# Special Forces Support Group forms in Wales



## big bad john (20 Apr 2006)

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/SpecialForcesSupportGroupFormsInWales.htm

Special Forces Support Group forms in Wales
20 Apr 06 
The new UK Special Forces Support Group (SFSG) has been formed in St Athan, near Cardiff, the Secretary of State for Defence, John Reid, announced to Parliament today, Thursday 20 April 2006.



The unit will provide direct support to UK Special Forces intervention operations around the world and will provide the UK with an additional counter-terrorist capability,

The selection of individuals to the SFSG has been made from the Parachute Regiment, the Royal Marines, and the RAF Regiment. The group falls under the operational command of the Director of Special Forces and is part of the UK Special Forces Group. 

Members of the SFSG will retain the cap badges of their parent units and will also wear the SFSG insignia. All individuals within this specialist group have passed either the Royal Marines Commando course, the Airborne Forces Selection course run by the Parachute Regiment or the RAF Pre-Parachute Selection course. 

Each of these selection courses involves arduous physical selection and high quality infantry training. The personnel are then equipped and provided with additional training to fit their specific specialist role on joining the SFSG.

The main role of the SFSG is to provide direct support to UK Special Forces intervention operations around the world. They will be prepared to operate in war-fighting, counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations at short notice. 

Their roles may include provision of supporting or diversionary attacks, cordons, fire support, force protection and supporting training tasks. Prior to the creation of the SFSG, these tasks have been carried out by other units on an ad hoc basis.

One example of this specialist role was Operation Barras in Sierra Leone in 2000, where a company of 1 Para attacked one rebel camp as Special Forces units rescued hostages from a separate camp, thus preventing any rebel reinforcements disrupting the hostage rescue. By regularly training with the Special Forces, the SFSG will provide a more effective and available support capability.

"The new Special Forces Support Group will enhance the capability of the UK Special Forces to operate around the world and will provide the UK with an additional counter-terrorist capability." 
John Reid
In a statement to the House of Commons today, the Secretary of State for Defence, John Reid, said:

"The new Special Forces Support Group will enhance the capability of the UK Special Forces to operate around the world and will provide the UK with an additional counter-terrorist capability. I am pleased to be able to inform the House that the new Special Forces unit stood up, as planned, in St Athan, near Cardiff on 3 April."

This is the first official confirmation of the formed Special Forces Support Group (SFSG). It is the first time that the location of the group's base has been revealed. The new SFSG insignia will be worn by members of the group. 

The creation of two new Special Forces units to enhance the overall capabilities of the Special Forces and to improve the UK's ability to fight terrorism was announced by the then Secretary of State for Defence Geoff Hoon on 16 Dec 2004. The first unit, the Special Reconnaissance Regiment, became operational on Apr 2005. The SFSG is the second unit, which became operational on 3 Apr 2006.The SFSG is part of the UK Special Forces Group.



Written Ministerial Statement: Secretary of State for Defence Dr John Reid

Special Forces Support Unit

The Secretary of State for Defence (Dr John Reid): On 16 December 2004 (Official Report, column 1798), as part of the wider programme to modernise the UK’s defence capabilities, the then Secretary of State for Defence, the rt hon Geoff Hoon MP, announced to the House the Government’s intention to create two new units that would significantly improve the specialist support to the Special Forces and enhance our global capacity to fight terrorism. 

The first of these new units, the Special Reconnaissance Regiment, became operational in April 2005 and is already delivering a globally deployable special reconnaissance capability to the UK Special Forces. 

The second new unit is the ‘Special Forces Support Group’. SFSG is an enhanced capability that will directly support UK Special Forces intervention operations around the world and will provide the UK with an additional counter-terrorist capability. 

I am pleased to be able to inform the House today that the SFSG has now stood up in St Athan, near Cardiff, and achieved Initial Operating Capability as planned on 3 April. 

