General Kevin P. Byrnes

"Command-and-control headquarters (will be) designed as rapidly deployable modules. The division headquarters today (in order to deploy) must pull support from its signal battalion up to division headquarters, pull a lot of intelligence out of its intelligence battalion, pull fires out of the division artillery, pull engineers, and form a larger entity. This makes no sense in the environment we expect to fight in the future. Our division headquarters will be stand-alone entities; they will not rely on subordinate or higher headquarters for manning. (The headquarters) will be formed and trained as a deployable entity. It will have four command posts in that division headquarters, a homestation operations center that will remain at home, and it will rely on reachback to support the forward-deployed piece of the division. We'll send two headquarters forward; one will be (Joint forces land component) capable in a division. And if we're successful in this endeavor, we will have a Joint cell in that headquarters full-time and robust enough to support combat operations in peacetime."

"Our recent operations in (Operations) Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom tell us you can't put the team together on the ground. It has to be formed ahead of time. We learned that lesson, and we relearned that lesson. We've taken it to heart. We want to design both division and corps headquarters so that two deployable headquarters (are) available to the commander on the ground, one large headquarters (is) at homestation, and a fourth mobile command post (is) available to the commander that will support his operation 24/7 on the ground."

To accomplish this, the Brigade Combat Teams (BCT) of the 1st Cavalry Division will be reconstituted into seven integrated fighting groups consisting of a headquarters company, a reconnaissance battalion, two maneuver battalions, an artillery battalion, a brigade support battalion and a brigade support troop battalion. Once transitioned, these new BCTs will enable greater capacity for rapid packaging and responsive and sustained employment to support combatant commanders. BCTs will also enhance the expeditionary and campaign qualities of Army forces by better enabling Joint/coalition operations. The transition to BCTs will also increase the overall brigade-equivalent forces available to meet both enduring and emerging mission requirements.

Keys To This Objective

Create modular, capabilities-based unit designs that will:

• Enable greater capacity for rapid and tailorable forces.
• Improve strategic responsiveness of the Joint force for full-spectrum operations.

Methodology Of Execution

Elements of Consideration:

1. Existing analyses of future force designs are to be used to shape design of modular units alternatives.
2. Fielding capabilities designed for the future force are to be incorporated into the current force wherever feasible.
3. Joint Capabilities, as they exist today, are to be employed in a more effective manner by the new Modular Forces.
4. Many organizational elements, within the current brigade and division structures, will require change.
5. Modularity does not mean smaller. The ultimate modular force must have the following attributes:
   • Rapid identification and packaging for short/no-notice response to meet combatant commander needs;
   • Greater readiness within the modular packages;
   • Improved scalability of response capability to meet the varying needs of combatant commanders;
   • Sustained operations with minimal or no augmentation; and
   • Enhanced deployability.
6. The effort will ultimately support the plan of the Army to provide more deployable forces that will better meet combatant commanders' warfighting requirements.
7. The modular forces will enable greater Joint interoperability and interdependence with sister service units.
8. The move toward modularity will ultimately generate increased numbers of combat brigade equivalents for future Army operations and combat rotations.
9. The brigades will be more ready, deployable, sustainable and responsive than current brigades, able to disrupt, dislocate, disintegrate and destroy adversaries.

The Undertaking

On 24 May, following six months of extensive planning, officers of the 1st Cavalry Division began executing the monumental task of reorganizing and realigning its manpower and equipment resources into the Army Matrix of Modular Forces. As each Brigade changed command, they changed their colors and become a Brigade Unit of Action (BUA). Under the reorganization, the Division will have six Brigades. While undertaking the transformation changes, the Division will experience nearly a fifty percent turnover in personnel while performing the coordination of arrival and reallocation of critical new equipment required to support their new missions. Simultaneously, with the equipment changeovers, new training and maintenance programs will be initiated to prepare for possible combat redeployment as early as 15 April, 2006 or as may be directed by the Army Command. A major milestone of the transformation will occur with the "Stand Up" of the 4th Brigade Combat Team at Ft. Bliss, TX. on 18 October, 2005.

