| 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade | |
|---|---|
504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade (BfSB) shoulder sleeve insignia |
|
| Active | |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | U.S. Army |
| Type | Military Intelligence |
| Role | Provide intelligence analysis and collection support to III Corps |
| Part of | III Corps |
| Garrison/HQ | Fort Hood |
The 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade (BfSB) is located at Fort Hood, Texas. The 504th BfSB was transformed from the 504th Military Intelligence Brigade in November 2008[1] becoming one of three active duty Surveillance Brigade of the United States Army. The Brigade is tasked to improve the situational awareness for commanders at division level or higher, so they can adapt their units combat power for the current operations. For this the Battlefield Surveillance Brigades can deploy unmanned aerial vehicles, signals gathering equipment, human intelligence collectors and long range surveillance patrols.[2]
The 504th BfSB is currently composed of:[3]
The 504th BfSB conducts intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations in support of III Corps.
The 504th BfSB traces its lineage to the 137th Signal Radio Intelligence Company (Aviation). Activated in the early days of World War II the unit redesignated as 137th Signal Radio Intelligence Company. The unit earned battle streamers for the campaigns of Northern France, Central Europe and the Rhineland.[4]
After World War II the brigades name and tasks were subject to many changes, but on 21 April 1978 the 504th Military Intelligence Group (Corps) was activated and began its evolution to a Military Intelligence Brigade. On 16 September 1985, the Brigade was designated as the 504th Military Intelligence Brigade (Corps) at Fort Hood and supported the III Armored Corps. At that time the brigade consisted of a Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment and three Military Intelligence Battalions:
With the Transformation of the United States Army the 504th was redesignated as the 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade. To fulfill its new mission the brigade relinquished control of the 15th Military Intelligence Battalion and activated three new companies: a Network Support Company, a Forward Support Company and a Long Range Surveillance Troop (B-38th CAV) while restructuring the Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment into a company and expanding its missions. The two remaining Military Intelligence battalions assumed identical missions as intelligence collection battalions.
The brigade's Troop B (LRS), 38th Cavalry Regiment, activated on 16 February 2008, was reorganized and redesignated on 16 June 2010 as Headquarters and Headquarters Troop (HHT), 2d Squadron, 38th Cavalry Regiment. The assets of the former Troop B (LRS) were used to form Charlie Troop (LRS)(ABN), 2–38th CAV,[5] the only Airborne unit in III Corps.