Train Advise Assist Command – South
Train Advise Assist Command – South was a multinational NATO military command responsible for training, advising, and assisting Afghan security forces in southern Afghanistan.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Train Advise Assist Command – South, commonly abbreviated TAAC-South or TAAC-S, was a multinational military formation within NATO’s Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan. It operated in the southern part of the country after the conclusion of the International Security Assistance Force combat mission and the transition to a train, advise, and assist model in 2014. Its predecessor was Regional Command – South, generally known as RC South, which operated under the International Security Assistance Force. The command’s area of responsibility covered Kandahar, Zabul, Daykundi, and Uruzgan provinces. It worked with Afghan security institutions, principally the Afghan National Army’s 205th Corps and the Afghan National Police’s 404th Zone Police Corps. Rather than serving as a conventional territorial government or commercial organization, TAAC-South coordinated multinational military assistance, institutional mentoring, operational advice, force protection, and support for the development of Afghan military and police capabilities. The command was headquartered at Kandahar International Airport near Kandahar city. Its international personnel came from NATO member states including Albania, Bulgaria, Canada, France, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Non-NATO contributors included Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. The composition reflected the coalition character of both ISAF and the later Resolute Support Mission. Before its redesignation, RC South was one of ISAF’s principal regional commands. Command responsibility rotated among Canadian, Dutch, British, and eventually United States formations. In 2010, the original southern area was divided when Regional Command Southwest was established with responsibility for Helmand and Nimruz, leaving RC South responsible for a smaller group of provinces. The command was repeatedly provided by United States division headquarters deployed as combined joint task forces, including formations associated with the 10th Mountain Division, 82nd Airborne Division, 3rd Infantry Division, 4th Infantry Division, and 1st Cavalry Division. On 14 October 2014, RC South was redesignated Train, Advise, Assist Command – South as part of NATO’s post-ISAF mission structure. The change represented a shift from leading large-scale coalition combat operations toward supporting Afghan forces through advising, training, assistance, coordination, and limited enabling functions. The command continued to operate in a difficult security environment and retained a substantial multinational military role. TAAC-South also inherited a regional history involving provincial reconstruction teams. Under the earlier RC South structure, the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team was led by the United States, the Qalat team in Zabul was led by the United States with Romanian and British support, and the Tarin Kot team in Uruzgan was led by Australia. These teams connected military operations with infrastructure, governance, development, and local reconstruction activities, although the later TAAC framework was primarily focused on security-force assistance. Command changed frequently as contributing formations rotated through Afghanistan. Named commanders included United States, Canadian, Dutch, British, and Australian officers. In 2016, a National Guard division command element assumed responsibility for a regional command in Afghanistan for the first time, and in 2017 the 40th Infantry Division became the first United States division to deploy to a combat theater since the Korean War. After Brigadier General Jeffrey Smiley was wounded in October 2018, Australian Brigadier John Shanahan assumed command temporarily, followed by United States Brigadier General Miles Brown in February 2019. The formation was ultimately associated with the wider end of NATO’s military presence in Afghanistan. As a mission formation rather than a continuing commercial brand, it has no independent corporate ownership, product portfolio, public listing, or commercial revenue. Its historical significance lies in its role as a regional NATO command and in the transition from ISAF combat operations to Resolute Support assistance activities.