1st CAVALRY DIVISION RESTRUCTURING
Date	Unit	Action
24 May 2005	Engineer Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division	Inactv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
26 May 2005	5th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division	Inactv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
	515th Support Battalion (FWD), 5th Brigade Combat Team	Inactv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
	Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division	Inactv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
	1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division	Actv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
20 Jun 2005	Artillery Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division	Inactv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
06 Jul 2005	27th Support Battalion (MAIN), DisCom Combat Team	Inactv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
08 Jul 2005	2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team	Inactv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
	4th Sqdn, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team	Actv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
	"D" Trp, 9th Cavalry redesignated as "B" Trp, 4th Sqdn, 9th Cavalry, 2nd Brigade Combat Team	Actv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
	91st Engineer Battalion, Engineer Brigade	Inactv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
	Special Troops Battalion (STB), 2nd Brigade Combat Team	Actv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
12 Jul 2005	20th Engineer Battalion, Engineer Brigade	Inactv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
	Special Troops Battalion (STB), 1st Brigade Combat Team	Actv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
	1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team	Inactv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
	1st Sqdn, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team	Actv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
	"C" Trp, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team	Inactv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
14 Jul 2005	1st Battalion, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team	Inactv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
	1st Sqdn, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team	Inactv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
	6th Sqdn, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team	Actv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
	"F" Trp, 9th Cavalry redesignated as "B" Trp, 6th Sqdn, 9th Cavalry, 3rd Brigade Combat Team	Actv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
	2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team	Inactv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
	1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team	Actv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
	8th Engineer Battalion, Engineer Brigade	Inactv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
	Special Troops Battalion (STB), 3rd Brigade Combat Team	Actv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
15 Jul 2005	DisCom Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division	Inactv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
	15th Sustainment Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division	Actv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
	Special Troops Battalion (STB), 1st Cavalry Division	Actv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
	13th Signal Battalion, Separate BNs/COs Combat Team	Inactv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
	312th Mltry Intelligence Battalion, Separate BNs/COs Combat Team	Inactv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
	545th Mltry Police Company, Separate BNs/COs Combat Team	Inactv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
	68th Chemical Company, Separate BNs/COs Combat Team	Inactv'd at Ft. Hood, TX
	4th Battalion, 5th Air Defense, Separate BNs/COs Combat Team	Xfer'd to 31st ADA Bde at Ft. Bliss, TX
29 Jul 2005	1st Battalion, 21st Field Artillery, 5th Brigade Combat Team	Xfer'd to 4th ID at Ft. Hood, TX

On 15 July, the 1st Cavalry Division took the final step in its reorganization of the ongoing transformation to Modular Units of Action with the inactivation of the Separate Units Brigade of the Division and the creation of the 15th Support Brigade and the Division Special Troops Battalion.

1st Cavalry Reorganizational Ceremony on Cooper Field

The colorful ceremony of two unit activations, four unit inactivations, the reassignment of two battalions and the final parade of two guidons of company headquarters marked the final reorganization of the Division. The units inactivated included the 13th Signal Battalion, 312th Military Intelligence Battalion, 68th Chemical Company and the 545th Military Police Company. The battalion reassignments included the 4th Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery that was reassigned to the 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade at Ft. Bliss, TX and the 1st Battalion, 21st Field Artillery Regiment that was assigned to the Fires Brigade of the 4th Infantry Division at Ft. Hood. It was the closing ceremony in the two-months marathon of unit activations, inactivations and changes of command.

Many of the soldiers of that attended the ceremony on the Cooper Field were assigned to the newly activated units integrated into the Brigades as Companies and Platoons, or Units of Action and will go forward carve out their own legacy, as part of the Division. Others will remained in their current unit and fall under the operational control of a different higher headquarters command.

CH-47 Chinocks Prepared for Airlift

On 13 October ninety-nine 1st Cavalry soldiers and five CH-47 Chinook helicopters from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, "B" Company and "D" Company of the 2nd Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, and "B" Company of the 615th Aviation Support Battalion, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade were deployed in support of humanitarian relief efforts in Pakistan. following a 7.6-magnitude earthquake that hit on 08 October, killing nearly 20,000 people and injuring an estimated 41,000.

