The continent is more diverse culturally, economically and geographically. Read “3rd Special Forces Group ‘all in’ on Africa mission”, The Fayetteville Observer, July 8, 2017. Despite this assignment, the 3rd SFG has carried out numerous operations in Afghanistan. There were briefings from military commands, the Department of State and U.S. AID, among others. The 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) was first activated on Dec. 5, 1963 at Fort Bragg, N.C., as a Special Action Force with a Middle East and Africa orientation. It absolutely is.”. “We have limited precious assets,” he said. At the 3rd Group headquarters on Fort Bragg last month, Painter described a unity of effort across the group — commanded by Col. Bradley D. Moses — and between the battalions, who are rotating command of a lieutenant colonel-level command based in North and West Africa. “We truly are a learning organization that is constantly adapting without suffering amnesia,” he said. “Is it a mission we’re trained for? Because of the many missions being sent out by Special Forces it was decided that a group needed to be formed, that would be responsible for Africa. The 3rd SFG Africa mission requires the Special Forces Soldiers to work closely with other U.S. government agencies and with the military of host and allied nations. “It takes a different mindset.”. Drew Brooks, The Fayetteville Observer The 3rd Special Forces Group is assigned to the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) area of responsibility (AOR). The Special Operations Command Africa (SOCAfrica) oversees much of the activity, coordination, and support for the special operations missions on the continent. “How do we help these different Africa countries work through the problem sets they're faced with in this day and age?” Painter said. And their unique training is needed throughout the world. Instead, the teams have kept in touch with their counterparts in Africa knowing that many would return to the same countries in which they’ve previously deployed. Sniper Systems Update for Special Operations Forces, Special Operations News Update – 20170710, Copyright © 2021 | WordPress Theme by MH Themes. In Africa, the soldiers would find a very different mission than what they were used to in Afghanistan. Were it not for the help, Painter said the woman would have likely died. “Their time needs to be worth it,” he said. The Special Forces team, traveling directly behind the vehicle that crashed, acted quickly to save the lives of the American officials traveling with them. Air Force photo. One of the officials needed a blood transfusion and a Special Forces medic on the scene was able to do one on the spot. Soldiers learned how to navigate the bureaucracy of the continent and specific concerns for the 12-nation swath of Africa that includes Libya, Chad, Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, Mali and Burkina Faso. It’s not uncommon for soldiers in Africa to reach back to home for solutions to problems facing their partner forces. Home > Groups > 3rd SFGA The 3rd Special Forces Group was based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina in the 1960s. 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) is the preeminent special operations force deploying the most competent, adaptable forces worldwide, across the range of military operations, in support of Department of Defense objectives. “Nathan was a beloved member of 3rd Special Forces Group and an exceptional leader in the special operations community,” said Col. Nathan Prussian, 3rd Group commander, in a prepared statement. On July 1, 1990, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) was officially reactivated and given Africa and the Caribbean for an area of responsibility. Since the ACRI training program began in July 1997, the 3rd Special Forces Group had trained forces in Senegal, Uganda, Malawi, and Mali. In some cases, nearly daily. Painter said the unity of effort between the Special Forces soldiers and their U.S. government counterparts was just as important as the unity of effort within 3rd Special Forces Group itself. 3rd SFG Africa Mission – When the 3rd Special Forces Group was reactivated at Fort Bragg in July 1990 it was assigned regional responsibility for the Caribbean area and Africa. View Drew Brooks, The Fayetteville Observer's articles. It would later be inactivated - and then reactivated. 3rd Group was first activated on 5 December 1963 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He joined the Fort Bragg, North Carolina-based 3rd Special Forces Group in 2008 following the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course. But in a way, the soldiers have never left. That became the 3rd Special Forces Group. 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) The 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) has a long and storied history serving the Nation during peacetime and war. On the battalion's last deployment, Painter said a Special Forces team traveling with U.S. government officials in Mauritania proved their readiness when their partners were involved in a vehicle accident. Without it, the mission won’t see any long-term success. “We’re not reinventing the wheel,” Painter said. No other Special Forces Group spent more time in the country. The Africa mission mirrors some of that early training. During the course of his career, Abernethy held numerous duty positions, including: infantry rifleman, 3rd U.S. Infantry (The Old Guard); communication sergeant, signal detachment, 1st Battalion 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne); U.S. Army … “There's more demands than we have people to meet them.”