SAS reservists have been withdrawn from front line operations in Afghanistan following a review of their unit's operational capability, it can be revealed

 

Should have stated earlier, this is brit not aussie

 

 

 

By Sean Rayment, Defence Correspondent

Published: 12:30AM BST 11 Apr 2010

 

Troops from 21 and 23 SAS, the regiment's Territorial Army battalions, had been responsible for "mentoring" members of the Afghan National Police, but that task has been handed over to a "regular" infantry unit. Instead of taking part in operations alongside the regular SAS, the troops from the reserve battalions are now responsible for guarding members of the Foreign Office based in the Afghan capital, Kabul.

 

It is understood to be the first time in the regiment's history that its troops have been used to guard civil servants on a full-time basis. The change in roles followed the drafting of a secret military document which examined the "utility" of the territorial SAS on operations. It is understood that the report found that the TA SAS lacked a clearly-defined role, and also stated that the reservists lacked the military capability and skillset to serve alongside the regular special forces.

 

The territorial SAS allows hundreds of ordinary civilians to serve in the special forces. Volunteers need to pass a selection programme and training programme similar to those for the regular SAS. The lack of a defined role for the TA SAS has now lead to fears that one or both battalions could be axed as part of a raft of cuts expected under the next strategic defence review.

 

The Tories have already stated that under a new strategic defence review, "everyone and everything" within the armed forces will have to be justified, and if Labour win the election the same approach will almost certainly be adopted. The SAS report, which was drawn up towards the end of last year for the commander of the SAS in Afghanistan, is understood to have caused divisions within the special forces world.

While many regular SAS personnel supported its findings, TA troops were said to be furious.

 

The report followed the deaths of four British troops – three members of 23 SAS and Corporal Sarah Bryant, 26 – who were killed when their Snatch Land Rover was blown up by an improvised explosive device in June 2008 near to Lashkar Gah. Cpl Bryant became the first female British soldier to be killed in Afghanistan. At the inquest into the deaths of Cpl Sean Reeve, 28, LCpl Richard Larkin, 39, and Private Paul Stout, 31, it was disclosed that the troops had not carried out mandatory searches when their patrol entered what was a clearly-identifiable "vulnerable point". One SAS commander also claimed that the reservists did not receive proper counter-IED training and were ill-prepared for operations in Helmand.

 

The Cold War role of the SAS reservists was to conduct long-range patrols and report on the movement of Warsaw Pact forces as they crossed into western Europe – a role which no longer exists. Reservists were deployed into the Balkans in the mid-1990s as a composite unit known as "V" Squadron where they took part in peace support operations, which allowed regular members of the SAS to be used for other tasks. One senior military source said that there had been a long-held prejudice with the SAS against using members of the TA which stemmed from the first Gulf War in 1991. He said: "The TA SAS were used as battle casualty replacements in the first Gulf War but it wasn't that successful and since then there has been a certain resentment by more senior elements of the SAS to the TA. "In many cases they refuse to work with them. But they are a fantastic talent and a role should be found for them."

 

The source added that they could be used to supplement the Brigade Reconnaissance Force in Helmand, or the Pathfinders, a parachute-trained organisation which also conducts long-range patrols. UK-based roles, the source added, could include military support to the intelligence and security community. The TA SAS were first deployed to Afghanistan in 2003 where they helped to establish a communications network across Afghanistan and also acted as liaison teams between the various political groups, Nato and the fledgling Afghan government. But when the insurgency in Helmand began in 2006, that role was withdrawn. A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: "We do not comment on special forces."

 

 

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...ront-line.html

 

 

 

Recon

Edited April 12, 201015 yr by cm

theres labour for ya...

KR, hes serious.

 

http://mindthegp.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/kevin-rudd2.jpg

That is the UK SAS not our boys or at least so it seems.

Yeah it's the Brits.

yer didnt think we had a "reservist SAS" unit lol...

21 SAS (Artists Rifles):

The Regiment's current role is to provide depth to the United Kingdom

Special Forces (UKSF) group through the provision of individual and

collective augmentation to the regular component of UKSF and standalone

elements up to task group (Regimental) level, focused upon support and

influence (S&I) operations to assist conflict stabilisation.