Because of the distance between Ft. Hood and Pakistan, all five helicopters were stripped down and loaded into the belly of an Air Force C-5 Galaxy. The process of preparing the aircraft to become air freight can take up to 18 hours per helicopter. Previous experience of the unit with disaster relief in Louisiana and in southeastern Texas make the battalion a logical choice to support the mission in Pakistan.

During the 56-day mission of Task Force QUAKE, the soldiers carried 1,900 injured, sick or displaced people to safety and distributed over 2 million pounds of food and supplies through 600 accident- and incident-free flight hours. While the people of Pakistan largely were appreciative of help of the soldiers, if the Pakistani army was there to help control the crowd, some got anxious as supplies were being delivered and attempted to board the helicopters.

Many of the soldiers who went to Pakistan had just returned from a similar mission at home. Since "B" Company moved to Ft. Hood in June from Korea, they have been asked to rescue and assist people affected by hurricane Katrina, which hit the Gulf Coast on 29 August, and by Hurricane Rita a few weeks later in Conroe, TX.

In Celebration, The Cavalry Charges

On 18 October Ft. Bliss, TX welcomed back new elements of the 1st Cavalry Division and celebrated 62 years since its 1943 departure to the Pacific Theater in WW II. In accordance with the Base Realignment and Closure recommendations approved by President George W. Bush on 16 September, the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division and its subordinate units were concurrently activated in a ceremony at Noel Field, Ft. Bliss, TX. In addition to the unfurling of the Brigade colors that signified its formal reactivation and return to duty, each of the Battalion colors were unfurled and passed to their respective commanders.

The Horse Cavalry Detachment of the 1st Cavalry Division, with sabers raised high and pistols blazing in a traditional charge, concluded the ceremony with a reenactment of the famous "Cavalry Charge" across the very field that was named in 1928 after Lt. Paul A. Noel, a famed polo player, who learned his skill as a horseman while in the 1st Cavalry Division. The cavalry had come home !! The Brigade will remain remotely located at Ft. Bliss until its return with the Division from its second deployment to Iraq.

4th BRIGADE ACTIVATION
Date	Unit	Action
18 Oct 2005	4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division	Actv'd at Ft. Bliss, TX
	1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team	Reactv'd at Ft. Bliss, TX
	2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team	Reactv'd at Ft. Bliss, TX
	2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team	Reactv'd at Ft. Bliss, TX
	5th Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team	Actv'd at Ft. Bliss, TX
	27th Support Battalion (BSB), 4th Brigade Combat Team	Reactv'd at Ft. Bliss, TX
	Special Troops Battalion (STB), 4th Brigade Combat Team	Actv'd at Ft. Bliss, TX

The Result

As restructured, the 1st Cavalry Division will consist of a War Fighting Headquarters (UEx), staffed with approximately 1000 personnel, that provides Battle Command and Control (BCC) of four Heavy Maneuvering Brigade Combat Teams (HBCT), a Heavy Air Cavalry Brigade Combat Team (ACBCT), a Special Troops Battalion (SPT) and a Support Brigade (SB). The UEx consists of Combined Command, Control and Communications (CCCC) functions and assets formally associated with heavy division and corps headquarter units.

The Division will now have the ability to deploy a single individual Brigade Unit of Action (UA) or several to various global locales simultaneously as an option to deploying the entire Division. Prior to the implementation of the modular reorganization, the Division lacked the ability to do multiple, simultaneous Brigade deployments without support of other "in theater" organizations because the entire Brigade was composed of one specialty skill; such as engineering or fire control. In the Modular Force Concept each of the maneuvering Brigades will be integrated with armor, infantry, engineer, artillery, military police, military intelligence and many other specialties enabling it to function and fight independently of any other unit support. In addition, the Brigades will also no longer have armor or infantry battalions. They will now have combined arms battalions which have both armor and infantry elements. Broadening the maneuvering capabilities, the integration of battalion-sized reconnaissance squadrons into each Brigade provides combatant commanders the capability to screen large forward areas and reposition the Brigade resources when and wherever needed.

