# NATO agrees to split of Regional Command South, Afghanistan



## The Bread Guy (21 May 2010)

NATO news release:


> On 21 May 2010, the North Atlantic Council, in consultation with non-NATO ISAF Troop Contributing Nations, gave final authorisation for the reorganisation of ISAF’s Regional Command South and the establishment of an additional Regional Command South-West – RC(SW) – in Afghanistan. This new organisation will be effective later this summer.
> 
> The new RC(SW) will have responsibility for the Helmand and Nimruz provinces and will be placed initially under the command of the United States.  Regional Command South, which is under the command of British Major General Nick Carter, will retain the provinces of Kandahar, Uruzgan, Zabul and Daikundi.
> 
> ...



_- edited to add map, with RC-SW in red, RC-S in orange (please excuse my poor MS Paint tracing skills) - _


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## Infanteer (21 May 2010)

Here comes the Marines....


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## GAP (21 May 2010)

Infanteer said:
			
		

> Here comes the Marines....



;D


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## TN2IC (24 May 2010)

Infanteer said:
			
		

> Here comes the Marines....





Shall We Dance?


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## Infanteer (24 May 2010)

Can you say "I called it".

http://www.understandingwar.org/reference/afghanistan-order-battle

The Afghanistan order of battle over at the Institute for the Study of War (lame name, I know), which has been recently updated, shows that 2 Marine Expeditionary Brigade - in command of Task Force Leatherneck - has been replaced by I Marine Expeditionary Force forward.  IIRC, this is another Div-level command organization.

With the influx of forces to southern Afghanistan, this probably addresses span of control issues for 6 (UK) Division who is currently running RC(S).  This also makes for an interesting situation.  The British command of RC(S) does not command many Brits at all, as the British Task Force Helmand will fall under the command of the Marines in RC(SW).  There has been scuttlebutt elsewhere about the Brits moving and TF Leatherneck taking all of Helmand, but this has Basra-like overtones and may be unpallatable to a British public that has invested alot into places like Gereshk, Sangin, and Musa Qala.


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## tomahawk6 (24 May 2010)

Strictly speaking a MEF which is commanded by a LTG,is a corps level HQ.


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## Infanteer (25 May 2010)

tomahawk6 said:
			
		

> Strictly speaking a MEF which is commanded by a LTG,is a corps level HQ.



I assumed the I MEF Forward was a Div level slice of that Corps HQ.


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## tomahawk6 (25 May 2010)

I MEF Forward is commanded by 1MAR Division CG MG Mills. The I MEF DCG is a USMCR BG. So your assumption about the division slice is a good one. But the MEF as a whole has a division as its ground element,plus air ect.If the MEF HQ deployed it would be able to control multiple ground formations as it did during OIF where it acted as a corps.

Marine Air/Ground Task Force[MAGTF]



> The MAGTF consists of four integrated elements; a command element, a ground combat element, an aviation combat element, and a combat service support element.  I MEF is composed of the MEF command element, the First Marine Division, the Third Marine Air Wing, and the First Force Service Support Group.  This combined-arms team trains as a MAGTF, deploys as a MAGTF, and is employed across the spectrum of conflict as a MAGTF.  The MAGTF is an inherently flexible, scalable force that can be sized to meet any contingency.  The MAGTF that participated in OIF consisted of the MEF’s four organic subordinate commands, listed above, and expanded to include the 1st (UK) Armored Division, Task Force Tarawa (formed around 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, from Camp Lejeune, NC), the 15th and 24th Marine Expeditionary Units, the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit Command Element, the 1st MEF Engineer Group, and several attached units from the United States Army.  In its totality at the height of OIF, I MEF consisted of over 86,000 Marines, sailors, and soldiers.  During OIF, I MEF was directly subordinate to the Combined Forces Land Component Command (CFLCC – 3d US Army).  Despite the size and complexity of this force, I MEF’s success during OIF once again reinforced the flexible, scalable nature of the MAGTF concept.


