Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), a Major Subordinate Command of the GSDF, conducts three primary missions:
- Retention and Recruiting operations for the Force
- Professional Military Education (PME) – the “schools” – of the Force:
a. Initial Entry Schools b. Officer PME c. Noncommissioned Officer PME d. Specialty Schools – Search and Rescue, Rappelling, and others e. The Medical Center Of Excellence (MCOE) – including First Aid/CPR, Emergency Medical Responder, and others
- Training and doctrinal guidance, including delivering trained Observer/Controller-Safety Officers for missions and training exercises
Our Motto: VICTORY STARTS HERE
Our Mission Statement: TRADOC delivers trained, ready, and professional Soldiers to the Force; develops capable and effective leaders at all levels, and builds and shapes the future Force through innovative recruiting and sustainment, doctrine, training, and professional military education.
Headquarters: Ellenwood Readiness Center in Ellenwood, Georgia. We conduct and oversee schools and recruiting throughout the State.
Available roles in TRADOC include:
- Curriculum development
- Training delivery – primary and secondary instructor, support instructor
- Distance learning support
- Unit support functions: administration, personnel, logistics, intelligence, operations, and planning.
OPFOR BATTALION
Area of Operations: Ft Stewart, Forsyth County and Fulton County, Georgia
Opposing Force (OPFOR): a special unit tasked with emulating the enemy tactics for the purposes of military training OPFOR Battalion is a separate unit that was established by the Georgia State Defense Force in 2018 to conduct support operations to Georgia Army National Guard during the combat training.
OPFOR Battalion soldiers drill monthly and participate in regular training at armories and military installations throughout Georgia. To simulate Conventional and Irregular Warfare scenarios in Potential Operational Environments, OPFOR soldiers have to be physically fit, mentally strong and be able to deploy at short notice.
OPFOR Battalion is composed of the following:
Headquarters and Headquarters Company (Husky). Located in Cumming, GA, and attached to the 3rd Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, the HQ oversees operations, intelligence, personnel and recruiting.
A (Apache) Company. Located in Cumming, GA, and attached to the 3rd Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. Responsibility: Combat Training Support.
B (Blackfoot) Company. Located in Atlanta, GA, and attached to the 3rd Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. Responsibility: Combat Training Support.
For Domestic Operations (DOMOPS) and the Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA), OPFOR Battalion soldiers are liable to call-up at any time to support the mission.
Serving in the OPFOR unit of the Georgia State Defense Force requires a more than average commitment, with frequent overnight stays in basic outdoor settings and challenging military training. Serving in the Georgia State Defense Force OPFOR unit is not just an adventure, it’s a privilege, and soldiers are 100% dedicated to support the National Guard in its missions and deployments.
The 1st Brigade is the “boots on the ground” for the Georgia State Defense Force in North Georgia. The “area of operation” (AO) of the 1BDE is everything north of I-20 but including areas in Dekalb, Henry and Rockdale counties that are south of I-20, from the Alabama state line to South Carolina and extending up to Tennessee and North Carolina. This large area is supported by three battalions of the 1BDE. The 2nd battalion is headquartered at the armory in Marietta and has a company located in Rome. They cover the western and north western parts of the state up to the Tennessee state line. The 3rd battalion is headquartered in the Monroe armory and covers the state to the east and north east to the South Carolina state line. The 4th battalion is based in Hall County Fire Training Center, Gainsville, and covers north Georgia to the North Carolina state line.
The 1BDE is extensively trained in SAR (search and rescue) and land navigation. The 1BDE has provided a large amount of skilled assistance to local authorities in their efforts to locate lost persons. These efforts have been lauded by the Department of Natural Resources, Pickens County PD and Gwinnett County PD as well as others, for the skill, energy and resourcefulness shown by the 1 BDE during search operations.
Disaster relief is also a large part of what the 1BDE is involved with and trains for every year. From Hurricane Katrina in 2005 to Hurricane Irma in 2017, the 1BDE has been deployed to locations throughout the state of Georgia. Whether it is shelter augmentation, chain saw operations, traffic control, SAR, area security, POD (point of distribution) operations or any other needed skill, the 1BDE has always been ready to serve the citizens of the state of Georgia. 1BDE personnel were present during tornadoes in central and northwest Georgia as well as the wildfires in southeast Georgia. If asked, the 1BDE will assist our sister states, as with the September storms that ravaged South Carolina a couple of years ago. The 1BDE has a history of always being ready to serve when asked by the Governor to support the citizens of the state.
Drills are on a monthly basis at the 2nd, 3rd or 4th battalion armories or in the field within the battalion area of operation. Annual Training (AT) is typically held at Ft. Stewart or at the Joint Air Dominance Center, also in Savannah. Here the monthly training is put to the test with a scenario based on that training. This is usually a three to four day exercise that shows the BDE skills or needed additional training.
