensive effort to maximize human potential and fair treatment for all Soldiers, family members, and DA civilians without regard to race, color, sex (to include gender identity), religion, national origin, or sexual orientation. Task Force Mustang’s EOLs are taking on the additional duty to promote safe and inclusive work environments, and help resolve informal complaints regarding any perceived unlawful discrimination and offensive behaviors in its ranks.

U.S. Army Col. Scott P. Nicholas, commander of Task Force Mustang, expressed his appreciation for the EOLs and how they will support daily operations.

“Regardless of location, number of locations, or type of duty orders our Soldiers receive, every Army aviation unit makes promoting the Army Values a top priority in every workplace, and it starts with training,” said Nicholas. “Task Force Mustang now has an EO program that will deliver that training and amplify awareness, so that our teams remain mission-focused on supporting our partnered forces in the enduring defeat of ISIS.”

Leading the 16 EOLs for Task Force Mustang is U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Mildred A. Restrepo, retention NCO and EO leader for the aviation brigade’s command team. She hosted the EOLC and assisted MEO advisors with certifying the Soldiers’ additional duty.

“It’s great to serve as the EOL for Task Force Mustang,” said Restrepo. “It is a privilege to get to serve as the eyes and ears for the brigade commander, and it is most rewarding when our Soldiers and leaders can resolve potential EO complaints at the lowest level.”

Restrepo is a member of the U.S. Army Reserve, previously serving as the S-1 non-commissioned officer in-charge for the 11th CAB “Task Force Eagle” before the 36th CAB took over their mission last summer. In her civilian career back home, she serves as a police officer for the NYPD.

“I knew I was going to stay for a second tour overseas, but I knew I was not going to be able to keep my same duty in human resources,” she said. “Task Force Mustang saw a benefit to having me serve in their EO office at the time, so it worked out where I could stay and help strengthen the brigade’s EO network.”

Restrepo noted that her EOL training allows her to provide input to the commander with regards to informal complaints.

“Our EOLs are here to serve as resources to all Soldiers, and are ready to take anonymous or informal complaints, while certified MEO Advisors can directly facilitate formal complaints,” she added. “All Soldiers have the right to choose their type of complaint reports, and our EOLs are always there to educate them about their options, as well as support workplace condition checks for their respective unit leaders.”

Numbers in EO complaints easily vary based on mission and deployment durations.

“The highest number of informal complaints we’ve received has been four within a given week, and there have been a couple weeks where we’ve received no complaints at all, which is great,” Restrepo shared. “There have also been instances where a Soldier’s complaint was potentially turning into a formal one, but the Soldier was able to get it resolved with their immediate supervisor, thanks to the unit leader’s attention and the EOL involved.”

U.S. Army Master Sgt. Acie Matthews, operations NCO and MEO Advisor for CJTF-OIR, serves as the coordinator of all EO programs assigned across OIR’s Combined/Joint Operations Area (CJOA).

“EOLs are selected and trusted by their commanders to keep a pulse on the climate and culture of their units,” Matthews stated. “Our goal for EOLs is to have them be an extension of their commander’s ear to the unit and be a voice of the unit to the commander and other leaders. When not dealing with informal complaints, EOLs are tagged with executing their primary military duties, and that varies greatly across the team.”

Matthews brings to CJTF-OIR several years of EO experience, both stateside and overseas.

“Being an MEO Advisor is a very rewarding and humbling position. People are our most valuable resource, so providing support for their rights to be treated with dignity and respect is an absolute honor,” said Matthews. “Prior to this deployment, I served as the Minnesota National Guard State MEO Advisor, and I enjoyed supporting the Soldiers and Airmen during that time.”

He remarked how well Task Force Mustang was heading in the right direction for their EO program.

“Task Force Mustang is unique in that its responsibilities spread across multiple locations, in multiple countries, across the CJOA. Maintaining consistent messaging across such a vast area is challenging,” he added. “However, EOLs across Task Force Mustang are fired up and excited about the opportunity to support their respective commanders’ missions. While deployed, Soldiers are subject to U.S. Army regulations and reporting procedures, which differ slightly from National Guard Bureau’s processes. However, with dignity and respect being the drumbeat, these EOLs are seamlessly integrating the Title 10 rules into their battle rhythms.”

Restrepo couldn’t agree more with Matthews over the importance of their EO teams serving as a support channel to Soldiers.

“Towards the end of a deployment, it’s very common to see an increase in concerns and complaints,” Restrepo shared. “Everything is a fresh start at the beginning of a year-long mission. But, when daily routines change or several things do not go as planned throughout the mission—quality of life changes, resource reductions, Soldiers not talking to other Soldiers, leadership engagements perceived as less common, or Soldiers not letting go over their cultural differences or holding onto their complaints for months—all these things can affect discipline and unit morale. So, our EOLs will prove vital to safeguarding the professionalism and respect between Soldiers and their chain of command.”

