A maneuver enhancement brigade (MEB) is a self-contained, modular, and multifunctional support brigade of the United States Army customized to meet whatever mission it receives. A MEB's primary purpose is to plug into operational formations commanded by corps or division commanders, to support brigade combat teams once deployed, and to conduct tactical level tasks and support. [1] MEBs can provide command and control for up to seven battalions that are capable of owning battlespace in combat.
Battalions assigned to a MEB differ from mission to mission but their specialties typically do not repeat themselves more than twice for a certain type—when a mission dictates more than two of a certain type, the mission likely is not an MEB mission anymore but one more suited to a functional brigade. [lower-alpha 1] [lower-alpha 2] For example, if a mission calls for three engineer battalions, such mission is better suited to an engineer brigade. [lower-alpha 2]
The mission of a MEB is to provide support to the force commander, normally at the division level. The MEB groups together a number of previously dispersed functions in order to achieve this mission. Organic to the MEB is generally a headquarters and headquarters company, a signal company and a brigade support battalion. This force can be augmented by combat engineer, military police, air defense, and/or CBRN defense units. Depending on the mission it may be assigned explosive ordnance disposal, civil affairs or a tactical combat force. They are tailored with the capabilities required for each operation. More than one brigade may be assigned to a division or corps.
Maneuver enhancement brigades are designed to bridge the operational gap between brigade combat teams and functional support brigades. By modern doctrine MEB can control operational areas and are assigned a tactical combat force, usually in the form of a maneuver infantry battalion. A maneuver enhancement brigade’s primary goal is to provide the corps or divisional level commander with a field grade officer led formation that has a large headquarters, capable of controlling a mix of combat engineer, military police, level II medical services, communication units, NBC units and civil affair units. In addition to its attached maneuver combat battalion for security and rear area defense operations.
Unified combatant commanders may also attach these brigades directly to the Army service component command in order to serve in the theater army rear area of operations or joint security area, where the MEB serves as the force protection unit for the US force headquarters. [3]
There are 19 combat support brigades (maneuver enhancement) the Army plans to create, with 16 in the Army National Guard and 3 in the Army Reserve. This organization is one of five types of multifunctional support brigades that have been established under the transformation to the modular force. The other brigades are the sustainment brigade, battlefield surveillance brigade, combat aviation brigade, and fires brigade. [4]
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.
The 36th Infantry Division ("Arrowhead") also known as the "Panther Division", the "Lone Star Division", "The Texas Army", and the "T-patchers", is an infantry division of the U.S. Army and part of the Texas Army National Guard. The 36th Infantry Division was first organized during World War I (1914–1918) from units of the Texas and Oklahoma National Guards. After the war, the division was reformed as an all-Texas unit, and was called to service for World War II (1937–1945) on 25 November 1940, was deployed to the European Theater of Operations in April 1943, and returned to the Texas National Guard in December 1945.
The Army National Guard (ARNG), in conjunction with the Air National Guard, is an organized militia force and a federal military reserve force of the United States Army. They are simultaneously part of two different organizations: the ARNG of each state, most territories, and the District of Columbia, 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.
Reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition (RSTA) squadrons are a type of unit in the United States Army. These are cavalry squadrons, and act at the squadron (battalion) level as a reconnaissance unit for their parent brigade combat teams. These RSTA squadrons continue on the Recondo legacy of the Vietnam era Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols (LRRP), however, compared to the LRRPs they are often assigned additional non-reconnaissance responsibilities such as battlespace ownership.
In the United States Marine Corps, a Marine Air–Ground Task Force is the principal organization for all missions across the range of military operations. MAGTFs are a balanced air–ground, combined arms task organization of Marine Corps forces under a single commander that is structured to accomplish a specific mission. The MAGTF was formalized by the publishing of Marine Corps Order 3120.3 in December 1963, "The Marine Corps in the National Defense, MCDP 1-0". It stated:
A Marine air–ground task force with separate air ground headquarters is normally formed for combat operations and training exercises in which substantial combat forces of both Marine aviation and Marine ground units are included in the task organization of participating Marine forces.
The reorganization plan of the United States Army was implemented from 2006 to 2016 under the direction of the Brigade Modernization Command. This effort formally began in 2006 when General Peter Schoomaker was given the support to move the Army from its Cold War divisional orientation to a full-spectrum capability with fully manned, equipped and trained brigades; this effort was completed by the end of 2016. It has been the most comprehensive reorganization since World War II and included modular combat brigades, support brigades, and command headquarters, as well as rebalancing the active and reserve components.