If you live in north Georgia and are interested in being where the action really is, contact the 1BDE recruiter by tapping the link below for additional information and an application.
4th Brigade is Headquartered in Ashburn, Georgia. Our Area of Operation covers all South Georgia from the Alabama Line to the Coast and from Crisp County to Florida.
Over the past decade the soldiers of 4BDE have responded to natural disasters such as Hurricane Mathew, Hurricane Irma Hurricane Michael as well as the 2017 Tornado outbreak.
With the recent response to the Covid-19 pandemic, 4BDE spent 6 weeks packing meals to distribute for families in need. We also worked 7 different PODs to distribute these meals to feed 10,000 families.
4BDE welcomes all interested recruits to contact SSG Jones at JEFF.JONES@GASDF.US for any questions you may have or Join 4th Brigade Now!
The 1BDE is extensively trained in SAR (search and rescue) and land navigation. The 1BDE has provided a large amount of skilled assistance to local authorities in their efforts to locate lost persons. These efforts have been lauded by the Department of Natural Resources, Pickens County PD and Gwinnett County PD as well as others, for the skill, energy and resourcefulness shown by the 1 BDE during search operations.
Disaster relief is also a large part of what the 1BDE is involved with and trains for every year. From Hurricane Katrina in 2005 to Hurricane Irma in 2017, the 1BDE has been deployed to locations throughout the state of Georgia. Whether it is shelter augmentation, chain saw operations, traffic control, SAR, area security, POD (point of distribution) operations or any other needed skill, the 1BDE has always been ready to serve the citizens of the state of Georgia. 1BDE personnel were present during tornadoes in central and northwest Georgia as well as the wildfires in southeast Georgia. If asked, the 1BDE will assist our sister states, as with the September storms that ravaged South Carolina a couple of years ago. The 1BDE has a history of always being ready to serve when asked by the Governor to support the citizens of the state.
Drills are on a monthly basis at the 2nd, 3rd or 4th battalion armories or in the field within the battalion area of operation. Annual Training (AT) is typically held at Ft. Stewart or at the Joint Air Dominance Center, also in Savannah. Here the monthly training is put to the test with a scenario based on that training. This is usually a three to four day exercise that shows the BDE skills or needed additional training.
If you live in north Georgia and are interested in being where the action really is, contact the 1BDE recruiter by tapping the link below for additional information and an application.
VIKINGS“ALWAYS FORWARD!”
Georgia State Defense Force’s 5th Brigade (5BDE) was the first GSDF unit to be fully embedded with a National Guard Unit over 10 years ago and has been leading the way ever since.
Designated as “Vikings” in late 2020, 5BDE prides itself on attacking challenges and finding innovative ways to solve problems (just like the Northmen of old). We’ve gained a solid reputation across the state and are now requested by numerous Georgia Army National Guard (GAANG) units looking for an exceptional training partner that gets the job done whatever may come.
5BDE also leads the way in response to natural disasters. We maintain high training standards for all elements of
our METL and work hard to ensure we have the right gear in the right place when mother nature throws a tantrum. Our troops have reponded in times of need after hurricanes, tornados, icy roads and river floods. We strive to be the first boots on the ground setting up the most effective response possible.
The 5th brigade is made up of volunteers with variety of skillsets including law enforcement, electricians, IT professionals, engineers, truck drivers, chemists and educators. No matter what you background, there’s a place to use your professional skills and blend them with new skills to serve the citizens of Georgia in their greatest times of need.
Contact a Recruiter
While all GSDF units can operate anywhere in the state, the Vikings Area of Operations (AO) runs across the state below I-2o and north of Albany. You could draw a loop including Carrollton, Lagrange, Columbus, Cordele, Hinesville and Augusta and just about encompass the area. With such a large geographic area to cover we have more than one drill station to work with. Our primary drill stations are shown below.
</table> All 5th Brigade units support Direct Support of Civilian Authorities (DSCA), Community Engagement (COMENG), and Military to Military Support (MTMS). 5th Brigade leads the way in MTMS. The missions we undertake are highly varied and offer a challenging array of engagement involving opportunities for soldiers at all levels to develop skills, build relationships and contribute in a meaningful way to the citizens of Georgia when they need help most. Some examples of MTMS missions include: – Pre-mobilization Training and Assistance Element (PTAE) means helping troops identify areas of improvement as a starting point for advanced deployment training. – Small Arms Leaders Course (SALC) allows soldiers to support National Guard units as they advance their skills on live-fire ranges. – Andrew Sullens Marksmanship Competition lets soldiers engage in range support and includes a chance to compete if selected for the GSDF Competitive Marksmanship Team (CMT). – 1/54th Security Forces Assistance Brigade (SFAB) missions provide in-depth training in traditional combat tactics and small unit tactics as an avenue for SFAB soldiers to hone their skills before deployment to assist in training security forces for our allies in developing nations.