1st Cavalry Division Brigade Combat Team Organization
Commanding General Assistant Division Commanders Division Command Sergeant Major   Personal Staff     Equal Opportunity Inspector General Division Retention Staff Judge Advocate Comptroller Chaplain Commandant Public Affairs Chief Of Staff   Coordinating Staff     Special Staff   G1 Personnel G2 Intelligence Engineering G3 Operations G4 Logistics Chemical G5 Civil Affairs G6 Communications Provost Marshall G7 Information   Surgeon   Safety MAJOR SUBORDINATE COMMANDS "HHC", 1st Bde Combat Tm 1st Sqdn, 7th Cavalry Reg't "HHT", 1st Sqdn, 7th Mortar Pltn "A", "B" & "C" Trps "D" Co, 115th Bde Spt Bn 2nd Bn, 8th Cavalry Reg't "HHC", 2nd Bn, 8th Scout Pltn Mortar Pltn "A" & "B" Cos (Mech) "C" & "D" Cos (Armor) "E" Co, 2/8th (Engr) "E" Co, 115th Bde Spt Bn 2nd Bn, 5th Cavalry Reg't "HHC", 2nd Bn, 5th Scout Pltn Mortar Pltn "A" & "B" Cos (Mech) "C" & "D" Cos (Armor) "E" Co, 2/5th (Engr) "F" Co, 115th Bde Spt Bn 1st Bn, 82nd Fld Arty "HHB", 1st Bn, 82nd FA "A", "B" & "D" Btry "G" Co, 115th Bde Spt Bn 115th Bde Spt Bn (BSB) "HHC, 115th Bde Spt Bn "A", "B" & "C" Cos 1st Bde Spl Trps Bn (BSTB) "HHC", 1st Bde Spl Trps "A" Co, Military Intel UAV Platoon "B" Co, Signal MP Platoon NBC Recon Platoon "HHC", 2nd Bde Combat Tm 4th Sqdn, 9th Cavalry Reg't "HHT", 4th Sqdn, 9th Mortar Pltn "A", "B" & "C" Trps "D" Co, 15th Bde Spt Bn 1st Bn, 8th Cavalry Reg't "HHC", 1st Bn, 8th Scout Pltn Mortar Pltn "A", & "B" Cos (Mech) "C" & "D" Cos (Armor) "E" Co, 1/8th (Engr) "E" Co, 15th Bde Spt Bn 1st Bn, 5th Cavalry Reg't "HHC", 1st Bn, 5th Scout Pltn Mortar Pltn "A" & "B" Cos (Mech) "C" & "D" Cos (Armor) "E" Co, 1/5th (Engr) "F" Co, 15th Bde Spt Bn 3rd Bn, 82nd Fld Arty "HHB", 3rd Bn, 82nd FA "A" & "B" Btry "G" Co, 15th Bde Spt Bn 15th Bde Spt Bn (BSB) "HHC, 15th Bde Spt Bn "A", "B" & "C" Cos 2nd Bde Spl Trps Bn (BSTB) "HHC", 2nd Bde Spl Trps "A" Co, Military Intel UAV Platoon "B" Co, Signal MP Platoon NBC Recon Platoon "HHC", 3rd Bde Combat Tm 6th Sqdn, 9th Cavalry Reg't "HHT", 6th Sqdn, 9th Mortar Pltn "A". "B" & "C" Trps "D" Co, 215th Bde Spt Bn 1st Bn, 12th