Soldiers to Graduate SFQC

FORT BRAGG, NC – Media representatives are invited to attend the graduation ceremony for more than 100 Soldiers from the 266th Special Forces Qualification Course at 3 p.m., Feb. 23 at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville.

The SFQC, which is run and managed by the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg, focuses on core tactical competencies, specialty skills, survival and regional language and culture skills necessary for Soldiers to join one of the Army's active-duty or National Guard Special Forces groups.

Depending on each Soldier's designated specialty, the SFQC may take anywhere from 52 to 92 weeks to complete. These students break into groups in order to become Special Forces detachment commanders, weapons sergeants, engineers, medics or communications specialists.

The SFQC graduation ceremony marks the formal induction of each Soldier into the Special Forces regiment, where they may first wear the Special Forces tab and green beret before their Family members, peers and friends.

Lt. Col George M. Bond, the commander of 1st Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, will be the guest speaker at the ceremony.  Throughout the Special Forces Qualification Course, Bond's battalion was responsible for most military-occupational specialty training, survival skills training and, until recently, small-unit tactics training.

During the ceremony, two former Special Forces Soldiers will be recognized as distinguished members of the Special Forces Regiment. 

Retired Sgt. Maj. Jon R. Cavaiani, a Medal of Honor recipient and Vietnam War veteran, will be recognized as a distinguished member of the Special Forces regiment after having served in roles of increasing responsibility from 1969 to 1990. Cavaiani was wounded in action and subsequently taken as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam; after 23 months of captivity, he was released during Operation Homecoming in 1973.

Retired Brig. Gen. Frank J. Toney, Jr., will also be recognized as a distinguished member of the Special Forces regiment. Toney, a former commander of both Special Operations Command–Central and the U.S. Army Special Forces Command (Airborne) is credited with reorienting Special Forces toward the unconventional warfare mission during the opening campaign against the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2001.

Distinguished graduates and key leaders from the course will also be recognized during the ceremony.