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| Britain |
| New UK special forces unit formed |
| 2006-04-22 |
| A new elite force has been established to provide back-up for the SAS and SBS, the Defence Secretary confirmed today. The Special Forces Support Group (SFSG) will consist of highly trained troops from other regiments, John Reid said. It will be based at St Athan military base near Cardiff, and support Special Forces operations across the world, for example by launching diversionary attacks or providing fire support. Every soldier in the SFSG unit has been given specialist training to fit specific roles in the force, which will focus on counter-terrorist operations All the soldiers have also passed either the Royal Marines Commando course, the Airborne Forces Selection course run by the Parachute Regiment or the RAF Pre-Parachute Selection course. They will wear the new SFSG insignia which is a dagger, like that worn by Special Forces, run through by a lightning flash. They will also retain the cap badges of their parent units. In a statement to the House of Commons today Mr 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 April 3." |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #11 That is PRECISELY what will take place TW. Those who cannot make it thru SAS A&S (assessment and seletion) will automatically be posted to the..... SF Support Group. That way they can still contribute and sharpen their skills and tradecraft. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2006-04-22 19:28 |
| #10 Once they make the B team, they can start training to move up to the A's. A quick way to leverage the skills of the A team, and also those who don't quite cut it... yet. Have fun, guys! |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-04-22 19:25 |
| #9 SAS lite !! |
| Posted by: sundown 2006-04-22 18:12 |
| #8 SAS impress the hell out of me - these are the (still good, but...) B team |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-04-22 16:44 |
| #7 This is impressive, similar to our global deployment pattern for SFs. |
| Posted by: Captain America 2006-04-22 16:26 |
| #6 Royal Marines Commando St Athan Parachute Regiment House of Commons Cardiff April |
| Posted by: 6 2006-04-22 09:30 |
| #5 And they get to wear caps, with badges! |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2006-04-22 09:07 |
| #4 Yes you can ;) Its tough as eer Nails ,well it was back in the early 80's anyhow |
| Posted by: MacNails 2006-04-22 08:36 |
| #3 If yo get through the"Royal Marines Commando course",then you can consider yourself a serious bad-ass. |
| Posted by: raptor 2006-04-22 08:34 |
| #2 Special Forces Supporter is a cool name? |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-04-22 07:50 |
| #1 Brits get all the cool names. |
| Posted by: 6 2006-04-22 07:46 |