Cavalry Reg't "HHC", 1st Bn, 12th Scout Pltn Mortar Pltn "A", & "B" Cos (Mech) "C" & "D" Cos (Armor) "E" Co, 1/12th (Engr) "E" Co, 215th Bde Spt Bn 3rd Bn, 8th Cavalry Reg't "HHC", 3rd Bn, 8th Scout Pltn Mortar Pltn "A", & "B" Cos (Mech) "C" & "D" Cos (Armor) "E" Co, 3/8th (Engr) "F" Co, 215th Bde Spt Bn 2nd Bn, 82nd Fld Arty "HHB", 2nd Bn, 82nd FA "A" & "B" Btry "G" Co, 215th Bde Spt Bn 215th Bde Spt Bn (BSB) "HHC, 215th Bde Spt Bn "A", "B" & "C" Cos 3rd Bde Spl Trps Bn (BSTB) "HHC", 3rd Bde Spl Trps "A" Co, Military Intel UAV Platoon "B" Co, Signal MP Platoon NBC Recon Platoon "HHC", 4th Bde Combat Tm 1st Sqdn, 9th Cavalry Reg't "HHT", 1st Sqdn, 9th Mortar Pltn "A", "B" & "C" Trps "D" Co, 27th Bde Spt Bn 2nd Bn, 12th Cavalry Reg't "HHC", 2nd Bn, 12th Scout Pltn Mortar Pltn "A" & "B" Cos (Mech) "C" & "D" Cos (Armor) "E" Co, 2/12th (Engr) "E" Co, 27th Bde Spt Bn 2nd Bn, 7th Cavalry Reg't "HHC", 2nd Bn, 7th Scout Pltn Mortar Pltn "A" & "B" Cos (Mech) "C" & "D" Cos (Armor) "E"2/7th Co, (Engr) "F" Co, 27th Bde Spt Bn 5th Bn, 82nd Fld Arty "HHB", 5th Bn, 82nd FA "A" & "B" Btry "G" Co, 27th Bde Spt Bn 27th Bde Spt Bn (BSB) "HHC, 27th Bde Spt Bn "A", "B" & "C" Cos 4th Bde Spl Trps Bn (BSTB) "HHC", 4th Bde Spl Trps "A" Co, Military Intel UAV Platoon "B" Co, Signal MP Platoon NBC Recon Platoon "HHC", 1st Air Cavalry Bde 1st Bn, 227th Avn (ATK) "HHC", 1st Bn, 227th Avn "A", "B", "C" & "D" Cos "E" Flt Spt Company 2nd Bn, 227th Avn (GS) "HHC", 2nd Bn, 227th Avn "A", "B", "C" & "D" Cos "E" Flt Spt Company 3rd Bn, 227th Avn (ASLT) "HHC", 3rd Bn, 227th Avn "A", "B", "C" & "D" Cos "E" Flt Spt Company 4th Bn, 227th Avn (ATK) "HHC", 4th Bn, 227th Avn "A", "B", "C" & "D" Cos "E" Flt Spt Company 615th Avn Spt Bn (ASB) "HHC", 615th Spt Bn "A" & "B" Cos 1st Cav Div Spl Trps Bn "HSC", 1st CD (BSTB) "A" Co (Sig), 1st CD BSTB "SEC Co", 1st CD BSTB "D" Co, 312th MI Bn "HHC", 1st Cav Div 1st Cavalry Div Band 1st Cavalry Horse Det   "HHC", 15th Sus. Bde (BSB) 15th Bde S Trp Bn (BSTB) "HHC", 15th Bde Spt Trps "A" Co, Maint & Med "B" Co, 15th BSTB Spt Opns (SPO) 15th Personnel Svc Bn
Realigned - 27 July 2005