Personnel for the new unit have been drawn from the Parachute Regiment, the Royal Marines, and the Royal Air Force Regiment. The unit will be part of the UK Special Forces Group.

The principal role of the SFSG is to provide direct support to UKSF intervention operations, as well as reinforcing UKSF in other key capability areas such as provision of specialist training and support to domestic CT operations. It will have a specific specialist infantry role and personnel will be equipped and trained accordingly.


Photo 1) SFSG insignia 
[Picture: MOD]


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## Kat Stevens (21 Apr 2006)

Oh, my, that insignia looks to be rather fiercely, errr, "Teutonic", doesn't it?


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## Kirkhill (21 Apr 2006)

It does have a certain .... familiarity... to it.


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## William Webb Ellis (21 Apr 2006)

Jack Boots anyone!


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## big bad john (12 May 2006)

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/DefencePolicyAndBusiness/NewSpecialForcesSupportGroupInauguralParade.htm

New Special Forces Support Group: Inaugural Parade
12 May 06 
Secretary of State for Defence, the Rt Hon Des Browne MP, and the Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Mike Jackson, attended the inaugural parade of the new Special Forces Support Group at RAF St Athan in Wales on 11 May 2006.


The Special Forces Support Group is a new unit within the UK Special Forces group, which was set up on 3 April 2006. It will directly support UK Special Forces intervention operations around the world and provide the UK with an additional counter-terrorist capability. Personnel for the unit will be specially equipped and trained for their Special Forces role. Welcoming the event, Defence Secretary Des Browne said:

"This is a proud day for the new members of the Special Forces family. We can all feel more secure, knowing that the best Special Forces in the world are being given the extra support that they need to deal with modern threats.

"This enhancement to the UK's Special Forces is part of the restructuring of our Armed Forces to deliver new capabilities that are relevant to the threats of today.

"This parade, which clearly illustrates the blend of different Services into a single Special Forces ethos, marks a new and proud chapter in the history of the UK Special Forces."


Members of the Special Forces Support Group will retain the cap badges of their parent units
Personnel for the new unit have been drawn from the Parachute Regiment, the Royal Marines, and the Royal Air Force Regiment. The unit will be part of the UK Special Forces Group, falling under the operational command of the Director of Special Forces. As with the rest of the Special Forces, the best way to protect their capabilities is to respect the importance of keeping the identities of its individuals, its operations, its capabilities, its tactics and training, and its equipment properly secret. 

The need to enhance Special Forces capability was announced in the Strategic Defence Review New Chapter, published in July 2002. Members of the Special Forces Support Group (SFSG) will retain the cap badges of their parent units and will also wear the SFSG insignia.

All individuals within this specialist group have passed either the Royal Marines Commando course, the Airborne Forces Selection course run by the Parachute Regiment or the RAF Pre-Parachute Selection course. Each of these selection courses involves arduous physical selection and high quality infantry training. The personnel are then equipped and provided with additional training to fit their specific specialist role on joining the SFSG.


The main role of the SFSG is to provide direct support to UK Special Forces intervention operations around the world. They will be prepared to operate in war-fighting, counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations at short notice. Their roles may include provision of supporting or diversionary attacks, cordons, fire support, force protection and supporting training tasks. Prior to the creation of the SFSG, these tasks have been carried out by other units on an ad hoc basis.

The creation of two new Special Forces units to enhance the overall capabilities of the Special Forces and to improve the UK's ability to fight terrorism was announced by the then Secretary of State for Defence, Geoff Hoon, on 16 December 2004. The first unit, the Special Reconnaissance Regiment, became operational in April 2005. The SFSG is the second unit, which became operational on 3 April 2006.


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## Michael Dorosh (15 May 2006)

Kirkhill said:
			
		

> It does have a certain .... familiarity... to it.



I still giggle when reading the Canadian Official History of the Second World War and reading about the "British SS Brigade" taking Walcheren Island.


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