FORT IRWIN, Calif. ­— Soldiers from across the National Training Center gathered at the post theater last month to learn about volunteer opportunities with the Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB).

The SFAB recruiting team discussed the important mission of advising and assisting partner nations.

Sgt. Maj. Matthew Quick, SFAB recruiting and retention sergeant major, said SFABs were created as a solution to a constant Army requirement.

“The SFABs will allow the Army to increase readiness. Instead of breaking brigades apart to do these missions, we actually have a unit now to do these missions,” said Quick. “So these units will actually train, advise, assist, enable and accompany what [brigade combat teams] are doing right now.”

The SFAB is a volunteer-based unit. Selected Soldiers who meet the requirements will travel to Fort Benning, Georgia to conduct a two-day assessment.  Soldiers who are specialist-promotable, who can score a 240 on the Army Physical Fitness Test, have a secret clearance and no derogatory information in records can be eligible to volunteer.

Quick said there are benefits that come with volunteering for this important mission.

“Once you pass the Military Advisor Training Academy, you will get a skills identifier of three,” he said. “That’s big for promotion purposes. On top of that, you will get a $5,000 bonus, extra pay per month, and, if you’re a specialist-promotable, you will receive an automatic promotion to E5.”

Soldiers who are interested in volunteering for the SFAB should speak with their chain of command and branch managers.