Civilian Irregular Defense Group

Civilian Irregular Defense Groups (CIDG) were primarily local units in the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) that were trained and led by United States Army Special Forces personnel. When the program was first created, the Special Forces personnel were under the control of the Central Intelligence Agency, but they were eventually transferred to the control of Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. Later, many of the CIDG units were absorbed into the Army of the Republic of Viet Nam, sometimes as elite forces.