Asymmetric Reconnaissance & Assistance Group

Asymmetric Reconnaissance & Assistance Group (ARAG) was a top secret unit within the Valentine Forces Command tasked with undermining the communist threat during the Valentine Emergency. It later saw action within the Federal Republic of Arbenz during it's revolution between 1973 and 1984, officially ending operations after Operation Cradle concluded.

Created following demands for an unconventional warfare unit to more effectively combat the ongoing communist uprisings throughout New Valentina. It saw considerable action during that conflict, and many of it's activities remain classified to this day. It's later exploits during the Arbenz Revolution are much more well known due to the Arbenzan government declassifying significant records in 2001.

Formation
Formed after Operation Conspiracy, the Forces Command deemed it necessary to consolidate the variety of guerilla and asymmetric warfare units in the Security Forces. This culminated in two distinct units; the Lightfoot Battalion, a direct-action assaulter force, and the Special Combat Detachment - later re-designated to the Asymmetric Reconnaissance & Assistance Group. ARAG, as it was better known, was tasked with covert intelligence gathering and psychological warfare.

Under the Counterinsurgency Directorate in the Department of War, ARAG initiated OPLAN 13-K on June 7th, 1957 and began official operations two weeks later.

Quake
Operation Quake began on August 27th, 1965. ARAG operators had confirmed that multiple cells of Syndicalists and Communists had begun some degree of infighting. Surveillance proved this to be true, and with their ciphers having been broke the year prior, efforts were undertaken to pose as the combatants and arrange a sitdown.

On September 22nd, members from the First International Syndicalist Fighting Bridge and the Valentine Liberation Army convened at Camp Pouget, a Syndicalist stronghold. Thirty minutes after the delegation from the VLA arrived, an airstrike was coordinated by ARAG forward observers which culminated in a 15,000lb bomb being dropped on the compound. A subsequent raid by the Lightfoot Battalion claimed an estimated 140 dead, including several members of both faction's leadership.

Operation Quake was deemed a success, despite concerns regarding dropping such a large bomb near residential areas. It is believed that this action began the dissolution of the various pacts holding together a cohesive communist front, causing severe infighting until the Bill of Accountability was ratified in 1966.

Flask
May 1979, airstrike conducted by ARAG forward observers led to the deaths of several high ranking COF members.

Milo
September 1979, a combined task force of Kampfgruppe Arbenz & ARAG operators stormed one of the largest communist training camps in Arbenz. Taking few casualties compared to the defenders, it's believed this action caused a mass migration of camps and foreign advisors into the Ixil Mountains.

Cradle
A part of the larger withdrawal of Valentine forces from Arbenz was the consolidation, extraction, and destruction of vital assets and intelligence. ARAG operators were tasked with extracting high profile personnel, destroying incriminating documents, and assisting Federal forces in becoming more stable and self-reliant.