The 1st Cavalry Division is currently stationed at Fort Hood, Texas with an authorized strength of 18,200 Soldiers. It is assigned four numbered Heavy Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs), the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, the 15th Support Brigade, and the Division Special Troops Battalion. The 4th BCT is temporarily stationed offsite at Fort Bliss, Texas.

To accomplish its missions, the Division uses a modern complementary set of major weapons systems, which include M1A2 System Enhanced Package (SEP) Abrams tanks, M2A3 and M3A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, M2A2 Operational Desert Storm/Shield (ODS) Bradley Fighting Vehicles, Bradley Fire Support Vehicles, M109A6 Paladin howitzers, AH-64 Longbow Apache helicopters, UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, and CH-47D Chinook helicopters.

The heavy maeuvering BCTs, a balanced set of four combat organization, each built around a Reconnaissance Squadron, two Combined Arms Maneuver Battalions, a Fires (Artillery) Battalion, a Brigade Support Battalion (BSB) and a Brigade Special Troops Battalion (BSTB).

• The reconnaissance squadron is responsible for conducting reconnaissance and counterreconnaissance and includes three ground troops equipped with M3 fighting vehicles and M1114s.
• The two balanced, combined arms, battalions are the BCT maneuver and close combat elements. They are modular in design, combining two Infantry Companies (Mech), two Armor Companies, one Engineer company and a Forward Support Company with organic reconnaissance, snipers, mortars, and fire support elements.
• The Fires (82nd Field Artillery) Battalion is organized to provide control of responsive, accurate fire support using two batteries of self-propelled 155 mm howitzers, plus counterfire radar for target acquisition.
• The Brigade Support Battalion (BSB) is organized and equipped to sustain brigade combat operations and is organized around the BSB's Forward Support Companies.
• The Brigade Support Troops Battalion (BSTB) contains the BCT Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), Military Intelligence (MI) and Signal Companies, Engineering Battalion, Military Police Platoon, NBC Platoon, Medical Platoon, Support Platoon, Maintenance Platoon and other supporting elements.

The 1st Air Cavalry Brigade conducts reconnaissance, security, mobile strike, vertical maneuver, support to close combat with ground forces, aerial sustainment, and command and control operations with its four Aviation Battalions and one Aviation Support Battalion.

The Special Troops Battalion (STB) provides organizational and communications support to the Division elements.

The 15th Sustainment Brigade provides a Combat Supply System (CSS) to the Division and forces attached to it. It is assigned multifunctional CSS units which are tailored and task organized according to the mission.

On 15 December, the first indication of the deployment plans for the 1st Cavalry Division occurred in a response to a call-in question at the Ft. Hood Television Studio, KNCT-TV. In the "TV Town Hall" meeting, Major General Joseph Fil, Jr., Commanding General of the 1st Cavalry Division, announced that two First Team Brigades, the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade and the 15th Support Brigade, consisting of approximately 2,000 troops, have received deployment orders for Iraq next year. As a preliminary timeline, the deployment is currently scheduled to begin in late summer, 2006 and the rest of the Division following by the end of the year.

On 13 January, 2006 the 227th Aviation Regiment, Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division moved one step closer to war-ready status as their newest attack helicopter battalion, the 4th Battalion, wrapped up a field training exercise at Camp Bowie National Guard Training Center near Brownwood, TX. The unit was originally part of the Germany-based 1st Battalion, 501st Aviation Regiment, 1st Armored Division until its transfer to Ft. Hood in early 2005. Once in Texas, the unit began training to transition from the standard AH-64 Apaches to the more technologically advanced Apache Longbow. Their training, guided by the 21st Air Cavalry Brigade colocated at Ft. Hood, has included troop schools, mission practices, classes, physical training tests, team building workshops and field exercises.

On 10 February the 1st Air Cavalry Aviation Brigade Combat Team and the 227th Aviation Regiment augmented their level of force by the activation of the 4th Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment and its subordinate operational and support units at Ft. Hood, TX.

Also on 10 February, members of the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division were put on notice that eight CH-47 Chinook helicopter flight crews and a supporting maintenance team are to redeploy to Pakistan to conduct humanitarian relief efforts to earthquake victims there. This is the second deployment to Pakistan for members of the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, who conducted a six-week relief operation there beginning mid-October last year. The call for the aviators comes as flight crews in Pakistan begin to reach the one-year mark of their deployment supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Sending in a fresh cavalry team allows crews in Pakistan to come home to loved ones while maintaining the vital humanitarian support to the people of Pakistan. Nearly 100 Soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment are expected to depart Ft. Hood within the next several days. They will conduct flight operations using aviation assets already in place in Pakistan. The deployment is expected to last six weeks.

On 13 February, the early dawn came around as the soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment and 615th Aviation Support Battalion, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division had to go through the Soldier Readiness Processing in preparation for their deployment. At this point, all knew that they would be moving out that very night. By evening, the groups combined to create Task Force Quake II and began the journey to Pakistan.

The Road To Pakistan Ends At Qasim

The route to Pakistan was anything but direct. The Task Force first headed out to Bangor, Maine, where they arrived in the early morning hours of 14 February. Maine may not sound exotic or interesting to most soldiers, but the warm welcome and thanks from veterans and volunteers at the airport took some of the travel stresses away. They departed from Maine that same morning and had arrived in Hahn, Germany late that evening.