To achieve MEO requirements, Restrepo says EO awareness classes will be completed by all Task Force Mustang Soldiers within the next month, and that 15 more Soldiers will complete the EOLC before the start of the new year. Task Force Mustang will have had every company level to brigade level leadership fully supported by EOLs for the rest of its deployment.

“And that’s what we want,” Restrepo concluded. “We want all unit leaders to be able to communicate with their Soldiers about any inequality concerns and have them resolve potential issues at the lowest level possible. EO complaints can happen anytime, but our EOLs will always be there to assist in maintaining a safe and welcoming work environment for everyone until mission complete.”

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras – The 54th Security Force Assistance Brigade recently made history as the first National Guard unit of its kind to activate and deploy in support of combatant command missions.

Activated in March of 2020, the 54th SFAB is headquartered in Indiana and has six battalions in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Ohio, and Texas. While the five active component SFABs are directly aligned under combatant commands, such as United States Southern Command or United States European Command, the Army Guard SFAB is globally focused and capable of deploying Soldiers to support missions anywhere in the world.

Recently, members of the Georgia National Guard 1st Battalion, 54th SFAB, completed a deployment to Honduras, making them the first National Guard members to deploy as an SFAB.

“The whole intent of having a security force assistance brigade is to assist our partner nations and foreign security forces,” said Col. Jeff Hackett, who commanded the 54th SFAB from its activation until last year.

SFAB Personnel

In addition to the unique nature of the SFAB mission, its manning is also one of its defining characteristics. SFAB Soldiers are all volunteers, hand-selected from other units across all 54 states, territories, and the District of Columbia.

“The way the SFAB is set up is to try to get more mature individuals that already have their key leader development time,” said Sgt. 1st Class Dean DeAngelo, the senior battalion logistics noncommissioned officer, Georgia Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 54th SFAB. “The whole idea behind it is to be able to advise your partner forces two levels up from your current position.”

The brigade also differs from the traditional Army force structure in accomplishing its advising mission. The advisor teams are typically comprised of between four and 12 Soldiers and operate much more autonomously than conventional forces, based on their partner force needs.

These teams are broken down into:

● Maneuver advising Teams
● Field artillery advising team
● Engineer advising teams
● Logistics advising teams






The Selection Process

There are two ways soldiers can join an SFAB.

For immediate eligibility, Soldiers must be the rank of sergeant first class or above and have completed key and developmental positions, such as platoon sergeant for an infantryman. Upon completion of requirements, Soldiers are eligible to be selected through an interview with SFAB leadership.

Soldiers that do not meet these criteria must pass a rigorous five-day assessment and selection. The selection entails an Army Combat Fitness Test, a leader reaction course, team events, a warrior skills test, military occupational skill proficiency and ethical dilemma tests, a subject matter expert interview, and culminates with a ruck march.

“We are getting Soldiers that are senior leaders already, but not everybody is cut out for the SFAB,” said Lt. Col. Matthew Makaryk, commander of the 1-54th SFAB, adding that the success rate of the selection process is not high.

In Makaryk’s Battalion, the average enlisted advisor is 31 years old with 10 years of service and an associate degree. The average officer advisor is 36, with 13 years of service and a master’s degree. Most also have two to three years of deployment experience as well, said Capt. Madison Bips, the unit’s operations officer.

Specialized Training

The SFAB training cycle also differs from Army Guard’s traditional training schedule. Rather than attending training for the traditional one weekend a month and an annual training event, they train one week a fiscal quarter and attend an annual training event.

In addition to the yearly training, SFAB Soldiers are given specialized training opportunities. Soldiers assigned to advisor positions complete the 54-day Combat Advisor Training course at the Military Advisor Training Academy at Fort Benning, Georgia. On top of that, many SFAB members receive cultural and language familiarity training and training on foreign weapons, advanced medical training, driver training, and survival, evasion, resistance, and escape techniques.

In addition to their domestic training, SFAB Soldiers also participate in numerous foreign training exercises.


“What drew me to the SFAB was the opportunity to stand up a unit from the ground up in the Guard and being able to go on overseas training,” said DeAngelo. During his four years with the SFAB, he trained in Brazil as part of Exercise Southern Vanguard in 2021 and deployed to Honduras with the SFAB in 2022.

Now that he has surpassed the three-year mark as an SFAB member, he has reached the end of his time with the unit. But this is by design —the SFAB is structured to return its advisors to the force as more seasoned professionals.

“It’s time for me to move on and take my experience from the SFAB and take it back to the conventional force,” he said.