. As the battalion prepares for its next deployment, Painter said we wants to make sure soldiers don't change the goal line. Drew Brooks, The Fayetteville Observer Johnson enlisted in the Army in January 2014 as a wheeled-vehicle mechanic and was assigned to the 3rd Special Forces Group, a Green Beret unit. Leaders within 3rd Group have said the return to Africa has represented a return to the “bread and better of what Special Forces do” — namely working with and through partner forces to build security in allied countries. 3rd Group provides a scalable and self-sustaining special … “The continent of Africa is huge,” he said. Quoting Brig. T The overall agency responsible for all SOF operations in Africa is Special Operations Command – Africa (SOCAfrica). “We are there to not solve their problems for them, but to help them work through those problems.”. But in Africa, the soldiers are working under multiple authorities and permissions while coordinating with the U.S. State Department and other government entities across numerous countries to achieve regional effects. Various extremist groups operate along the Niger-Mali border area, including Ansar Dine, an al Qaeda-affiliated extremist group, and ISIS-West Africa. Leaders within 3rd Group have said the return to Africa has represented a return to the “bread and better of what Special Forces do” … Somalia itself is a mess and classified as a failed state with a major insurgent problem. Teams deployed and at Fort Bragg speak constantly, he said. In Afghanistan, 3rd Group had done much of the heavy lifting for Special Forces, working closely with their Afghan counterparts, building their capacity and maintaining a constant presence in the embattled country while helping to steer the course of the war. In the mid-1990s, the 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) had as its responsibility all of the Caribbean and all of the western part of the continent of Africa. Soldiers are often based much farther away from important support, including medical care. “It's powerful. As part of 3rd Group’s “refocus,” soldiers underwent a crash course of sorts about the new, old mission. July 9, 2017 “3rd Special Forces Group ‘all in’ on Africa mission”. He is a retired Command Chief Warrant Officer (CW5 180A) with 40 years service in the U.S. Army Special Forces with active duty and reserve components. Initial … The Fort Bragg-based Special Forces Group is heavily involved in many of the 54 countries in Africa. In Afghanistan, soldiers had clear authorities — left and right boundaries of what they could and couldn't do with their Afghan partners. “It’s a constant state of learning throughout the year. 3rd Group—as it is sometime called—is designed to deploy and execute nine doctrinal missions: unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, direct action, counter-insurgency, special reconnaissance, counter-terrorism, info… Painter is a “homegrown” officer within the 2nd Battalion, having spent much of his career within the unit. Factsheets, posture statements, and more Melgar, a staff sergeant in the Army’s 3rd Special Forces Group, was specifically selected for an intelligence operation in the West African nation of … Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Few, other than some senior leaders, had any experience in Africa. © 2021 Brookline Media. But for some couples, porn helps. The 3rd Special Forces Group based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina has historically operated in this part of Africa. “I'm very proud to be in a position where I can work and be a part of what I honestly believe is a collective approach in so many different countries,” Painter said. The Special Forces teams set to deploy this year did not put their mission aside on their return to Fort Bragg, Painter said. It’s not easy keeping a marriage together, especially in the military. Prior to that the Since we had just returned from Africa, most of us were transferred to the 3rd to impart our knowledge of Africa to the group. Maj. Robert V. Abernethy entered the U.S. Army July 22, 1987, and graduated as an infantryman in November 1987. “No single country can fight violent extremism alone,” said U.S. Army Capt. The 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) – abbreviated 3rd SFG(A) and often simply called 3rd Group – is an active duty United States Army Special Forces (SF) group which was active in the Vietnam Era (1963–69), inactivated, and then reactivated in 1990. The 3rd SFG was first activated on December 5, 1963, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, as a Special Action Force (SAF) with a Middle East and Africa orientation. 0. 3rd SFG Africa Mission – When the 3rd Special Forces Group was reactivated at Fort Bragg in July 1990 it was assigned regional responsibility for the Caribbean area and Africa. 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