The Army National Guard is currently looking for Soldiers interested in manning this critical and all-volunteer element of the force. SFAB members will be recognized as specialized Soldiers and, as such, will be eligible for special promotion rates and boards, selection boards and special pay. Soldiers who volunteer for an SFAB unit will be provided with advanced training and will have access to the most cutting-edge military equipment available.
SFABs will have the same range of career fields as a BCT, including infantry, armor, field artillery, engineer and sustainment. They will also include personnel with specialties in civil affairs, psychological operations, foreign areas, strategy, force management, financial management and cyber protection.
In preparation for service on SFABs, qualifying officers and non-commissioned officers (NCOs) are trained as combat advisors. Training takes place at the Military Advisor Training Academy (MATA) located at Fort Benning, Georgia. The training requirement is broken into a three-phased approach – advisor training, advanced skills training and collective training. The MATA curriculum includes language training, cultural training, foreign weapons training and advanced medical training. The academy’s individual skills-building courses cover the areas of expertise required of a military advisor, such as building relationships, negotiation and mediation, leader engagement, managing and communicating through interpreters, developing training plans and planning partnered operations.