On 15 February the soldiers arrived in Manas Air Force Base, Kyrgyzstan, located just outside the tiny city of Bishkek. At this point, they were getting a little weary, but still kept their heads on straight. Manas AFB gave them something they hadn't had in over two days -- a shower. With roughly only a day's rest under their belts, Task Force Quake II headed out for Bagram, Afghanistan where they stayed for a little less than a day before heading out to Islamabad, Pakistan. On 17 February, the next day they arrived at Qasim Air Base, in Islamabad, and the soldiers immediately began the transition to being stationed in a foreign nation. After some quick briefings and a tour of the facility, the soldiers of the Task Force were able to get a little rest.

TF Quake II Takes Over Its Mission

It is 0545 hours, 21 February and the pre-flight briefing has just ended. Show time is at 0630 hours and take off is scheduled for 0700 hours. Although not covered in the media much anymore, the relief effort in Pakistan in the aftermath of the massive earthquake last October is still an every day effort. Soldiers of Task Force Quake II, comprised of troop elements from the 2nd Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment and 615th Aviation Support Battalion, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade of the 1st Cavalry Division are heading up the last leg of US support in the humanitarian relief effort in Pakistan by providing food via their CH-47D Chinook helicopters. Just three days earlier, with their boots barely on the ground, Task Force Quake II troops are already taking over missions in the relief effort.

There are reasons why the Chinooks are used as opposed to other aircraft in the inventory of the Army. Chinooks are used because of their operational altitude and load carrying capacity. Both of these factors are important because of the terrain the Chinooks are being flown over. Pakistan, unlike Iraq, is very mountainous and the loads that are being carried could not be taken by a Black Hawk helicopter. The Chinook can handle 17,000 to 18,000 pounds at a comfortable maximum. While the helicopters could carry more in some circumstances. The pilots and crew work an eight-hour day taking about eight loads out to the people in remote areas of Pakistan. The normal day for the pilots and crew starts with a briefing early in the morning around 0530 hours with lift-off scheduled by 0730 hours and return around 1600 hours. They head out to a pick-up zone to retrieve their load then go drop it at specified coordinates given to them earlier that morning. With these types of missions being played out every day, the relief effort in Pakistan is quickly coming to an end.

On 12 April the 2nd Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Aviation Brigade and the 615 Aviation Support Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division returned from a two month deployment to Pakistan. The deployment was the unit's second to the country, which was damaged by a 7.6-magnitude earthquake on 08 October, 2005. During their deployment mission, the task force delivered 4 million pounds of food and supplies.

On 27 April the 1st Air Cavalry Aviation Brigade Combat Team and the 227th Aviation Regiment conducted an activation ceremony at Cooper Parade Field for the 4th Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment and their subordinate operational and support units at Ft. Hood, TX. In addition there was a special welcoming ceremony for the 3rd Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment and their subordinate operational and support units that were previously activated on 10 February. Activation of these two units brings the 1st Air Cavalry Aviation Brigade Combat Team to its full Table of Organization strength.

On 20 June, the 1st Cavalry Division Headquarters received orders to return to Iraq later this year. The units designated to return along with the 1st Cavalry Headquarters and their Special Troops Battalion (STB) will be the 2nd (BlackJack) Brigade Combat Team, who are closing out a specialized training session at the National Training Center - Ft. Irwin, CA, and the 3rd (GreyWolf) Combat Team, who are completing battlefield training at the Joint Readiness Training Center - Ft. Polk, LA. Approximately 12,000 soldiers of the Division staffing level of 18,500 are covered by these orders. Although no timing or schedule has been established for the deployment, the Division is expected to relieve the 4th Infantry Division currently deployed in Baghdad, which is scheduled to return to Ft. Hood by Christmas. Units still without orders, the 1st (Ironhorse) Brigade Combat Team at Ft. Hood, TX and the 4th (Longknife) Brigade Combat Team at Ft. Bliss, TX, will continue to train as if they could be called up at any time.