19th in Austin/Dallas
 

I ran into a guy from 5th group last month in the airport. He said the 19th was starting up a det in Austin, TX, anyone heard about this or know what the time frame might be. Also, is there a det in Dallas attached to the 19th. I keep hearing rumors about them, but no info is listed anywhere. Thanks

Are you already 18 Series qualified and asking about joining that SFODA?

hope this helps
 

Not a tabbed guy. I am FF/EMT-P/PO and serve as an operator/medic on our SRT. One of my instructors at BW is 18D w/ 20th in AL. and he got me very interested in NG SF. Ran into the guy from 5th group on my way back, he mentioned 19th in Austin.

Not a Guard expert, but I suspect as a non-18 that you would be assigned to the Battalion NQP unit till you make it through the SFQC.

Also be aware that if you are accepted, you will be mobilized and put into the SFQC pipeline at Ft. Bragg for 1-2 years to get qualified.

Good luck.

TR

Good info. Thanks Reaper.

You are correct. I know the individual you are talking about. His last name is XXXXXXXXXX and was a member of 5th SFGA now working for DHS in Dallas. The last time he and I spoke of the issue it was a only a proposal and in the planning stages. I belong to the 20TH SFGA in Alabama, but just returned from Force structure brief at Group HQ, which outlined current strength and some future Armory locations and moves.

The state of TX has one unit which is the 181st Combat Weather Flight that is ISO 19th SFGA, but has not establish a det there to date. You closest options are:

To the east of Dallas -

C / 2 / 20th SFG (A)
DET 1 / HQ / 2 / 20th SFG (A)
Grenada, MS
(662) 294 - 0056 / 0054 / 0062
DSN: 293 - 7062 / 7056

HQ / 2 / 20th SFG (A)
BSC / 2 / 20th SFG (A)
Jackson, MS
(601) 313 - 4626 / 4636
DSN: 293 - 4626 / 4636

B / 1 / 20th SFG (A)
Mobile, AL
(251) 405 - 4930 / 4931
DSN: 363 - 7626

And to the North:

HQ / 5 / 19th SFG (A)
BSC / 5 / 19th SFG (A)
B / 5 / 19th SFG (A)
Watkins, CO
(303) 677 - 8351 / 8350
DSN: 877 - 8351 / 8350
(720) 847 - 8351 / 8350

My recomendation would be to talk to one of these units, become an NQP and if you are still interested prepare yourself for selection and the pipeline. My unit (B Co, 1-20) has guys that come from the Dallas and Houston and they car pool for IDTs. The Company NCO's can give more information.


T-Rex,
I did the name edit. We try to keep SF names off the internet, unless of course the SF'er posts his own name.
Great info BTW, welcome to the board!
TS

There is an ODA in TX, however those guys belong to the CO NG and 5/19th. I saw the proposal for the stand up for the TX company, along with a change of DTA for 5/19th among other things. But, knowing how the guard works, I'll belive it when I see it.

TS

Thanks your for the help with the edit. I will keep that in mind for future posts, still learning my way around.

18C4V - I am familiar with the ODA in TX, and you are correct they are a part of 5/19th and the CO NG. They have tried several times to find a home in TX. A few years ago they almost had it when they were doing CD work for JTF-6, but that turned into a temporary thing. I am really not in the loop, but from what gather there seems a combination of money (who will pay and fund the unit) and the red tape at NGB.

The good news is with the demand on more SF troops and the plan to stand up more SF BN's the NG SF groups are taking the oppertunity to propose additional locations, armories and states to stand up more Companies and Det. I hope I am wrong But, at the pace the Army does things, I will be retired before changes happen.

T-Rex

t-rex2025 PM sent.

Texas
 

The teams have not been stood up yet, but it's in the works. They will be in SA I understand.

Is this the straight poop??????

My son in in the Tx NG but wants to look at going SF.

Can I give him some info to hang his hat on?? We're both in SA!!!

Toby-hopin for good news to give Son :)

I would wait for a few weeks. The Bn BTMS is next week and the Group GMTS is the week after.

The proposal I saw the timeline was in FY 2007.

Seems like they are wanting to stand up Teams in places where 12th had already had teams before we were shut down.
Bet they are wishing they wouldnt have shut us down

Floyd,

I did not undersstand reason myself for shutting down the Army Reserve SF Teams, but I do not think they are any regrets from the DOD for doing so. The deactivation of the Army Reserve Special Forces Team that occured in the 80's was a result of Army wide budget cuts.

Even more important to note is was the transformation of the Reserve system altogether. The Army Reserve gave up all of its Combat Arms Forces and retained only the Combat Support and Service Support Units. Army Reserve Combat Arms Units were redesignated into the National Guard. The federal government saved money because by transforming the units into a National Guard asset the State assumed a portion of the responsiblity for cost, training and maintainance.

This is the reason why you are not likey to see the emergence or reactivation of Army Reserve Special Forces Units. I myself liked it better the way it used to be because it kept all the Reserve SF Team federal, but the reality is in order to keep any SF reserve assets it would have to remain in the National Guard.

That how it was sold to congress.

I understand some of the reasoning behind the deactivation of 11th and 12th Groups.
Originally the plan was though for 19th and 11th Groups to be deactivated.
But the National guard has alot more political pull then the reserves had.
Also at the time a valid argument was made as to the legality of Special Operations Forces being in the National Guard because of the law that is the basis
to USSOCOM being established. having SF in the Guard puts another layer in their chain of command between them and SF Command. Another argument was that if SOCOM wanted to deploy an NG SF ODA that a governor could raise a stink about it like Dukakis did with the NG in his state being deployed to Honduras. And for the most part when an ODA is deployed its one of those things that for the most part needs to be done with a minimum of public exposure.
It is kind of ironic though that after everything settled down the NG ended up keeping most of the line companies that had made up 11th and 12th and shut down some of their own companies due to not being able to man them.
Its all said and done now. But damn I miss 12th Group.