U.S. and Thai Special Forces conduct a simulated urban search and rescue while training together in U-Tapao Thailand in September, 2019. The 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) is responsible for Asia. Thailand has been an old and staunch U.S. ally. This relationship became particularly important during the Vietnam War. American military bases on the country enabled a more far-reaching Search-and-Rescue and Personnel Recovery umbrella. Special Operations Forces and CIA teams, moreover, used Thailand as a staging base for some cross-border operations.