The 82nd Airborne Division Sustainment Brigade is a
sustainment brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division.
Br ...
of the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
based at
Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Fort Bragg is a military installation of the United States Army in North Carolina, and is one of the largest military installations in the world by population, with around 54,000 military personnel. The military reservation is located within Cum ...
. It provides logistical support to and is part of
82nd Airborne Division
The 82nd Airborne Division is an Airborne forces, airborne infantry division (military), division of the United States Army specializing in Paratrooper, parachute assault operations into denied areasSof, Eric"82nd Airborne Division" ''Spec Ops ...
.
Formed out of the
Division Support Command
As part of the early 21st century transformation of the United States Army from a division-based structure to a brigade-based army; the division support commands, corps support groups, and area support groups were inactivated and transformed to su ...
of the 82nd Airborne Division, the brigade has a long history of supporting the 82nd Airborne Division in numerous contingencies throughout the world. The sustainment brigade supported the division in operations including
Operation Just Cause
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
,
Operation Urgent Fury
The United States invasion of Grenada began at dawn on 25 October 1983. The United States and a coalition of six Caribbean nations invaded the island nation of Grenada, north of Venezuela. Codenamed Operation Urgent Fury by the U.S. military, ...
,
Operation Power Pack
The Dominican Civil War (), also known as the April Revolution (), took place between April 24, 1965, and September 3, 1965, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. It started when civilian and military supporters of the overthrown democraticall ...
and
Operation Desert Storm
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
. Recently, the brigade has seen multiple deployments in support of
Operation Iraqi Freedom
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish)
, partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
. The brigade's mission in support of
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used synonymously by the U.S. government for both the War in Afghanistan (2001–2014) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response to the September 11 at ...
-Afghanistan came to an end when responsibility was handed to the 101st Sustainment Brigade during a ceremony at Bagram Airbase on 2 December 2010. For the first time since the Global War on Terror began in 2001, with the exception of Delta Detachment, 82nd Finance, all the elements of the 82nd Sustainment Brigade were home in Fort Bragg. Since then, the 82nd Sustainment Brigade has once again been called upon to assist in OEF Afghanistan by establishing and controlling
CENTCOM Materiel Recovery Element
CENTCOM Materiel Recovery Element (CMRE) is a military organization tasked with conducting materiel reduction and engineer deconstruction operations in Afghanistan for the purpose of saving valuable military equipment and returning operating bas ...
(CMRE) operations. On 21 May 2015, the brigade realigned back under the 82nd Airborne Division and became the 82nd Airborne Division Sustainment Brigade.
Organization
The 82nd Airborne Division Sustainment Brigade is composed of a special troops battalion, a financial management support unit, and a combat sustainment support battalion:
*
![US Army 82nd Sustainment Brigade Flash](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/US_Army_82nd_Sustainment_Brigade_Flash.png)
Special Troops Battalion, 82nd Sustainment Brigade
**
![US Army 82nd Sustainment Brigade Flash](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/US_Army_82nd_Sustainment_Brigade_Flash.png)
82nd Financial Management Support Unit
*
![US Army 82nd Sustainment Brigade Flash](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/US_Army_82nd_Sustainment_Brigade_Flash.png)
189th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion
**
![US Army 11th Quartermaster Company Beret Flash](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/US_Army_11th_Quartermaster_Company_Beret_Flash.png)
11th Quartermaster Company
History
Origins
The 82nd Sustainment Brigade traces its lineage to the 82nd Support Group, which was constituted 1 September 1957 at Fort Bragg.
[Lineage and Honors Information: 82nd Sustainment Brigade](_blank)
, United States Army Center of Military History
The United States Army Center of Military History (CMH) is a directorate within the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command. The Institute of Heraldry remains within the Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Arm ...
. Retrieved 5 December 2008. It was composed of units with long histories with the
82nd Airborne Division
The 82nd Airborne Division is an Airborne forces, airborne infantry division (military), division of the United States Army specializing in Paratrooper, parachute assault operations into denied areasSof, Eric"82nd Airborne Division" ''Spec Ops ...
, dating back to
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
and
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
.
[82nd Sustainment Brigade Homepage: History](_blank)
, 82nd Sustainment Brigade Staff. Retrieved 5 December 2008.
On 25 May 1964 the unit reorganized as the 82nd Division Support Command, or
DISCOM. It was merged with the 82nd Airborne Division's band.
A year later, the unit deployed to the
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares wit ...
with the 82nd Airborne Division in support of
Operation Power Pack
The Dominican Civil War (), also known as the April Revolution (), took place between April 24, 1965, and September 3, 1965, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. It started when civilian and military supporters of the overthrown democraticall ...
. The Division was charged with the mission of quelling civil unrest and restoring order to the country, and the DISCOM provided logistical support during this mission.
In 1972, the band was removed from the Division Support Command.
