Today the Force Structure and Unit History Branch continues the work begun by the Historical Section of the Army War College. The branch maintains historical information on active and inactive units in all components - Regular Army, Army Reserve, and Army National Guard, and prepares official Lineage and Honors Certificates. On the basis of research in primary and secondary material, the certificates outline the major organizational changes undergone by the unit and provide a list of the official battle honors (campaign credit and decorations) that the unit has earned. The information contained on the certificates is reformatted for publication in the Army Lineage Series

While it would take a book to recount the rich history brought about by the changes of each unit in the 15th Brigade Support Battalion, an overall look at the major reorganizational elements of the Battalion Lineage presents a picture of an organization that was accustomed to fighting and brought strength from change.

8th Engineer Battalion Lineage/DateLine

01 July 1916; Constituted in the Regular Army as the 1st Battalion Mounted Engineers. 20 August 1916; "A" Company organized at Twin Windmills, Mexico; On 21 May 1917, Headquarters, "B" and "C" Companies organized at Camp Stewart, Texas. 20 July, 1917; Reorganized and redesignated as 8th Engineer Battalion. (Mounted) 27 November 1917; Assigned to the 15th Cavalry Division. 12 May 1918; Relieved from assignment to the 15th Cavalry Division. 27 July 1921; Assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division. 01 June 1930; Reorganized and redesignated as the 8th Engineer Squadron. 15 March 1943; Reorganized and redesignated as the 8th Engineer Combat Squadron. 25 March 1949; Redesignated as the 8th Engineer Combat Battalion. 10 March 1954; Redesignated as the 8th Engineer Battalion. 15 October, 2005; Inactivated at Fort Hood, Texas and relieved from assignment to the 1st Cavalry Division. 17 July, 2007; Activated at Fort Hood, Texas. 16 October 2007; Organic elements inactivated at Fort Hood, Texas; Support Company concurrently constituted and activated.

The history of the 8th Engineer Battalion recorded the following significant events occurring on the dates listed.

8th Engineer Battalion DateLine

1916 Constituted in the Regular Army as the 1st Battalion Mounted Engineers.(01 July) 1916 Stationed at Camp Militar, Vasco de Fudillades, Coaluilla, Mexico. (03 Aug) 1916 "A" Company organized at Twin Windmills, Mexico.(20 August) 1927 Headquarters, "B" and "C" Companies organized at Camp Stewart, Texas. (21 May) 1917 1st Battalion, Mounted Engineers reorganized and redesignated as the 8th Engineer Battalion (Mounted). (29 July) 1917 Assigned to the 15th Cavalry Division. (27 November) 1918 Relieved from assignment to the 15th Cavalry Division. (12 May) 1920 Stationed at Columbus, New Mexico. 1921 Assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Bliss, Texas. (27 July) 1921 Stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas. 1928 Stationed at Fort McIntosh, Texas. (September) 1930 Reorganized and redesignated as the 8th Engineer Squadron. (01 June) 1936 Participated in the first divisional maneuvers of the 1st Cavalry Division held near Marfa, Texas. 1937 Participated in the Proposed Infantry Division Manuevers (PID). 1938 Participated in the Proposed Second Division Manuevers (P2D). 1938 Participated in the second divisional maneuvers of the 1st Cavalry Division held in the mountains near Balmorhea, Texas. 1939 Stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas. (September) 1940 Stationed at Fort McIntosh, Texas. (March) 1940 Participated in the First-Third Army Louisiana Manuevers. (13/24 August) 1941 Stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas. (January) 1941 Participated in the Second-Third Army Louisiana Manuevers. (10 Aug/04 Oct) 1942 Stationed at Desert Training Center, California. (02 April) 1942 Participated in the Army Desert Manuevers, California/Arizona. 1942 Stationed at Camp Young, California. (22 May) 1942 Stationed at Camp A. P. Hill, Bowling Green, Virginia. (26 August) 1943 Participated in the Second Army, North/South Carolina Manuevers. 1943 Stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas. (06 March) 1943 Reorganized and redesignated as the 8th Engineer Combat Squadron. (15 March) 1943 Transportated to Queensland, Australia on USAT "MAUI". (28 May) 1943 Stationed at Camp Strathpine, Queensland, Australia. (19 June) 1943 Stationed at Borio Area, Oro Bay, New Guinea. (29 December) 1943 Stationed at Los Negros Island, Admiralty Group. (16 March) 1949 Redesignated as the 8th Engineer Combat Battalion. (25 March) 1950 PFC Melvin L. Brown, D-8 Eng earns the Medal of Honor. (04 September) 1954 Redesignated as the 8th Engineer Battalion. (10 March) 2005 Inactivated at Fort Hood, Texas and relieved from assignment to the 1st Cavalry Division. (15 October) 2007 Activated at Fort Hood, Texas. (17 July) 2007 Organic elements inactivated at Fort Hood, Texas; Support Company concurrently constituted and activated. (16 October)