Heritage & Organization
1st Special Forces Group (Airborne)
From jungles to the highest mountains, 1SFG(A) is the tip of the spear in the Indo-Pacific. 1st SFG(A) conducts special operations to support command objectives and U.S. national interests. Committed to excellence and pursuit of tactical mastery, 1st SFG(A) aims to uphold the legacy as the Indo-Pacific’s preferred, and most lethal special operations force.
1SFG(A) Timeline
Activation on Okinawa
On June 24, 1957, the 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) was officially activated on the island of Okinawa under Col. Aaron Bank’s doctrine and led by Lt. Col. A. D. "Chargin' Charlie" Simons. It was established as the primary unconventional deterrence unit for the Pacific rim.
Southeast Asia Deployments
Deploying A-Teams extensively throughout Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. 1st SFG operators trained indigenous civilian irregular defense forces and executed critical cross-border reconnaissance, earning numerous Presidential Unit Citations.
Reactivation at Fort Lewis
Following a temporary deactivation in 1974 during post-Vietnam force adjustments, the 1st Special Forces Group was proudly reactivated on March 2, 1984 at Fort Lewis (now Joint Base Lewis-McChord), Washington, with 1st Battalion permanently forward-based in Okinawa.
Global Operations & Indo-Pacific Focus
Sustained combat rotations through Afghanistan, Iraq, and Operation Enduring Freedom – Philippines, while maintaining constant partner-force advisement, counter-crisis readiness, and freedom of navigation assurance across the USPACOM theater.
First in Asia Association
First in Asia is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Washington, dedicated to supporting the history, lineage, and current and former members of the 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne).