Mission:
Provides fully organized, trained and equipped units for performing special operations and specific conventional operations, independently or in cooperation with other units of the Army and other coalition forces, in all weather and land conditions in peacetime, crisis and war so as to support peace and to prevent conflict as part of the overall efforts to support internal security and foreign policy of the Republic.
Tasks:
1. Focus on planning, organizing, equipping and training for successful execution of the mission;
2. Provide intelligence support for successful execution of the mission;
3. Provide ISTAR capabilities necessary for successful carrying out the mission of the Army;
4. Share declared forces in planning, organizing and training in order to carry out operations within stabilization operations, peace maintenance, conflict prevention and regional conflicts and crisis management as part of and/or led by internationally agreed
Alliances outside the Army;
5. Cooperation (bilateral and multilateral) aimed at trust building and regional and global peace and stability promotion;
6. Performing operations in support of the Ministry of Interior forces in dealing with threats, risks and threats to the security and defense of the Republic.
7. Performing operations in support of the government institutions in the event of natural disasters and accidents on the territory of the Republic.
8. Provide necessary combat and service support of units carrying out duties;
9. Ensure proper personnel management (human resources management);
10. Ensure proper financial management and budgeting;
11. Provide adequate CIS for the mission needs;
12. Provide effective civil and military relations, civilian structures coordination (governmental and non-governmental organizations and associations) in order to support the mission.
Lieutenant Colonel Sashko Lafchiski
Date of Birth:
11.02.1977, Shtip, the Republic of Macedonia.
Education:
- Military Academy, Skopje, the Republic of Macedonia, 1995-1999;
- Leaders of the 21st Century Course, Marshall Center, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, 2003;
- Command and Staff School “ Blago Zadro”, Croatia, Zagreb, 2007-2008;
- Army War College, Carlisle, the USA, 2015-2016;
- Postgraduate Studies – Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies- Carlisle, Pennsylvania, the USA, 2015-2016.
Military Career:
- Team Commander, Special Forces Battalion, 1999-2001;
- Company Commander, Special Forces Battalion, 2001-2003;
- Commander of the Special Operations contingent, mission “Iraqi Freedom”, 2003-2004;
- Training Officer at S3, Special Forces Battalion, 2003-2004;
- Chief of S-3, Special Forces Battalion, 2004-2008;
- National Representative and NATO Evaluator OCC E&F programme at the NATO Allied Joint Forces Command in Naples, Italy, 2008-2012;
- Chief of Section S-3, Special Operations Regiment Command, 2012-2015;
- Commander of the Special Forces Battalion since 2016;
- Deputy Commander of the Special Operations Regiment, 2018.
Promotions:
- Second Lieutenant 1999-2000;
- Lieutenant 2000-2001;
- Captain 2001-2007;
- Major 2007-2011;
- Lieutenant Colonel since 2011.
Awards and Decorations:
- Golden Badge of ARM, 2013;
- Silver Badge of ARM, 2012;
- Numerous certificates of commendation and other certificates.
Foreign Languages:
- English;
- Italian (basic level).
Marital Status:
Married, one child.
Hobbies:
- Sports, hunting and fishing.
Sergeant Mayor Rade Jovanoski
Date and place of Birth:
25.04.1973 in Makedonski Brod, the Republic of Macedonia.
Education:
- Platoon Sergeant Course (AITPS), Postojna , R. Slovenia;
- First Sergeant Course, Veles, R. Macedonia;
- Non-Commissioned Officers Academy, Zagreb, R. Croatia;
Courses and Missions:
- Individual Movement Techniques Course, Skopje;
- Troop Leading Procedures Course, Skopje;
- Course for Planning and Managing Training, Kumanovo;
- Antiterrorism and Security Course, Skopje;
- English Language Course, Skopje;
- Mission “Iraqi Freedom 1”.
Career:
- Professional Soldier, Antiterrorism Company, SPD, 1994-1995;
- Antiterrorism Section Commander, SPU, 1995-1997;
- Team Deputy Commander, AT company, SFBn, 1997-2001;
- Instructor for MI at the Instructors Team, CCoy of SFBn, 2001-2003;
- Non-Commissioned Officer for NCO’s and soldiers’ matters, CCoy, CSUs, 2003-2006;
- SOR Staff Company First Sergeant, 2006 – 2010;
- Ranger Battalion Command Sergeant Major, SOR, 2010-2016;
- SOR Command Sergeant Major, 2016.
Awards and Decorations:
- Golden Badge of ARM;
- Silver Badge of ARM;
Promotions:
- Sergeant 1995;
- Sergeant 1st class 1997;
- Staff Sergeant 2001;
- Staff Sergeant 1st class 2005;
- Master Sergeant 2010;
- Sergeant Major 2013 ;
Foreign Languages:
- English;
- Croatian;
Marital Status:
Married, two children.
Hobbies:
- Sports.
- In November 2006 the Unit is restructured into Special Operations Regiment (SOR).
- In December 2003 with the decision of the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of the Republic of Macedonia the unit is restructured into Special Purpose Squad;
- It operated as Special Units Command from 2002-2003;
- On the 1st March 1994 for the first time in the Army of the Republic of Macedonia a Special Purpose Unit was founded under the name of “the Wolves”;
SOR Admission Criteria:
Basic criteria
- High school diploma – IV degree;
- Served military service;
- Height 170 cm;
- Age 29, employed in the Army;
- Pre-selective checks;
- Psychophysical tests – 206 points (min 60 points per discipline);
- Health condition checkup;
- Swimming checkup;
- Selective Course (12/24 days).
