20140927_NIU_CJ7_TREX_SFA guide 3.1

UNCLASS//FGI ISAF NATO //REL to USA, ISAF, NATO//FOUO
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CHAPTER 1
Security Force Assistance (SFA)
1.1 Introduction: This chapter defines the SFA environment and describes
imperatives, tasks, and how ISAF/Resolute Support (RS) has designed SFA for the RS
mission. ISAF’s primary task has changed from leading a population centric counterinsurgency
campaign to providing Security Force Assistance (SFA) to the ANSF who
have now assumed the lead for counter-insurgency and security across the Combined
Joint Operational Area–Afghanistan (CJOA-A).
1.2 As we enter the final stages of the ISAF mandate and prepare to execute RS, ANSF
have reached an important threshold. Evidence increasingly indicates that the years of
investment in combat-oriented mentoring and advising has paid off. The ANSF still
have room for improvement, but they have produced capable leaders at every echelon
who understand the fundamentals of their profession.
1.3 Readers should understand COMISAF’s intent and expectations for advisors.
SFA is the main effort for the remainder of the ISAF mandate and through RS. This
makes our advisor capability all the more critical to mission success. Advisors must
be intimately aware of the inner workings of the SFA advisor network and the ISAF/
RS processes and mechanisms designed to facilitate Functionally Based Security Force
Assistance (FBSFA).
1.4 Advisors need to understand the Afghan information flow from the executive
and strategic (ministerial) level down to the operational (national institutions) levels
to the operating forces (fielded forces) and back up the chain again. 1 The SFA effort
will evolve around the principles of FBSFA defined below, and the eight Essential
Functions (EFs) that will lead to ANSF Sustainability. The eight EFs (EF 1: Plan,
Program, Budget, and Execute; EF 2: Transparency, Accountability, and Oversight; EF
3: Civilian Governance of the ASI and adherence to Rule of Law; EF 4: Force Generate;
EF 5: Sustain the force; EF 6: Plan, resource and execute effective security campaigns;
EF 7: Sufficient intelligence capabilities and processes; and EF 8: Maintain internal and
Chapter 1
1 US Joint Doctrine Note 1-13, Security Force Assistance, dated 29 April 2013, p. III-7.
UNCLASS//FGI ISAF NATO //REL to USA, ISAF, NATO//FOUO
Photo: Sgt. Jessica Ostroska
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