The 157th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, also known as the Iron Brigade, is based out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was formerly known as the 57th Field Artillery Brigade, at which time its subordinate organizations included the 1st Battalion, 126th Field Artillery Regiment and the 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery Regiment from the Wisconsin Army National Guard, plus the 1st Battalion, 182nd Field Artillery Regiment of the Michigan Army National Guard. Not to be confused with the famous "Iron Brigade" of the Civil War, its nickname was traditionally given to crack artillery units in the Civil War. It was during World War I that the 57th Field Artillery Brigade earned its nickname as it spent many hours at the front and fired more artillery rounds than any brigade in the American Army.
The 555th Engineer Brigade "Triple Nickel" is a combat engineer brigade of the United States Army based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. The brigade is a Corps separate falling directly under I Corps. The 555 numbering was first used in 1947, but the brigade traces its history to a group active under the 1103d designation from 1943 to 1946.
The 92nd Military Police Brigade is a military police brigade of the Puerto Rico Army National Guard. The brigade was formerly an infantry brigade combat team known as the 92nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team and then a Maneuver Enhancement Brigade. It includes two MP battalions, two infantry battalion and some support units.
The 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade is a rear area maneuver enhancement brigade of the South Carolina Army National Guard, headquartered at Charleston. It derives its history from the previous 218th Infantry Brigade (Mechanized) (Separate), originally formed from the 2nd Brigade of the former 30th Infantry Division on 1 January 1974. On 1 September 2008, the Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment of the 105th Signal Battalion became the Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) of the 218th MEB. On 1 March 2009, the HHC of the 218th Infantry Brigade was consolidated with the HHC of the 218th MEB, becoming the 218th MEB.
The 67th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade is a maneuver enhancement brigade (MEB) of the Nebraska Army National Guard. It derives its lineage from the 67th Infantry Brigade (Mechanized), previously a component of the 35th Infantry Division (Mechanized). The brigade has also been organized as an area support group from 2003–2008, and as a battlefield surveillance brigade from 2008–2016.
The 1st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade was a United States Army brigade located at Fort Polk, Louisiana. The Brigade was tasked to improve the movement capabilities and rear area security for commanders at division level or higher. The Brigade has deployed units for combat operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and for humanitarian assistance in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake.
The 4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade was a United States Army brigade located at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, subordinate to the 1st Infantry Division since its activation on 16 October 2008. The 4th MEB was one of three active duty Maneuver Enhancement Brigades. The Brigade was tasked to improve the movement capabilities and rear area security for commanders at division level or higher. This was the only brigade in Fort Leonard Wood that is part of FORSCOM. The 4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade inactivated on 17 June 2015.
The 404th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade is a maneuver enhancement brigade of the Illinois Army National Guard.
The 648th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade is a major subordinate command of the Georgia Army National Guard.
The 302nd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade is a unit of the U.S. Army Reserve based in Massachusetts.
The 55th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade is a maneuver enhancement unit aligned under the 28th Infantry Division of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. The 55th MEB, like all MEBs, is a self-contained, modular, and multifunctional support brigade of the United States Army with an ability to plug into operational formations commanded by corps or division commanders, to support brigade combat teams once deployed, and to conduct tactical level tasks and support. MEBs are equipped to provide command and control for up to seven battalions that are capable of owning battlespace in combat. The 55th MEB was once the 55th Heavy Brigade Combat Team "strike brigade" subordinate to the 28th ID, as the 55th MEB is today. Its headquarters is in Scranton, PA.
The 88th Brigade Support Battalion is a U.S. Army support battalion stationed at Fort Polk, Louisiana. The Battalion motto is "Muleskinners!". The 88th has deployed overseas to France and Vietnam.
301st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade is a United States Army Reserve unit based in Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. The Maneuver Enhancement Brigade is a brigade size headquarters with a modular organization that is designed to provide support to the combatant commander within an assigned area of responsibility (AOR). The MEB is a command and control headquarters with a robust multifunctional brigade staff that is optimized to conduct support area operations. The MEB provides mission command of assigned units during peace time, homeland security, homeland defense, and civil support missions within the United States.
The 226th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade is a Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (MEB) of the Alabama National Guard. Since 2005, it is assigned to the 62nd Troop Command of the Alabama Army National Guard. It is headquartered at Fort Whiting National Guard Complex in Mobile, Alabama.