In 1983, the unit again deployed to combat, this time to
Grenada
Grenada ( ; Grenadian Creole French: ) is an island country in the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea at the southern end of the Grenadines island chain. Grenada consists of the island of Grenada itself, two smaller islands, Carriacou and Pe ...
in support of
Operation Urgent Fury
The United States invasion of Grenada began at dawn on 25 October 1983. The United States and a coalition of six Caribbean nations invaded the island nation of Grenada, north of Venezuela. Codenamed Operation Urgent Fury by the U.S. military, ...
. It provided logistical support to the 82nd Airborne Division as the division deployed in the island, supporting
US Special Forces
The United States Army Special Forces (SF), colloquially known as the "Green Berets" due to their distinctive service headgear, are a special operations force of the United States Army.
The Green Berets are geared towards nine doctrinal mis ...
operating within.
Then in 1989, the unit supported the first combat jump since World War II while supporting
Operation Just Cause
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
in Panama. It provided logistical efforts to the division once again in the region.
![DesertStormMap v2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/DesertStormMap_v2.svg)
In August 1990, during
Operation Desert Shield
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a Coalition of the Gulf War, 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Ba'athist Iraq, ...
, paratroopers from the unit protected the
XVIII Airborne Corps
The XVIII Airborne Corps is a corps of the United States Army that has been in existence since 1942 and saw extensive service during World War II. The corps is designed for rapid deployment anywhere in the world and is referred to as "America ...
' left flank during the subsequent
Operation Desert Storm
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
. It then advanced on the western flank of the invasion force along with the 82nd Airborne Division,
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) ("Screaming Eagles") is a light infantry division of the United States Army that specializes in air assault operations. It can plan, coordinate, and execute multiple battalion-size air assault operati ...
, and other units of the
XVIII Airborne Corps
The XVIII Airborne Corps is a corps of the United States Army that has been in existence since 1942 and saw extensive service during World War II. The corps is designed for rapid deployment anywhere in the world and is referred to as "America ...
, striking some of the deepest incursions into Iraq of the war. The Division eventually advanced to
Tallil
Nasiriyah Airport is a public and military airport located 23 km (14 mi) southwest of Nasiriyah, Iraq.
It is also known as Tallil Air Base until December 2011 and Imam Ali Air Base until March 2017, when the base was used by United ...
while the majority of the attacking force moved into
Kuwait
Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the nort ...
.
The formation earned its first
campaign streamers
Campaign streamers are decorations attached to military flags to recognize particular achievements or events of a military unit or service. Attached to the headpiece of the assigned flag, the streamer often is an inscribed ribbon with the ...
for this action.
The unit returned to combat again in 2003 during the invasion of
Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
,
Operation Iraqi Freedom I
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish)
, partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
. The 101st Airborne Division and the
3rd Infantry Divisions made the main attacks into Iraq, while elements of the 82nd Airborne Division supported them. The initial push was a rapid success, but the
insurgency
An insurgency is a violent, armed rebellion against authority waged by small, lightly armed bands who practice guerrilla warfare from primarily rural base areas. The key descriptive feature of insurgency is its asymmetric nature: small irregu ...
that followed saw convoys become a primary target for Iraqi insurgents. For the first time, these service and support paratroopers found themselves on the front lines, as supply convoys became the central target of resistance fighters.
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...
in 2005 provided a unique and unexpected mission for the paratroopers of the unit, as they were deployed to provide assistance to the citizens of
Louisiana
Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
.
The supporting units were deployed to
New Orleans International Airport
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport ( French: ''Aéroport international Louis Armstrong de La Nouvelle-Orléans'') is an international airport under Class B airspace in Kenner, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is ...
along with the division's
3rd Brigade and division
Artillery
Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...
units, a force of some 5,000 soldiers. They conducted
security
Security is protection from, or resilience against, potential harm (or other unwanted coercive change) caused by others, by restraining the freedom of others to act. Beneficiaries (technically referents) of security may be of persons and social ...
operations and
search and rescue
Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search ...
missions throughout
.
Activation
On 16 February 2006 the unit reorganized as the 82d Sustainment Brigade under the Army's
modular transformation redesign.
As a part of this redesign, the brigade was removed from the command of the 82d Airborne Division and made a separate, independent unit.
It would continue to support the 82d Airborne Division, but it would be able to take on different missions when deployed. Instead, its mission is to support all
US Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) units stationed at Fort Bragg while generating sustainment capabilities to meet rotational demand and respond to future contingencies.
In August 2006, the newly reorganized unit deployed to Iraq in support of
Operation Iraqi Freedom VI
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish)
, partof = the Iraq conflict and the War on terror
, image ...
. On 26 September 2006, it uncased its colors at
Tallil Airbase
Nasiriyah Airport is a public and military airport located 23 km (14 mi) southwest of Nasiriyah, Iraq.
It is also known as Tallil Air Base until December 2011 and Imam Ali Air Base until March 2017, when the base was used by United ...
in Iraq, to provide support services for coalition forces and Iraqi security forces in southern Iraq. They took this responsibility from the
16th Sustainment Brigade
The 16th Sustainment Brigade is a sustainment brigade of the United States Army based at Smith Barracks in Baumholder, Germany. It is a subordinate unit of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command of the Seventh Army.
