BSAG gets new equipment and gear
The equipment and gear will all be used specifically by the Belize Special Assignment Group in their operations in the country. BSAG is an elite unit of the B.D.F., tasked with undertaking high-risk operations which require specialized military skills and capabilities. Not much is known about the group, which is probably intentional, since it is designed to handle covert operations as well. We got our first look at them in action on February first 2013, as the force welcomed a new Commander to its ranks. Today that Commander, Brigadier General David Jones, told us more about the unit which he says is comprised of the cream of the crop at the B.D.F.
Brigadier-General David Jones, Commander, BDF
Brigadier General David Jones
“The regular soldier cannot just go into the BSAG. When you finish your recruit training we look at your skill-set, we look at your ability to learn, your aptitude and then there is a test after two years where you serve with a regular infantry unit and then you get selected to go to a special unit…BSAG is one of them. There is a selection process where the fitness level of these guys has to be superior to the regular soldier. Their marksmanship has to be superior to the rest…their ability to learn quickly, adapt and do special type operations is tested and based on their performance then they get selected. They get selected to do the entry training into BSAG. Now that training is much tougher than our recruit training and much tougher than what the regular soldiers will do. If they survive that training then they get accepted into the BSAG. BSAG is our Special Forces unit. This unit was created about seven years ago primarily for terrorism training, for any terrorist attack that might happen in Belize or any high risk or dangerous operations – hostage rescue, search and rescue, these guys are our elite forces. A soldier is trained to kill, and these guys in the Special Forces are trained to do it even more efficiently, or even better. And this is why this unit was created. And we are enhancing their training ability…they have been training with the US Special Forces for the past almost seven years now…Now the US Special Forces and the Canadian Special Forces work closely together, and since we work closely with the Canadians as well, there is a hand off for a period where the Canadians are willing to come and train and continue the training with these Special Forces that we have at least for the next three years. So starting last month, Canadian Special forces are going to be training our BSAG for the next three years.”
Successful BSAG members also go through extensive background checks to determine if there is a propensity for criminal behavior, even polygraph testing.
