86th Expeditionary Signal Battalion

Last updated

86th Signal Battalion
86 Sig Bn DUI.png
86th Signal Battalion Distinctive Unit Insignia
Active23 March 1966– 30 April 1971
1 July 1977 - present
Country Flag of the United States.svg United States
BranchFlag of the United States Army.svg  United States Army
SizeBattalion
Part of 11th Signal Brigade
Garrison/HQ Fort Bliss
Nickname"Tigers"
Mottos"First Voice Heard!"
"Loud and Clear!"
Engagements Vietnam War
Gulf War
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Iraqi Freedom

The 86th Signal Battalion ("Tigers") of the United States Army is an element of 11th Signal Brigade. It is based at Fort Bliss, Texas. The unit mascot is the Tiger.

Contents

Mission

The 86th Expeditionary Signal Battalion enables mission command for supported units, without Signal assets. The Battalion engineers, installs, operates, maintains, and defends network communications in support of Combatant Commanders and Joint Force Land Component Commanders. [1] The battalion currently provides support to the Brigade Modernization Command and 1st Armored Division during the Network Integration Evaluation (NIE) held bi-annually in the Spring and Fall at Fort Bliss, TX and White Sands Missile Range, NM.

History

A member of the 86th Signal Battalion operates communication equipment in a signal van during Exercise GALLANT EAGLE 86. A member of the 86th Signal Battalion operates communication equipment in a signal van during Exercise GALLANT EAGLE 86 - DPLA - 8b72996af389f333b34f563c81b8fc77.jpeg
A member of the 86th Signal Battalion operates communication equipment in a signal van during Exercise GALLANT EAGLE 86.

The 86th Signal Battalion was first constituted on 23 March 1966 in the Regular Army as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 86th Signal Battalion. The battalion was officially activated on 1 June 1966 at Fort Bragg, NC. The battalion deployed to Vietnam from 1967 through 1971. On 30 April 1971 the battalion was officially deactivated in Vietnam.

The battalion was re-activated on 1 July 1977 at Fort Huachuca, AZ as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 86th Signal Battalion. [2]

In April 2011 the battalion returned from a deployment from Afghanistan. Shortly after the deployment the battalion completed a BRAC move to Fort Bliss, TX. [3]

Subordinate units

The 86th Signal Battalion is an Expeditionary Signal Battalion or "ESB". It comprises the following units:

Capabilities

In the Spring of 2014 the battalion was fielded with Warfighter Information Network - Tactical Increment 1b (WIN-T Inc 1b). The battalion was the first ESB to be fielded with WIN-T Inc 1b. WIN-T Inc 1b, introduced the Network Centric Waveform into the tactical network which optimizes bandwidth and removed the military's reliance on costly civilian satellite services. It also introduced the colorless network. The colorless network enables the encryption of unclassified data when transmitted it over satellite and line of sight. [4]

Honors

Unit decorations

RibbonAwardYearNotes
Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon.svg Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army)1966-1987for service in Vietnam [2]
Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon.svg Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army)1990–1991for service in Desert Storm
Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon.svg Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army)2002–2004for service in Afghanistan [5]
Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon.svg Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army)2006–2007for service in Iraq [6]
Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon.svg Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army)2010–2011for service in Afghanistan [7]

Campaign streamers

ConflictCampaignYear(s)
Vietnam War Counteroffensive II1966–1967
Vietnam War Counteroffensive III1967–1968
Vietnam War Tet Counteroffensive1968
Vietnam War Counteroffensive IV1968
Vietnam War Counteroffensive V1968
Vietnam War Counteroffensive VI1968–1969
Vietnam War Tet 69 Counteroffensive1969
Vietnam War Summer - Fall 19691969
Vietnam War Winter - Spring 19701970
Vietnam War Sanctuary Counteroffensive1970
Vietnam War Counteroffensive VII1971 [2]
Operation Enduring Freedom Consolidation I2002–2004
Operation Iraqi Freedom National Resolution2006–2007
Operation Enduring Freedom Consolidation III2010–2011

References

  1. 1 2 "FM 6-02 : SIGNAL SUPPORT TO OPERATIONS" (PDF). Armypubs.army.mil. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 December 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 "Department of the Army - Lineage and Honors". History.army.mil. Archived from the original on 26 July 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  3. Amy McLaughlin (13 April 2011). "Uncasing ceremony marks signal unit's homecoming". Army.mil. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  4. Amy Walker, PEO C3T (5 March 2014). "New network technologies to support expeditionary signal battalions". Army.mil. Retrieved 18 November 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. "UNIT AWARDS" (PDF). Armypubs.army.mil. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 September 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  6. "UNIT AWARDS" (PDF). Armypubs.army.mil. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  7. "PERMANENT ORDERS 056~06" (PDF). History.army.mil. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 September 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2014.