History
The formation’s institutional history began as Regional Command South under the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. Its headquarters was located at Kandahar International Airport, and its initial area covered a broad portion of southern Afghanistan. The command coordinated coalition military activity, support to Afghan institutions, and provincial reconstruction efforts. Leadership rotated among Canadian, Dutch, British, and United States formations before becoming primarily a United States responsibility. On 28 February 2006, Canadian Brigadier General David Fraser assumed command. He was followed by Dutch Major General Ton van Loon in November 2006 and British Major General Jacko Page in May 2007. Canadian Major General Marc Lessard took command in February 2008, and Dutch Major General Mart de Kruif followed in November of that year. British Major General Nick Carter assumed command in November 2009. A major structural change occurred in 2010, when the original southern area was divided. Regional Command Southwest was created with headquarters in Helmand Province and responsibility for Helmand and Nimruz. Regional Command South retained Kandahar, Zabul, Daykundi, and Uruzgan. United States Major General James L. Terry assumed command in November 2010, followed by Major General James L. Huggins in October 2011, Major General Robert B. Abrams in September 2012, Major General Paul LaCamera in July 2013, and Major General Michael Bills in July 2014. The command’s regional reconstruction architecture included the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team, the Qalat Provincial Reconstruction Team in Zabul, and the Tarin Kot Provincial Reconstruction Team in Uruzgan. These teams combined military and civilian capabilities to support reconstruction, governance, and local development. Their activities formed part of the broader international effort to stabilize southern Afghanistan. On 14 October 2014, after the end of ISAF’s combat mission, Regional Command South became Train Advise Assist Command – South. The new name reflected NATO’s Resolute Support model, under which coalition forces concentrated on training, advising, and assisting Afghan security institutions rather than directly leading most combat operations. The command retained responsibility for southern Afghanistan and partnered with the Afghan National Army’s 205th Corps and the Afghan National Police’s 404th Zone Police Corps. The post-2014 command continued to use rotating multinational leadership. United States Brigadier General Douglas Gabram assumed responsibility in October 2014, followed by Brigadier General Viet Luong in January 2015, Brigadier General Paul Bontrager in June 2015, and Brigadier General Antonio Aguto in October 2015. Brigadier General Lee Henry took command in June 2016, followed by Brigadier General Chuck K. Aris in February 2017 and Brigadier General John W. Lathrop in October 2017. Brigadier General Jeffrey Smiley assumed command in June 2018. After Smiley was wounded in action, Australian Army Brigadier John Shanahan took over in October 2018. United States Brigadier General Miles Brown assumed command on 24 February 2019. The command’s later history was tied to the continuing NATO assistance mission and the eventual withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan. It is therefore treated as a historical and defunct military formation rather than an active commercial or institutional brand.
- 2019
Miles Brown assumes command
[3]Brigadier General Miles Brown assumed responsibility on 24 February.
- 2017
40th Infantry Division deployment
[3]The 40th Infantry Division became the first United States division to deploy to a combat theater since the Korean War while providing the command element.
- 2016
First National Guard regional command element
[3]A National Guard division command element assumed responsibility for a regional command in Afghanistan for the first time.
- 2014
Transition to TAAC-South
[3]On 14 October, Regional Command South was redesignated Train Advise Assist Command – South under NATO’s Resolute Support Mission.
- 2010
Southern area divided
[3]Regional Command Southwest was created for Helmand and Nimruz, reducing RC South’s territorial responsibility.
- 2006
Canadian command begins
[3]Brigadier General David Fraser assumed command of Regional Command South on 28 February.
Products and positioning
A multinational NATO regional military command focused on security-force assistance in southern Afghanistan during the Resolute Support Mission.
Military assistance · 2014
Training and advising mission
TAAC-South did not sell products. Its principal operational offering was the training, advising, and assistance of Afghan security institutions in southern Afghanistan. This included liaison, mentoring, institutional support, coordination, and assistance to the Afghan National Army’s 205th Corps and the Afghan National Police’s 404th Zone Police Corps.
Provincial reconstruction
Regional reconstruction support
Under the predecessor Regional Command South structure, provincial reconstruction teams operated in Kandahar, Zabul, and Uruzgan. These teams supported local reconstruction, governance, development, and stabilization objectives through multinational military and civilian coordination.
Brand decisions
2014
Redesignation as Train Advise Assist Command – SouthStrategyBackground
The end of the ISAF combat mission led NATO to reorganize its regional presence around the Resolute Support training, advising, and assistance mandate.
Action taken
Regional Command South became Train Advise Assist Command – South on 14 October 2014.
Aftermath
The formation continued regional security-force assistance while operating under a mission model less centered on direct coalition combat leadership.
2010
Creation of Regional Command SouthwestStrategyBackground
The original southern ISAF area was considered too broad for a single regional command after operational demands increased in Afghanistan.
Action taken
NATO divided the area and assigned Helmand and Nimruz to a new Regional Command Southwest, while RC South retained four provinces.
Aftermath
The reorganization created a more focused southern command structure and established the geographic basis later used by TAAC-South.
Sources3 sources
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