67th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade | |
---|---|
Country | United States |
Allegiance | United States of America |
Branch | Army National Guard |
Type | Maneuver enhancement brigade |
Size | Brigade |
Nickname(s) | Pike Brigade |
Motto(s) | All Hell Can't Stop Us |
Decorations | Meritorious Unit Commendation [1] |
Insignia | |
Distinctive unit insignia |
The 67th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade is a maneuver enhancement brigade (MEB) of the Nebraska Army National Guard (NE-ARNG). It derives its lineage from the 67th Infantry Brigade (Mechanized), previously a component of the 35th Infantry Division (Mechanized). [2] The brigade has also been organized as an area support group from 2003–2008, and as a battlefield surveillance brigade from 2008–2016.
As the 67th Infantry Brigade, the brigade was initially formed in August 1917 in the Iowa and Nebraska Army National Guards, and was part of the 34th Division mobilized for World War I. [3] It comprised the 133rd Infantry Regiment of Iowa and the 134th Infantry Regiment of Nebraska.
It was demobilized on 18 February 1919 at Camp Grant, Illinois, but reconstituted in the National Guard in 1921, assigned to the 34th Division, and allotted to Iowa. The brigade controlled the 133rd and 168th Infantry Regiments. The Headquarters Company was organized at Winterset, Iowa and federally recognized on 20 July 1921. The Headquarters was organized at Council Bluffs, Iowa and federally recognized on 21 February 1922. The Headquarters changed station to Des Moines, Iowa, 23 August 1924, and to Sioux City, Iowa, 10 July 1940. The Headquarters Company changed station to Des Moines 2 July 1931 by reorganization and redesignation of the Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment. It was inducted into active federal service on 10 February 1941 and moved to Camp Claiborne, Louisiana. On 30 January 1941, the headquarters was disbanded and the Headquarters Company converted into the 34th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized). The lineage of this iteration of the 67th Infantry Brigade is not claimed by any unit in the state of Nebraska.
The 67th Separate Infantry Brigade was formed on 1 April 1963 due to the elimination of the Nebraska–Iowa 34th Infantry Division under the Reorganization Objective Army Division reorganization. The brigade included the Nebraska units formerly part of the 34th Division; its number and Centennial Brigade nickname emphasized its all-Nebraska nature, referencing the centennial of Nebraska statehood in 1867. Headquartered at Lincoln, it included the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 134th Infantry, the 2nd Howitzer Battalion of the 168th Artillery (equipped with 105 mm self-propelled howitzers), [4] and the 167th Quartermaster Company. [5] [6] On 1 March 1964 the brigade was reorganized as mechanized infantry and redesignated as the 67th Infantry Brigade. As a result, Troop E, 167th Cavalry was converted from the Fremont elements of the 167th Quartermaster Company to become the brigade armored reconnaissance troop. [7] The 67th Support Battalion and the 867th Engineer Company replaced the 167th Quartermaster Company and the western Iowa 2nd Battalion, 133rd Infantry was attached to the brigade. The brigade was selected to be part of the Selected Reserve Force (SRF), which allowed it to be brought to full strength, in October 1965. [8] The 1968 reduction of the National Guard resulted in the brigade becoming an all-Nebraska unit once again, with the 128th Engineer Battalion and the 2nd Howitzer Battalion, 168th Artillery being eliminated to form the new 1st Battalion, 168th Artillery and 1st Battalion, 195th Armor. The 1-168th Artillery was the brigade direct support artillery battalion while the 1-195th Armor was officially a nondivisional unit, but often trained with the 67th Brigade. [9] The 1-195th Armor was assigned to the brigade on 1 November 1978. [10]
The brigade consisted of (among other units) 1st Bn, 134th Infantry; 2nd Bn, 134th Infantry (later inactivated); 1st Battalion, 195th Armor; Troop E, 167th Cavalry; and the 867th Engineer Company. This brigade was assigned as a "round out" brigade to the 4th Infantry Division. In the event of conflict the 67th Brigade would have come under the command of the 4th Infantry Division as one of its organic brigades. The 67th trained annually with the 4th Infantry Div. at Ft. Carson, CO.
State ARNG newspapers reporting the recreation of the BfSB in 2008 say that the infantry brigade was reformed in 1962, with its main elements being the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 134th Infantry Regiment. Other combat units that were part of the brigade from the 1960s eventually included the 1st Battalion, 168th Field Artillery Regiment, [11] and Troop E, 167th Cavalry, which was constituted and assigned in 1964.
