244th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade

244th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade
244th Aviation Brigade shoulder sleeve insignia
Active	16 September 1988 – present
Country	United States
Allegiance	Army Reserve
Branch	Army Aviation
Type	Composite Brigade
Role	Daily missions;search and rescue operations; assisting in wildfire suppression; providing support at the Army National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California;, and flying dignitaries around the country.
Part of	Army Reserve Aviation Command
Garrison/HQ	Fort Knox, kentucky
Motto	"Wings of The Hawk"
Insignia
Distinctive Unit Insignia
244 AVIATION BRIGADE SUBDUED DESERT SSI

The 244th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade (ECAB) is a Combat Aviation Brigade in the United States Army Reserve (USAR). It is one of two aviation brigades in the Army Reserve Aviation Command. ^[1] The Army announced in May 2025 that it expects to deactivate the brigade in 2026. ^[2]

The brigade was originally activated as the 24th Aviation Group in Glenview, Ill. and became the 244th Aviation Brigade in 1995. The restructuring in 1995 was a consolidation of USAR aviation units under a unified command. ^[3] The brigade has taken part in Operation Desert Shield/Storm ^{[4] [5]} , Joint Forge ^[6] , Noble Eagle, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Inherent Resolve ^[7] . The unit also has many humanitarian missions such as wildfire response ^[8] and search and rescue operations. ^[1]

Organization

The brigade is a subordinate unit of the Army Reserve Aviation Command. As of January 2026 the brigade consists of the following units: ^[9]

• 244th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade, at Fort Knox (KY) ^{[9] [10] [11]}
  • Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 244th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade, at Fort Knox (KY) ^[10]
  • 5th Battalion (General Support Aviation), 159th Aviation Regiment , at Joint Base Langley–Eustis (VA) ^[12]
    • Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 5th Battalion (General Support Aviation), 159th Aviation Regiment, at Fort Eustis (VA) ^[12]
    • Company A (CAC), 5th Battalion (General Support Aviation), 159th Aviation Regiment, at Army Aviation Support Facility Clearwater (FL) ^[13]
    • Company B (Heavy Lift), 5th Battalion (General Support Aviation), 159th Aviation Regiment, at Fort Eustis (VA) ^[12]
    • Company C (MEDEVAC), 5th Battalion (General Support Aviation), 159th Aviation Regiment, at Fort Knox (KY) ^[10]
    • Company D (AVUM), 5th Battalion (General Support Aviation), 159th Aviation Regiment, at Fort Eustis (VA) ^[12]
      • Detachment 1, Company D (AVUM), 5th Battalion (General Support Aviation), 159th Aviation Regiment, at Army Aviation Support Facility Clearwater (FL) ^[13]
      • Detachment 2, Company D (AVUM), 5th Battalion (General Support Aviation), 159th Aviation Regiment, at Fort Knox (KY) ^[10]
    • Company E (Forward Support), 5th Battalion (General Support Aviation), 159th Aviation Regiment, at Fort Eustis (VA) ^[12]
      • Detachment 1, Company E (Forward Support), 5th Battalion (General Support Aviation), 159th Aviation Regiment, at Army Aviation Support Facility Clearwater (FL) ^[13]
      • Detachment 2, Company E (Forward Support), 5th Battalion (General Support Aviation), 159th Aviation Regiment, at Fort Knox (KY) ^[10]
    • Company F (ATS), 5th Battalion (General Support Aviation), 159th Aviation Regiment, at Fort Knox (KY) ^[10]
    • Company G (MEDEVAC), 5th Battalion (General Support Aviation), 159th Aviation Regiment, at Army Aviation Support Facility Clearwater (FL) ^[13]
  • 2nd Battalion (Fixed Wing), 228th Aviation Regiment , at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (NJ) ^[14]
    • Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion (Fixed Wing), 228th Aviation Regiment, at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (NJ) ^[14]
    • Company A, 2nd Battalion (Fixed Wing), 228th Aviation Regiment, at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (NJ) ^[14]
    • Company B, 2nd Battalion (Fixed Wing), 228th Aviation Regiment, at Dobbins Air Reserve Base (GA) ^[15]
      • Detachment 1, Company B, 2nd Battalion (Fixed Wing), 228th Aviation Regiment, at Fort Rucker (AL) ^[16]
    • Company C, 2nd Battalion (Fixed Wing), 228th Aviation Regiment, at Pope Field (NC) ^[17]
  • 8th Battalion (Assault), 229th Aviation Regiment , at Fort Knox (KY) ^[10]
    • Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 8th Battalion (Assault), 229th Aviation Regiment, at Fort Knox (KY) ^[10]
    • Company A, 8th Battalion (Assault), 229th Aviation Regiment, at Fort Knox (KY) ^[10]
    • Company B, 8th Battalion (Assault), 229th Aviation Regiment, at Fort Knox (KY) ^[10]
    • Company C, 8th Battalion (Assault), 229th Aviation Regiment, at Fort Knox (KY) ^[10]
    • Company D (AVUM), 8th Battalion (Assault), 229th Aviation Regiment, at Fort Knox (KY) ^[10]
    • Company E (Forward Support), 8th Battalion (Assault), 229th Aviation Regiment, at Fort Knox (KY) ^[10]

Abbreviations: CAC — Command Aviation Company; MEDEVAC — Medical evacuation; AVUM — Aviation Unit Maintenance; FSC — Forward Support Company; ATS — Air Traffic Services

References

Citations

1. "Our units". US Army Reserve Aviation Command. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
2. Staff, Web; Anstaett, Colter (11 July 2025). "Army Reserve helicopter unit at Ft. Eustis shutting down, impacting around 450-500 personnel". CBS 6 News Richmond WTVR. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
3. "U.S. Army Reserve Aviation: Our Strategic Plan | Army Aviation Magazine" . Retrieved 14 February 2026.
4. Tackaberry, Colonel Burt S. (30 June 1991). "Part I: 24th Aviation Brigade in DESERT STORM". Army Aviation. 40 (6) – via Army Aviation Publications, Inc.
5. "Boots in the Sand" (PDF). Louisiana National Guard Museum. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
6. "449th Combat Aviation Brigade | NCNG". ng.nc.gov. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
7. "The 244th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade Becomes The First Army Reserve Aviation Brigade To Deploy In Support of Operation Inherent Resolve". US Army Central. 27 September 2019.
8. "Wildfire Response". National Guard. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
9. "Our units". US Army Reserve Aviation Command. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
10. "Kentucky units". US Army Reserve. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
11. "244th ECAB Our units". 244th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
12. "Virginia units". US Army Reserve. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
13. "Florida units". US Army Reserve. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
14. "New Jersey units". US Army Reserve. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
15. "Georgia units". US Army Reserve. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
16. "Alabama units". US Army Reserve. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
17. "North Carolina units". US Army Reserve. Retrieved 23 January 2026.

Bibliography

• Donald, D (1997). World Air Power Journal - Volume 28 Spring. UK: Aerospace Publishing Ltd. ISBN   1-874023-859.