| 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division | |
|---|---|
1st Armored Division shoulder sleeve insignia |
|
| Active | 2008-03-04 – Present |
| Country | United States of America |
| Branch | Regular Army |
| Type | Armored |
| Size | 4,000+ |
| Part of | 1st Armored Division |
| Garrison/HQ | Fort Bliss |
| Nickname | Highlander |
| Colors | red, yellow, and blue |
| Engagements | Operation Iraqi Freedom |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Colonel McKean |
| Notable commanders |
Stephen Twitty |
The 4th Brigade Combat Team, "Highlanders", is a Heavy Brigade Combat Team (HBCT) of the 1st Armored Division. The brigade is mechanized and its major combat equipment include the M1A2SEP Abrams Tank, M2A3 & M3A3 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle, M109A6 Paladin Howitzer, M1151 HMMWV and MRAP (armored vehicle).
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4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division consists of the following elements:
4th BCT was organized in 2005 at Fort Bliss, Texas. It was originally part of the 1st Cavalry Division. The brigade reflagged to the 1st Armored Division on 4 March 2008.[1][2]
The 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division —nicknamed “Highlander”— is a Heavy Brigade Combat Team brigade of the 1st Armored Division, United States Army with base of operations at Fort Bliss, Texas.
As of June 2008 its command personnel includes:
Commander: Col. Mckean[3]
Command Sergeant Major: Command Sgt. Maj. Phillip Pandy
Soldiers assigned to the brigade wear insignia of the 1st Armored Division.
The division was nicknamed "Old Ironsides", by its first commander, Major General Bruce R. Magruder, after he saw a picture of the frigate USS Constitution, which is also nicknamed "Old Ironsides". The large "1" at the top represents the numerical designation of the division, and the insignia is used as a basis for most other sub-unit insignias. The cannon and tracked vehicle symbols represent the mechanized role of the division.
The three colors, red, yellow, and blue represent the Artillery, Armor, and Infantry Branches respectively, which are the colors of the three original combat arms which, when forged into one, created the field of Armor. This "pyramid of power" was devised by the order of then-Lieutenant Col. George S. Patton, Jr. in Bourg, France in early 1918 during Patton's formation and training of the Tank Corps in support of the American Expeditionary Force under General John J. Pershing.[4]
The brigade was established on 4 March 2008 during a reflagging ceremony from the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armor Division at Fort Bliss, Texas. The first commander of the Highlander Brigade was Col. Stephen Twitty. The unit is the first brigade combat team to be activated at Fort Bliss from the 1st Armored Division. The Division will relocate to Fort Bliss in 2012 as a result of Base Realignment and Closure, 2005.
The unit's nickname "Highlander" alludes to the West Texas highlands--Franklin Mountains (Texas)--surrounding Fort Bliss. Additionally, this is a historical reference to the 1st Armored Division's participation in campaigns across the North Apennine Mountains during World War II.[5]
Security Force Assistance: The unified action to generate, employ, and sustain local, host-nation, or regional security forces in support of legitimate authority.
The entire brigade deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in May 2009. The brigade is the proof of principle unit for the Advise and Assist Brigade concept also known as Brigade Combat Team-Stability (BCT-S/BCT-A).[7][8][9] The 4th BCT, 1AD will focus on Security Force Assistance during the deployment.[10]
The unit will operate in Southern Iraq in the provinces of Al Muthanna, Dhi Qar, and Maysan.[11]