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## SeanNewman (25 May 2010)

Hopefully Nimroz will finally get some significant manpower out there.  For a long time conventional forces weren't there in significant numbers which always made me scratch my head since it was on the Iran border.


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## The Bread Guy (25 May 2010)

Infanteer said:
			
		

> Can you say "I called it".
> 
> http://www.understandingwar.org/reference/afghanistan-order-battle
> 
> The Afghanistan order of battle over at the Institute for the Study of War (lame name, I know), which has been recently updated, shows that 2 Marine Expeditionary Brigade - in command of Task Force Leatherneck - has been replaced by I Marine Expeditionary Force forward.  IIRC, this is another Div-level command organization ....


Yup, you called it - thanks, also, for sharing a great resource link.


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## The Bread Guy (26 May 2010)

*Command and control changes in southern Afghanistan*
A Defence Policy and Business news article, 21 May 10
Article link

Changes to the command and control of ISAF forces in southern Afghanistan, that will see the current Regional Command (South) split in two to better reflect the significant changes on the ground in recent months, have been announced today.

The announcement from ISAF, the International Security Assistance Force, confirms that the present Regional Command (South) will be split into two new headquarters.

A new Regional Command (South West), based in Helmand, will oversee Helmand and Nimruz provinces; while the existing Regional Command (South), headquartered in Kandahar, will continue to control ISAF forces in Kandahar, Daykundi, Uruzgan and Zabul provinces.

This change, which is based on the military advice of ISAF commanders on the ground, reflects a number of significant changes over recent months and was welcomed today by the Defence Secretary, Dr Liam Fox.

The recent changes on the ground include a large increase in the number of ISAF troops in southern Afghanistan - up from 35,000 in October 2009 to over 50,000 by this summer - and a greater complexity in the conduct of operations, with major ongoing security efforts in Kandahar and central Helmand.

The new command structure will also enable a better alignment with Afghan National Army units, with 205 Corps continuing to work with Regional Command (South) [RC(S)] and 215 Corps partnered with the new Regional Command (South West).

The decision to divide responsibility between the two headquarters will help provide the best focus of command support for ISAF forces across the region.

Secretary of State for Defence, Dr Liam Fox, said:



> "I welcome these changes to the command and control of our forces in Afghanistan which are based on sound military rationale and are in the interests of the overall coalition strategy and mission.
> 
> "Through their sheer professionalism, bravery and sacrifice, British forces have made real progress in Helmand. They will continue to do so working alongside Afghan, American and other ISAF partners making up an international effort of more than 45 nations."



Major General Gordon Messenger, the Chief of the Defence Staff's Strategic Communications Officer, said:



> "This command and control change makes complete sense and is welcome. The span and complexity of the command challenge in southern Afghanistan has increased enormously in recent months and these changes provide the best command support to the troops on the ground.
> 
> "The change will also align the ISAF military structure in the south with the structure of the Afghan National Army, enabling a greater partnering capacity between ISAF and Afghan forces.
> 
> "The UK has been closely involved in the preparations for this change and entirely agrees with its rationale. We are well accustomed to operating within a multinational coalition command structure and are entirely content that the best interests of the UK force will be maintained under the new arrangements."



Looking to the future, Regional Command (South West) will operate under a rotational command, agreed in principle to be shared between US and UK forces. The first commander will be Major General Richard Mills of the US Marine Corps (USMC).

As part of the new arrangements, command and control boundaries will change within Helmand province.

Following the split, Task Force Helmand (TFH) will come under the command of the US Marine Corps' 1st Marine Expeditionary Force (1 MEF), under Major General Mills. TFH will retain responsibility for central Helmand.

Major General Richard Mills, Commanding General of 1st Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), said:



> "Regional Command (South West) will ensure that ISAF and Afghan forces in Helmand and Nimruz provinces achieve the objectives of Operation MOSHTARAK, which are intended to assert the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan's presence in the region.
> 
> "Since taking command six weeks ago I have been hugely impressed by the momentum and achievements of RC(S) under General Carter.
> 
> ...