Activated in the summer of ...
, which was rotating out of the theater. Throughout the deployment and into 2007, the brigade's medical staff was rotated into hospitals in
Baghdad, Iraq
Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the list of largest cities in the Arab world, second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the ...
for thirty day tours for each unit. The medical staff, including many of the brigade's field medics, treated American forces injured in fighting around Baghdad. In August 2007, the brigade participated in a large coalition athletic competition hosted by the
US Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
's
407th Air Expeditionary Group
The 407th Air Expeditionary Group (407 AEG) is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces Central Command, 332d Air Expeditionary Wing. It was stationed at Ali Air Base, Iraq, until the closure of the bas ...
at
Ali Air Base
Nasiriyah Airport is a public and military airport located 23 km (14 mi) southwest of Nasiriyah, Iraq.
It is also known as Tallil Air Base until December 2011 and Imam Ali Air Base until March 2017, when the base was used by United ...
, Iraq. The brigade took second place in the competition, in which it competed in various sports against other US military units as well as Australian and
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
n forces.
During its deployment to Iraq, the brigade undertook many responsibilities, including providing logistics for
airdrop
An airdrop is a type of airlift in which items including weapons, equipment, humanitarian aid or leaflets are delivered by military or civilian aircraft without their landing. Developed during World War II to resupply otherwise inaccessible tro ...
s and major combat operations including
Operation Marne Torch
Operation Marne Torch refers to two operations launched by U.S.-led Coalition forces in 2007 against al-Qaeda in Iraq in the Arab Jabour area of Babil Governorate, Babil province. This campaign is named after Operation Torch, the joint US/Brit ...
. The brigade also created a Combat Logistics Patrol academy, training for combat situations during
convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support and can help maintain cohesion within a unit. It may also be used ...
operations, including
improvised explosive device
An improvised explosive device (IED) is a bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action. It may be constructed of conventional military explosives, such as an artillery shell, attached to a detonating mechan ...
detection and removal, and
first aid
First aid is the first and immediate assistance given to any person with either a minor or serious illness or injury, with care provided to preserve life, prevent the condition from worsening, or to promote recovery. It includes initial in ...
. The brigade also dispatched
optometry
Optometry is a specialized health care profession that involves examining the eyes and related structures for defects or abnormalities. Optometrists are health care professionals who typically provide comprehensive primary eye care.
In the Uni ...
teams to soldiers in the region to ensure they had all the eyesight testing they needed. The brigade returned to the
continental United States
The contiguous United States (officially the conterminous United States) consists of the 48 adjoining U.S. states and the Federal District of the United States of America. The term excludes the only two non-contiguous states, Alaska and Hawaii ...
in early 2008 along with the rest of the 82d Airborne Division, and was recognized by President
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
in a welcome home speech.
The brigade received its
shoulder sleeve insignia
A shoulder sleeve insignia (often abbreviated SSI) is an embroidered patch worn on some uniforms of the United States Army. It is used by major formations of the U.S. Army; each formation has a unique formation patch. The U.S. Army is unique amon ...
on 19 March 2007 and its
distinctive unit insignia
A distinctive unit insignia (DUI) is a metallic Heraldry, heraldic badge or device worn by soldiers in the United States Army. The DUI design is derived from the coat of arms authorized for a unit. DUIs may also be called "distinctive insignia" (D ...
on 8 November 2007.
The insignia alludes heavily to the unit's history with the 82d Airborne Division.
[The Institute of Heraldry: 82d Sustainment Brigade](_blank)
, The Institute of Heraldry
The Institute of Heraldry, officially The Institute of Heraldry, Department of the Army, is an activity of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army solely responsible for furnishing heraldic services to President of the United ...
. Retrieved 6 December 2008. In 2015 the brigade ceased being a separate unit and became part of the 82d Airborne Division. As a division unit, its personnel adopted the division's shoulder sleeve insignia and the maroon beret with a brigade-specific flash; however, most of the brigade's personnel are not on jump status and only wear the maroon beret and shoulder sleeve insignia because these are unit uniform items.
On 29 February 2008 the 82d Sustainment Brigade added the 264th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion as a subordinate unit. The 264th has a long history of supporting the United States Army in a myriad of campaigns dating back to World War II. On 16 December 2007 the brigade was detached from the 82d Airborne Division and attached to the XVIII Airborne Corps as a separate brigade. One month later, the 507th Support Group (Corps), XVIII Airborne Corps, was inactivated and three of its battalions were reassigned to the 82d Sustainment Brigade. This addition gave the brigade a total of five battalions, making it the largest brigade on Fort Bragg, and one of the largest in the United States Army.
New building facilities for the 82d Sustainment Brigade have been completed. Two new barracks built specifically for the unit are now occupied by the Soldier who spent the past 12 months at Bagram Army Airfield.
Honors
Unit decorations
Campaign streamers
References
External links
Official homepage
{{good article
Sustainment Brigades of the United States Army, 082
082
Military units and formations established in 2006