 

Reserve selection:

SAS Reserve selection

 

The Territorial Army Special Air Service Regiments undergo the same

selection, but due to being part-time the selection process is stretched over

a longer period of time. Nine weekends of endurance training, one week

endurance training in the Brecon Beacons. Followed by one week assessment

(Test Week) in the Beacons.[74]

 

This is followed by Standard Operational Procedure (SOP) Training. Which

comprises: nine weekends patrol SOP's including surveillance and

reconnaissance. one week live firing including patrol contact drills and Troop

offensive action. a nine day battle camp comprising: Live firing assessment,

Field training exercise to test the skills learned throughout Selection. This

culminates in Conduct after Capture (CAC) training. On successful completion

of this training, ranks are badged as SAS® and are fit for appointment.

They then enter a period of probation and must complete a Basic Parachute

Course, a Special Forces Communications Course and a main training period

to be fit for mobilisation.

 

Wikipedia source.

Interesting article though makes sense for them to be disbanded if they are not of the same calibre as the actual SAS and cannot perform the same tasks with the efficiency and professionalism expected of their parent unit then why have them at all?

I never understood reservist special forces. It's a stupid idea up there with taking people into the special forces straight off the street. Get some experience first then apply.

I never understood reservist special forces. It's a stupid idea up there with taking people into the special forces straight off the street. Get some experience first then apply.

 

Tell that to 1 Cdo Rgt, 19th and 20th SFG, the TA SAS Bn's and any of the other hundreds of Reserve personnel who put their lives on the line.

 

This seems wholly political to me, with the massive budgetary contraints put on the British Forces by British Parliament. They are looking for anyone and anything that can't be "justified" to cut it from the books to try and save a pound here and there.

 

The report followed the deaths of four British troops – three members of 23 SAS and Corporal Sarah Bryant, 26 – who were killed when their Snatch Land Rover was blown up by an improvised explosive device in June 2008 near to Lashkar Gah. Cpl Bryant became the first female British soldier to be killed in Afghanistan. At the inquest into the deaths of Cpl Sean Reeve, 28, LCpl Richard Larkin, 39, and Private Paul Stout, 31, it was disclosed that the troops had not carried out mandatory searches when their patrol entered what was a clearly-identifiable "vulnerable point". One SAS commander also claimed that the reservists did not receive proper counter-IED training and were ill-prepared for operations in Helmand.

 

Snatch Land Rovers are IED fodder, the fact they were even driving those useless pieces of crap around in Helmand is not their fault but rather military and political leadership that have continuously FAILED to provide British forces in Afghanistan and previously Iraq with the right kit. British SAS are driving around A-stan in Bushmasters now, and Supacat HMT Extenda's (Nary SOV in Australia) because Land Rovers are just torn to pieces by IED's.

 

If they had undergone decent leadup training prior to their deployment, the IED which caused these deaths probably could have been avoided all together.

 

Reserve SF units especially in Australian terms, are valuable. 1 Cdo Rgt support 2 Cdo Rgt and vise versa. They are integral to each other.

 

The resentment towards the TA SAS units from the regular SAS sounds like the time old fulltime vs parttime punch up that's still alive and well, here and everywhere. Reserves play an important role, they may not be as combat effective all the time as the fulltime units, but they are not expected to be. That's what significant leadup training is for.

 

SFDRS was fairly successful. It got personnel needed for the job and they were trained up to the required level for SF training. If they didn't make the cut they were dropped.

Edited April 12, 201015 yr by Espionage

Tell that to 1 Cdo Rgt, 19th and 20th SFG, the TA SAS Bn's and any of the other hundreds of Reserve personnel who put their lives on the line.

 

This seems wholly political to me, with the massive budgetary contraints put on the British Forces by British Parliament. They are looking for anyone and anything that can't be "justified" to cut it from the books to try and save a pound here and there.

 

 

 

Snatch Land Rovers are IED fodder, the fact they were even driving those useless pieces of crap around in Helmand is not their fault but rather military and political leadership that have continuously FAILED to provide British forces in Afghanistan and previously Iraq with the right kit. British SAS are driving around A-stan in Bushmasters now, and Supacat HMT Extenda's (Nary SOV in Australia) because Land Rovers are just torn to pieces by IED's.

 

If they had undergone decent leadup training prior to their deployment, the IED which caused these deaths probably could have been avoided all together.

 

Reserve SF units especially in Australian terms, are valuable. 1 Cdo Rgt support 2 Cdo Rgt and vise versa. They are integral to each other.

 

The resentment towards the TA SAS units from the regular SAS sounds like the time old fulltime vs parttime punch up that's still alive and well, here and everywhere. Reserves play an important role, they may not be as combat effective all the time as the fulltime units, but they are not expected to be. That's what significant leadup training is for.

 

SFDRS was fairly successful. It got personnel needed for the job and they were trained up to the required level for SF training. If they didn't make the cut they were dropped.

 

Good call.