Additionally, under the changes, the command of the 1,100-strong British Battle Group based in Sangin and Kajaki will transfer from Task Force Helmand to the US-led Regimental Combat Team (North), which is taking on responsibility for the north of the province.

In common with the other changes to ISAF's command structures, this transfer of command will take effect on 1 June 2010 and is intended to optimise the command support available to the troops on the ground in light of the increased number of ISAF troops and other operational assets.

ISAF intends for Regional Command (South West) to become fully operational later this summer. In order to ease the transition, there will be an interim phase where 1 MEF will take responsibility for Helmand and Nimruz but will continue to work to Regional Command (South). This arrangement is planned to run from 1 June.

The UK-led Provincial Reconstruction Team in Helmand will work closely with the headquarters of Regional Command (South West) and will continue its vital role in delivering governance and socio-economic development in the province.

UK forces are committed to their enduring deployment to central Helmand and there are no plans to deploy UK forces from Helmand to anywhere else.


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## The Bread Guy (14 Jun 2010)

This from ISAF:


> ISAF's new Regional Command Southwest (RC SW) took command of international forces in southwestern Afghanistan today.
> 
> The new organization provides improved oversight of ISAF forces operating in Helmand and Nimroz Provinces. With the majority of ISAF forces based in southern Afghanistan, the formation of the new headquarters permits commanders in the south to focus on geographically smaller areas, ensure greater partnering between the Afghan National Security Forces and ISAF, and deliver the levels of security required for governance and development to continue to spread in the region.
> 
> Maj. Gen. Richard Mills, commanding general of the new command leads a combined force of approximately 27,000 personnel, with units drawn from eight nations. None of the troops have realigned during the formation of this new command ....


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## Journeyman (14 Jun 2010)

*Finally! * 
The one _additional_ MGen-level HQ/staff that we were lacking. 

That ought to break the back of this whole Taliban insurgency, and the troops will be home by Christmas*   :nod:



* - well, the ones who choose to spend their Christmas HLTA back here anyway.


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## The Bread Guy (14 Jun 2010)

So young to be so cynical...  ;D


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## Old Sweat (14 Jun 2010)

milnews.ca said:
			
		

> So young to be so cynical...  ;D



He's not that young.


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## Infanteer (14 Jun 2010)

Journeyman said:
			
		

> *Finally! *
> The one _additional_ MGen-level HQ/staff that we were lacking. * - well, the ones who choose to spend their Christmas HLTA back here anyway.



At least these Division HQs have a Divs worth of soldiers to command.  And, for all the fun to poke at the HQs, I always figured MGen Carter was pretty effective when he brought 6 (UK) Div to run the mailbox-known-as-RC(S).


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## Journeyman (14 Jun 2010)

Infanteer said:
			
		

> ..... to run *the mailbox-known-as-RC(S). *


Ah, so you do see the perceptions behind _some_ of the mocking.


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## Infanteer (14 Jun 2010)

Yes, and although I was far removed from the halls of RC(S) decision making, the general conception was that it was a far more effective organization now that it was run by a fighting Division.


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## Journeyman (14 Jun 2010)

Infanteer said:
			
		

> ....the general conception was that it was a far more effective organization *now* that it was run by a fighting Division.







I had a different union, so it's not for me to say. 


However (you know I can't let a bone go   ).......

Whether Nick Carter _et al _ was more effective because of his personal ability or because of his staff being based predominantly upon a standing HQ isn't my cynical point. If we're talking cash wagers though, I'm going for ability   

My point is that the war-fighters have had another MGen imposed upon them......which presupposes 1-3 BGen?....how many Col? LCol? etc etc. And I'm going to go out on a limb that if the war-fighting, er, southern end of the country has that many more stars, what are the odds that some equivalency is happening at ISAF HQ in Kabul as well?


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