Members of GSDF celebrate the end of a week long training exercise at Ft. Stewart for the 177th Engineers.
DSCA and COMENG are also significant parts of 5th Brigade’s mission set. In addition to cooperating with multiple Emergency Management Agencies (EMAs) we work with numerous government agencies and non-government organizations (NGOs). Some recent examples include: – Points of Distribution (PODs) operation – Food Bank relief box packing – Hurricane evacuation shelter support – Urban and Wilderness Search and Rescue (USAR / WSAR) – COVID-19 related missions embedded with National Guard units.
Forklift training facilitates supply movement for Points of Distribution (PODs). Faster re-supply means more people helped when they need it most.
Practice of Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) hones the skills needed to respond to a natural disaster and work with other agencies for large scale relief efforts.
| DRILL STATION |
CITY |
ACTIVITIES |
| Georgia Garrison Training Center (GGTC), Fort Stewart |
Hinesville, GA |
Support of a variety of Georgia Army National Guard (GAANG) units including:
– Opposition Force (OpFor) exercises
– Role players for GAANG training exercises
– Firing range operations (individual and crew served weapons)
METL training including:
– Search and Rescue (urban and wilderness)
– Debris clearing (chainsaw operations)
– Medevac operations (including helicopter landing zone setup)
– Communications (radio operations) |
| 48 IBCT Headquarters |
Macon, GA |
GSDF METL training activities |
| Lagrange National Guard Armory |
LaGrange, GA |
Montlhy drill support for 1177th Transportation Company
Driver training / night driver training
Weapons qualifications (individual and crew served) |
| Fort Bennings |
Columbus, GA |
Role player support for the quarterly training exercises of 1-54 Security Forces Assistance Brigades (SFAB)</td> </tr> |
| Fort Gordon |
Augusta, GA |
Support of GAANG unis as requested |
76TH SUPPORT BRIGADE
The 76th Support Brigade provides troop and resource support for the entire GA State Defense Force (GSDF), as well as to the GA Army and Air National Guard (GAARNG), the Georgia Public Health Department (GPH), the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS), American Red Cross, and several other state agencies.
Within the brigade are the following units:
Headquarters and Headquarters Company (76th Spt BDE HHC) – the administrative HQ for our personnel.
The 911th Support Battalion provides support to the GSDF and the GA Army National Guard’s 78th Aviation Troop Command. Within the 911th are a Force Protection Company and a Operation Company. Operations Company works directly with 78th ATC on mission preparedness, equipment inventory, and other critical functions. Force Protection Company provides security, traffic control, and other support roles during local and state-wide missions, activities, and exercises, to include verifying access on all incoming personnel to ensure authorization, over-watch responsibilities for entry gates, vehicle searches for unauthorized materials and static security for facilities.
The 132nd Medical Battalion provides critical medical support to the GSDF, GAARNG, and other state agencies. These include conducting medical assessments prior to deployment, conducting Point-of-Dispensing (POD) operations to assist in providing critical medical resources to the local community following a natural disaster, and providing medical skills during search-and-rescue missions. Strong relationships developed with the GA Army Guard MEDCOM, GA Public Health, and Cobb-Douglas Public Health, allow the 132nd to provide both exercise and “real world” support. For example, 132nd Med Bn was an essential part of a multi-agency response, when recently tasked by the GA Department of Defense and FEMA to help evacuees from the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, flown to Dobbins ARB for critical medical care and relief following Hurricane Maria.
The 1st Engineer Battalion provides vital engineering, assessment, structural evaluation, infrastructure analysis, and support to the GSDF and the GA Department of Defense (GADoD). Troops both train and work closely with the GA Emergency Management Agencies (GEMA).
Additionally, the 76th Support Brigade hosts the GSDF Funeral Honor Guard, which conducts needed services to honor our fallen. Additionally, we host a Color Guard team which assists numerous Federal, State, and Civilian organizations during ceremonies, holidays, and events.
GSDF HEADQUARTERS
GSDF Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) is the base infrastructure for the whole GSDF. Like the US Army and GA National Guard, GSDF Headquarters Sections manage the overall; Personnel (G1), Intelligence (G2), Operations (G3), Supply (G4), Plans (G5), Communications (G6) and Finance (G8) for the state-wide forces of the Georgia State Defense Force. Also included in Headquarters are representatives of the JAG Corps (Legal), Chaplains Corps (Religious) and Public Affairs Office (PAO). These Units manage and train individual soldiers to both assist GSDF personnel and represent the GSDF, within their respective fields of profession, throughout the state of Georgia.
