1st Sustainment Brigade (United States)

1st Sustainment Brigade

1st Infantry Division shoulder sleeve insignia
Active 15 February 2007 – present
Country  United States
Branch United States Army
Type Sustainment Brigade
Size Brigade
Part of 1st Infantry Division
Garrison/HQ Fort Riley, Kansas
Motto Sustain to Victory
Commanders
Current
commander
COL Robert A. Law[1]
Insignia
Distinctive Unit Insignia

The 1st Sustainment Brigade is a sustainment brigade of the United States Army based at Fort Riley, Kansas. It provides logistics support to the 1st Infantry Division.

Activated in 2007, the unit is a modular brigade capable of a variety of actions. Though assigned to the 1st Infantry Division on a permanent basis, it is capable of independent operations and taking on subordinate units to fulfill large scale sustainment operations for the United States Army.

Formed from the Division Support Command of the 1st Infantry Division, the Brigade carries the lineage and honors of the division dating back to World War I campaigns as early as 1917. Having also seen action in World War II, the Vietnam War, and the Gulf War, the brigade has numerous awards and decorations from its previous designation. The brigade has also seen three tours in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Organization

The 1st Sustainment Brigade (1SB) in garrison at Fort Riley is composed of four subordinate battalions. The 1st Special Troops Battalion (STB) contains a Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), 267th Signal Company, and the 24th Transportation Company.[2] The 1st STB and the 541st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion are permanently assigned to the 1SB. The 1SB has an Administrative Control Minus (ADCON-) Training and Readiness (TRA) relationship with the 84th Explosive Ordnance Demolition (EOD) Battalion and the 1st Infantry Division Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion (1DHHB).[3] Thanks to the brigade's modular design, it is also capable of gaining additional subordinate units upon deployment to a theater of operations.[4]

History

Origins

The 1st Infantry Division Support Command (DISCOM) traces its origins to World War I, where in 1917, the Division Trains were formed to support the newly formed 1st Infantry Division. In 1921, the Division trains were consolidated into the Special Troops, 1st Infantry Division. After World War I, the Special Troops deployed to Fort Riley, Kansas . Three of the DISCOM's former subordinate battalions, the 101st Forward Support Battalion (FSB) and 201st Forward Support Battalions, and the 701st Main Support Battalion, served in World War I, but with different divisions.[4]

These units deployed back to Germany to support the 1st Infantry Division during World War II, and participated in all eight campaigns credited to the 1st Infantry Division. In 1955, the Division and its support organizations returned to Fort Riley, Kansas.[5]

In 1965, the division deployed to South Vietnam, as a part of the Vietnam War buildup. DISCOM units supported the Division in all of the eleven campaigns it participated in while deployed to South Vietnam .[5]

After Vietnam, the DISCOM underwent many changes. The Division Material Management Center (DMMC) was established, and the Finance and Personnel Services Companies (PSC) were reorganized into battalion commands. In 1990, the DISCOM deployed again, this time to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Desert Storm.[5]

In 1996, the DISCOM, deployed to Europe for a third time and consisted of the 101st FSB at Fort Riley, Kansas, the 201st FSB in Vilseck, Germany, the 701st MSB in Kitzingen, Germany, the 601st Aviation Support Battalion(ASB) in Katterbach, Germany, and the Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), also in Kitzingen.[5]

Operation Iraqi Freedom

In 2003, the DISCOM was deployed to Turkey in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom I. The DISCOM simultaneously supported peacekeeping operations in the Balkans and deployed a logistics task force to support Operation Iraqi Freedom I throughout Iraq. In 2004, the DISCOM redeployed to Southwest Asia in Support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II.[6] In addition to the organic DISCOM units, the 225th Forward Support Battalion from Hawaii and the 230th Support Battalion from North Carolina deployed to support logistical operations for Task Force Danger. Finally, in 2005, the DISCOM redeployed to Germany to reconstitute and prepare for future contingency operations. The DISCOM was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation for its contributions during Operation Iraqi freedom II.[5]

Shoulder Sleeve Insignia of the 1st Infantry Division; the basis for the 1st Sustainment Brigade's own SSI.

As of January 2006, the DISCOM consisted of the 201st Field Support Battalion in Vilseck, Germany, the 701st Maneuver Support Battalion in Kitzingen, Germany, the 299th Field Support Battalion in Schweinfurt Germany, the 601st Aviation Support Battalion in Katterbach, Germany, and the Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), also in Kitzingen. Over the months between January 2006 and July 2006 the 601st returned to Fort Riley, the 701st was inactivated, the 299th was task organized to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team in preparation for another deployment to Operation Iraqi Freedom, and the 201st was task organized under the 3rd Brigade Combat Team and later deactivated. The DISCOM HHC was re-deployed to Fort Riley Kansas in August 2006 to build the 1st Sustainment Brigade.[5][7]

For a brief period, the DISCOM gained administrative control over the 97th Military Police Battalion, the 541st CSSB, the Band, and the 101st Military Intelligence Battalion. The 101st was in-activated in December 2006, the 541st and 97th were deployed and task organized away from the DISCOM.[5]

In November 2006, the brigade reviewed its own Shoulder Sleeve Insignia (SSI) and Distinctive Unit Insignia.[8] These items were based heavily on the SSI of the 1st Infantry Division. Later that month, the Brigade was informed that it would be deployed to Iraq again in 2007.[9]

The 1st Sustainment Brigade (SB) was activated on 15 February 2007 at 10:00 am local time at Fort Riley, Kansas.[10] It is a scalable tailorable Sustainment Brigade, with a mission statement of: Plans, synchronizes, monitors, and executes distribution operations. Conducts sustainment operations within assigned area of operation. Conducts Theater Opening and/or Theater Distribution operations when directed. Provides support to joint, interagency, and multinational forces as directed.[4]

A 1st Sustainment Brigade soldier briefs 10th Sustainment Brigade soldiers on the MRAP in Iraq.