Additional points
- If you achieve 240 points on physical examination;
- If you are a state representative in sports;
- If you are a member of mountain, parachute and diving associations;
- If you have good knowledge of foreign languages;
General info on SOR training:
Basic Training – 6 months:
– First stage: individual training;
– Second stage: team training.
Specialist training – 9 months:
– First stage: training by specialty;
– Second stage: team specialty training.
Specialty training consists of:
- High mountain land training;
- Parachute training;
- Summer alpinism and mountain operations;
- Training on water, swimming and diving;
- Nutrition and survival in nature training;
- Urban warfare training;
- Small units tactics;
- Firing training;
- Martial arts training;
- Foreign languages studying;
Missions outside Republic of Macedonia
- Special Operations Regiment from June 2003 to June 2008 participated with 11 contingent rotations in the “Iraqi Freedom ” mission;
- Participation in the peacekeeping mission “ISAF-Phoenix” in Afghanistan from May to December 2010;
- Individual participation within the missions in Bosnia , Lebanon and Afghanistan .
Awards received:
- Order of Merit awarded on 14.08.2012, by the President of the Republic of Macedonia, PhD. Gjorge Ivanov marking the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Army of Republic of Macedonia;
- Medal of bravery 6 members;
- “Bronze star” 8 members;
- “Achievement medal” 43 members;
- “ARCOM medal” 68 members;
- ” NATO medal” 46 members;
- “ALTHEA medal” 2 members;
- “Vermont national guard medal” 79 members.
Participation in international exercises:
2017:
- Joint training and exercises of the ARM Special Forces, MIA and the USA;
- International exercise ‘Allied Spirit VI’ in Germany;
- International exercise ‘Common Challenge’ in Montenegro.
2016:
- International exercise ‘Saber Junction 16’ in Germany;
- NATO evaluation level-1 of the declared Rangers company;
- International exercise ‘Anaconda 16’ in Poland;
- International exercise ‘Macedonian Flash 12’;
- International exercise ‘Combined Resolve VII’ in Germany.
2015:
- Visit of the unit by the President of the Republic of Macedonia and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces Dr. Gjorge Ivanov ;
- Diver’s training in Montenegro;
- Medical training for medics with US instructors;
- Seminar for MED use with US Army instructors.
2014:
- Marking the 20th jubilee of the Special Operation Forces;
- International exercise ‘Platinum Wolf 2014’, Serbia
- Methodical demonstration exercise ‘Neutralizing an enemy vessel’, Radozda;
- Joint exercise of the Balkan countries’ Special Forces B-9, Turkey;
- International exercise ‘Trident Junction 2014’.
2013:
- Joint training with instructors from the US Army ‘JCET’ in February and June;
- Joint exercise ‘Joint Reaction’ in Albania, June;
- Joint training with Turkish Army instructors for VIP protection, July;
- Exercise for the Balkan countries’ special forces B-9 in Serbia, October;
- Joint training in diving with Turkish Army instructors, November.
2012
- Joint exercise “Cooperative Longbow / Lancer 2012” – May;
- International joint exercise B-9 “WISE WOLF “of the special army units of the Balkan states armies-June;
- Joint mountain training with a team from Vermont – July;
- Summer alpinism and mountaineering training (level 1 and 2) with instructors from Switzerland – September.
- Multinational Air Exercise “Logical Decision 2012” – October.
2011
- Joint diving exercise in the Republic of Albania.
- Exercise “Logical Decision-2011”, in the Republic of Hungary.
- Joint exercise “Combined Endeavour 2011” in Germany.
- Mountain Training “Inaccessible terrain and mountain areas search and rescue” in the Republic of Macedonia (participating countries: Switzerland, the Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Serbia).
2010
- Joint skiing training with the Army of the Republic of Macedonia and the Army of the Republic of Montenegro members-March;
- Joint training “JCET 2010” ARM and U.S. Special Forces-June;
- Mountain training “Inaccessible terrain and mountain areas search and rescue” with instructors from Switzerland – September (participants: Bosnia and Herzegovina, SOR members and representatives from the Protection and Rescue Directorate, the Crisis Management Centre, the Ministry of Interior and the Red Cross of the Republic of Macedonia);
- Joined military liaison exercise “Combined Endeavour 2010”, Germany – September;
- “Balkan Flash 2010” NATO assessment level 2 – October / November.
2009
- Exercise “Macedonian Flash 05,” according to the functional skills concept;
- Exercise “Step ahead 02″ – Self-evaluation, level 2;
- Urban warfare training with U.S. Army Special Forces instructors;
- Joint exercise of the Special Forces of the Republic of Turkey, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of Albania and the Republic of Macedonia “Mostar- 09 “, Republic of Turkey – June;
- Joint exercise of the Special Forces of NATO member countries and PfP “Jackal Stone 09 ” , Republic of Croatia – September;
- Joint military liaison exercise ” Combined Endeavor “, Bosnia and Herzegovina – September;
- Summer alpinism and mountaineering training “Bovila- 09 “, Republic of Albania – October (participants: Republic of Albania, Republic of Macedonia, Republic of Croatia and Switzerland).