Special Forces Group of the United States Army National Guard
20th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
20th SFG(A) beret flash
Active
1 May 1961 – present
Country
United States
Branch
United States Army Army National Guard
Type
Special Forces
Role
Primary tasks:
Unconventional Warfare (UW)
Foreign Internal Defense (FID)
Direct Action (DA)
Counter-Insurgency (COIN)
Special Reconnaissance (SR)
Counter-Terrorism (CT)
Information Operations (IO)
Counterproliferation of WMD (CP)
Security Force Assistance (SFA)
Part of
United States Special Operations Command United States Army Special Forces Command 1st Special Forces Command Alabama Army National Guard
Garrison/HQ
Birmingham, Alabama
Engagements
Vietnam War, Gulf War, War on Terrorism, War on ISIS
Commanders
Current commander
COL Matthew Valas
Insignia
Former 20th SFG(A) recognition bar, worn by non-special operations qualified soldiers—in lieu of a beret flash—from the 1960s to 1984[1]
20th SFG(A) background trimming
1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) distinctive unit insignia, worn by all SFG(A)s and the 1st SFC(A)
1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) shoulder sleeve insignia, worn by all 1st SFC(A) units
Military unit
U.S. Special Forces Groups
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19th Special Forces Group
The 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne) (20th SFG) (A) is one of two Army National Guard groups for the United States Army Special Forces. 20th Group—as it is sometimes called—is designed to deploy and execute nine doctrinal missions: unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, direct action, counter-insurgency, special reconnaissance, counter-terrorism, information operations, counterproliferation of weapon of mass destruction, and security force assistance.[2]
It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama (and is thus part of the Alabama Army National Guard) and as part of the United States Southern Command has an area of responsibility covering 32 countries, including Latin America south of Mexico, the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the southwestern Atlantic Ocean. The area is shared with the Eglin Air Force Base–based 7th Special Forces Group, which is the active Regular Army Special Forces group responsible for the same region.
Following the start of the Global War on Terror the 20th has been actively deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and other places around the world.
In March 2024, an Instagram post from 20th SFG featured a soldier photographed wearing a helmet patch containing the Nazi SS Totenkopf "Death's Head" skull and a partial Afrika Korps seal.[3] Initially, a public affairs officer from 20th SFG denied the association, defending and downplayed the post, claiming the patch was a "3rd group team patch taken out of context,"[4] (referencing a prior incident in which a 3rd SFG operator was similarly featured on social media wearing a team patch featuring Nazi insignia;[5] the patch was subsequently banned.) The Army initially made "conflicting statements" about the patch,[3] before quickly deleting the post after receiving "hundreds of comments" of criticism, prompting an investigation.[6] According to a USASOC spokesperson, "The use of symbols and patches depicting historic images of hate are not tolerated and a clear violation of our values," and that "We are aware of the situation and looking into the matter further."[3]
^Rottman, Gordon L. (2012). US Army Special Forces, 1952-84. London: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1782004462. OCLC 813846700. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
^"Army Special Operations Forces Fact Book 2018". SOC.mil. 2017. Archived from the original on 19 October 2016.
^ abcBeynon, Steve. "Picture of Special Forces Soldier Wearing Nazi Patch Triggers Army Investigation". Military.com.
^Nieberg, Patty. "Army investigating Nazi imagery on Special Forces patch posted online". Task and Purpose.
^Winkie, Davis. "The 3rd Group Roots of the Unofficial Nazi Inspired Green Beret Logo". Army Times.
^Winkie, Davis. "Army investigating social media post showing Nazi symbol". Military Times.
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