The brigade deployed to Iraq again in late 2007, operating in the areas such as those around Central Iraq.[7] The brigade's headquarters during this time has been Camp Taji.[11] The brigade made history on 16 June 2008 when it heralded the return of the battlefield promotion system in the US Army. The system, which was previously discontinued, was part of a pilot program that the Army was looking at to bring battlefield promotions back.[11]

Soldiers of the brigade were also some of the first to use the MRAP, or Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle. The soldiers used the vehicles to train other soldiers on use of the vehicle, particularly leaders of the 10th Sustainment Brigade, which replaced the 1st Sustainment Brigade in late 2008.[12]

The 1st Sustainment Brigade provides a full spectrum support including: configuring for, distributions and retrogrades to and from maneuver Brigade Combat Teams, other support brigades, and to joint interagency and multinational elements as directed. The 1st SB supports Early Entry Operations or Hub operations with augmentation, providing postal, replacement, and casualty operations as well as essential personnel services and Trial Defense Services on an area basis.[4] The brigade is assigned as the sustainment unit of the 1st Infantry Division, however it can also operate independently, being assigned other units and other missions independent of the division.[13]

Honors

As it was a part of the 1st Infantry Division's command, the Brigade received campaign participation credit and awards for all of the same conflicts as the Division Headquarters up until it became an independent unit in 2006. Thereafter, it retained separate lineage.[14]

Unit Decorations

Ribbon Award Year Notes
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) 1968 for service in Vietnam
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) 1991 for service in Southeast Asia
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) 2004–2005 for service in Operation Iraqi Freedom
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) 2007–2009 For service in Iraq
French Croix de guerre, World War II (With Palm) 1943 For service in Kasserine
French Croix de guerre, World War II (With Palm) 1944 For service in Normandy
French Croix de guerre, World War II (With Palm) 1945 For service in Fourragère
Belgian Fourragere 1940 For service in Belgium
Cited in the Order of the Day 1944 For service in Mons
Cited in the Order of the Day 1944 For service in EupenMalmedy
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, with Palm 1965–1968 For service in Vietnam
Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class 1965–1970 For service in Vietnam


Campaign Streamers

Conflict Streamer Year(s)
World War I Montdidier–Noyon 1917
World War I Aisne–Marne 1917
World War I St. Mihiel 1917
World War I Meuse-Argonne 1917
World War I Lorraine 1917
World War I Lorraine 1918
World War I Picardy 1918
World War II Algeria–French Morocco (With Arrowhead) 1944–1945
World War II Tunisia 1942
World War II Sicily (With Arrowhead) 1943
World War II Normandy (With Arrowhead) 1944
World War II Northern France 1944–1945
World War II Rhineland Campaign 1944–1945
World War II Ardennes-Alsace Campaign 1944–1945
World War II Central Europe Campaign 1945
Vietnam War Vietnam Defense 1965
Vietnam War Counteroffensive, Phase I 1965–1966
Vietnam War Counteroffensive, Phase II 1966–1967
Vietnam War Counteroffensive, Phase III 1967–1968
Vietnam War Tet Counteroffensive 1968
Vietnam War Counteroffensive, Phase IV 1968
Vietnam War Counteroffensive, Phase V 1968
Vietnam War Counteroffensive, Phase VI 1968–1969
Vietnam War Tet 69/Counteroffensive 1969
Vietnam War Summer–Fall 1969 1969
Vietnam War Winter–Spring 1970 1970
Gulf War Defense of Saudi Arabia 1990–1991
Gulf War Liberation and Defense of Kuwait 1990–1991
Gulf War Cease-Fire 1990–1991
Iraq War Operation Iraqi Freedom I 2003
Iraq War Operation Iraqi Freedom II 2004–2005
Iraq War Operation Iraqi Freedom V 2007–2008
Iraq War Operation New Dawn 2009-2010
War in Afghanistan Transition I 2012-2013


References

  1. 1st Sustainment Brigade welcomes new commander, Miller, Mollie. Retrieved November 18, 2011.
  2. Special Troops Bn., 1st Sustainment Brigade Retrieved October 15, 2010
  3. 1st Infantry Division: Units, 1st Infantry Division staff. Retrieved March 30, 2008
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 1st Infantry Division Homepage: 1st Sustainment Brigade, United States Army. Retrieved March 29, 2008
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 1st Infantry Division: 1st Sustainment Brigade, United States Army. Retrieved March 28, 2008
  6. The 1st Sustainment Times, 1st Sustainment Brigade Public Affairs. Retrieved 25 June 2008.
  7. 7.0 7.1 The 1st Sustainment Times, Page 6. 1st Sustainment Brigade Public Affairs. Retrieved 25 June 2008.
  8. The Institute of Heraldry: 1st Sustainment Brigade, The Institute of Heraldry. Retrieved 25 June 2008.
  9. The 1st Sustainment Times, Page 7. 1st Sustainment Brigade Public Affairs]. Retrieved 25 June 2008.
  10. US Army Public Affairs, United States Army. Retrieved March 29, 2008
  11. 11.0 11.1 Taji's DFAC two gets new name, Maude, Bryant. Blackanthem.com Military News. Retrieved 25 June 2008.
  12. Soldiers Get First Look at MRAP, Schweizer, Jennifer. Multi-National Force-Iraq Homepage. Retrieved 25 June 2008.
  13. 1st Infantry Division Homepage: 1st Sustainment Brigade, 1st Infantry Division staff. Retrieved March 29, 2008
  14. 1st Infantry Division Headquarters: Lineage, United States Army. Retrieved 25 June 2008.

External links