The brigade was then assigned to the 35th ID, from 1985 to 2002.
Material reproduced by Globalsecurity.org from 2001–2002, seemingly originally drawn from state National Guard sources, said: [12]
It was announced in 2015 that 67th BFSB would transition to a Maneuver Enhancement Brigade. [13]
In 2003 it was converted to the 67th Area Support Group. [14] On 7 September 2008, it was converted into the 67th BfSB. [15] On 5 November 2016, the brigade formally reorganized as a maneuver enhancement brigade. [16]
The brigade has administrative control of the following units: [17]
ANNEX
The Army National Guard (ARNG) is an organized militia force and a federal military reserve force of the United States Army. It is simultaneously part of two different organizations: the Militia of the United States, as well as the federal ARNG, as part of the National Guard as a whole. It is divided into subordinate units stationed in each state or insular area, responsible to their respective governors or other head-of-government.
The 35th Infantry Division, formerly known as the 35th Division, is an infantry formation of the United States Army National Guard headquartered at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
The 89th Infantry Division, originally known as the "89th Division," was an infantry formation of the United States Army that was active during World War I, World War II, and the Cold War.
The 34th Infantry Division is an infantry division of the United States Army, part of the National Guard, that participated in World War I, World War II and multiple current conflicts. It was the first American division deployed to Europe in World War II, where it fought with great distinction in the Italian Campaign.
The Arizona Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. National coordination of various state National Guard units are maintained through the National Guard Bureau.
The 135th Aviation Regiment is an Aviation Branch regiment of the United States Army, first formed in August 1985.
The Oklahoma Army National Guard is the Army National Guard component of the Oklahoma National Guard. The Commander-in-Chief of the Oklahoma National Guard is the Governor of Oklahoma. He appoints the State Adjutant General (TAG) who is a Major General from either Army or Air. Currently, the TAG is Brig. Gen. Thomas H. Mancino. The previous TAG was Maj. Gen. Michael Thompson.
The Florida Army National Guard is Florida's component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. In the United States, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the federal army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization. Federal coordination of various state National Guard units are maintained through the National Guard Bureau. The Florida Army National Guard was composed of approximately 10,000 soldiers. The main state training grounds is Camp Blanding.
The Kansas Army National Guard is a component of the Army National Guard and the Kansas National Guard. Kansas Army National Guard units are trained and equipped as part of the United States Army. The same ranks and insignia are used and National Guardsmen are eligible to receive all United States military awards. The Kansas Guard also bestows a number of state awards for local services rendered in or to the state of Kansas. It is, along with the Kansas Air National Guard, an element of the Kansas National Guard.
The Alabama Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. National coordination of various state National Guard units are maintained through the National Guard Bureau.
The Nebraska Army National Guard is a group of Army National Guard units in the U.S. state of Nebraska. The Adjutant General for these units is Major General Craig W. Strong, who assumed his new duties in July 2023.
The 35th Engineer Brigade is a combat engineer brigade of the United States Army National Guard of Missouri based at Fort Leonard Wood.
The Tennessee Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. It is administered by the Tennessee Military Department. National coordination of various state National Guard units are maintained through the National Guard Bureau.
The 168th Field Artillery Regiment was a Field Artillery Branch regiment of the Army National Guard.
The 134th Cavalry Regiment is a cavalry regiment in the Nebraska Army National Guard. By extension, it is a member of the United States Army National Guard, and as a currently federally-recognized unit, also a member of the National Guard of the United States.
The 149th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade is a maneuver enhancement brigade of the Kentucky Army National Guard, headquartered at Richmond.
The 2nd Battalion (Airborne),134th Infantry Regiment is an airborne infantry battalion in the Nebraska Army National Guard. By extension, it is a member of the United States Army National Guard, and as a currently federally-recognized unit, also a member of the National Guard of the United States.
The 1st Battalion, 168th Field Artillery was a field artillery battalion of the Nebraska Army National Guard during the Cold War. It served as the direct support artillery battalion of the 67th Infantry Brigade from 1968 and continued in that role when the 67th Brigade became part of the reactivated 35th Infantry Division in 1985. The battalion was inactivated in 1997 due to the conversion of the 67th Brigade into a support group. Its subordinate units were mostly converted into support units while the battalion headquarters was converted into the 168th Quartermaster Battalion headquarters, which perpetuated its lineage.