20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), headquartered in Birmingham, AL, is assigned to Southern Command. The 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne) is one of two Army National Guard Special Forces Groups. Each group has three battalions, a group support company and a headquarters company. The companies have six Operational Detachment Alphas, or A-teams, assigned to them. The ODA is the heart and soul of SF operations. The mission of the two Army National Guard Special Forces groups is to plan and support special operations in any operational environment. Special operations are conducted independently or in coordination with conventional forces.