316th Cavalry Brigade
| 316th Cavalry Brigade | |
|---|---|
|
316th Cavalry Brigade shoulder sleeve insignia | |
| Active | September, 1942 – present |
| Country |
 United States |
| Branch | Regular Army |
| Role | Training |
| Size | 1,100[1] |
| Part of | Training and Doctrine Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Fort Benning, Georgia |
| Motto | "Perditor-Oris" (Latin: Destroyer) |
| Colors | Scarlet and White |
| Engagements |
World War II Cold War |
| Decorations | Army Superior Unit Award 2010-2011 |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Colonel William L. Thigpen[2] |
| Command Sergeant Major | CSM James A. Westover |
| Insignia | |
| Distinctive unit insignia |
 |
| ||||||||||
The 316th Cavalry Brigade of the United States Army is the brigade responsible for the training of U.S. Army Cavalry and Armor officers and non-commissioned officers.[1] The 16th Cavalry Regiment was redesignated as this unit in July 2010.[2] The 316th Cavalry Brigade is currently assigned to Fort Benning, Georgia, in accordance with the Base Realignment and Closure of 2005.
History
The 316th Cavalry Brigade was established as a subordinate unit of the Eighth Tank Destroyer Group in September 1942.[1] It was activated in October of the same year in Camp Hood (now Fort Hood, Texas). It was then inactivated in October 1945 and subsequently re-activated and re-designated as the 316th Cavalry Group in August 1947. After a number of administrative changes,[1] it was inactivated in April 1959 in Roswell, New Mexico.
The United States Army lists its campaign credits as "World War II, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, and Central Europe".[1]
On 7 July 2010, the 316th Cavalry Brigade was re-activated to replace the HQ 16th Cavalry Regiment as the headquarters charged with education of United States Army soldiers in the Armor branch.[2] Its subordinate squadrons, however, retained the nomenclature for the 16th Cavalry Regiment for historical purposes.
Order of battle
Headquarters and Headquarters Company
The Headquarters and Headquarters Company is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Brigade, including personnel, intelligence, operations, logistics, and information technology.
1st Squadron, 16th Cavalry Regiment
The First Squadron, Sixteenth Cavalry Regiment (or 1-16 Cav) provides support in the form of both soldiers and equipment for the 316th Cavalry Brigade and its subordinate squadrons, as well as for the courses offered through the brigade. Additionally, the squadron is tasked with providing funeral details for soldiers across the south-eastern region of the United States.
The over-six hundred soldier squadron is commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey O. Paine. It is composed of five troops: Alpha "Apache" Troop, Bravo "BoneCrusher" Troop, Charlie "Cobra" Troop, Delta "Dog" Troop, Echo "Easy" Troop.
3rd Squadron, 16th Cavalry Regiment
The 3rd Squadron, 16th Cavalry Regiment (or 3-16 CAV) is responsible for the Army’s School of Reconnaissance and Security, and Initial Entry Training (IET) support for the Maneuver Center of Excellence, Fort Benning, Georgia.
As part of the Maneuver Center of Excellence Reorganization in 2014, the squadron was reorganized into 4 Troops and Companies. Assault Company (IN IET Support) is attached from 2-29IN which cased its colors in April 2014. N Troop remained with the squadron and in addition to ARC and CLC assumed control of SUAS and DCT-MT Courses. Able Company (AR/CAV/BCT IET Support) is attached from 3-81 CAV. D Company is attached from the Ranger Training Brigade and in addition to RSLC assumed responsibility for ASA A&B. On 1 October 2014 these units will be permanently task organized to the 3rd Squadron and renamed A Troop, B Troop, C Troop, and D Company respectively.
The BLACKHEART Squadron (3-16 CAV) is commanded by Lieutenant Colonel James E. Hayes, and CSM Jason Detty serves as the Squadron’s Command Sergeant Major.
School of Reconnaissance and Security
The School of Recon and Security (N Troop and D Company 3-16 CAV) is the US Army’s premier institution for training R&S skills to leaders assigned to Infantry, Armor, Cavalry and reconnaissance focused units. The School provides training to leaders from Squad to Brigade Staff level, and supports R&S training and education throughout the Army. The cornerstone R&S courses offered at Fort Benning include the Reconnaissance and Surveillance Leader Course (RSLC), Army Reconnaissance Course (ARC), and Cavalry Leader’s Course (CLC). The School also provides training through its Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (SUAS), Dismounted CIED-Master Trainer (DCT-MT), and Advanced Situational Awareness-Advanced and Basic (ASA A&B) Courses.
Initial Entry Training Department
The Initial Entry Training Department (Assault Company and Colt Company 3-16 CAV) provides training to all Initial Entry Soldiers conducting Basic Training at Fort Benning. The Cadre provide training on Weapons, Hand Grenades, React to Contact, Communications, First Aid, Chemical/Biological/Radiological/Nuclear (CBRN) protection, obstacle and confidence courses, Repel, and other tasks that train Initial Entry Soldiers how to be the best Infantry, Armor, and Cavalry Soldiers in the world.
1st Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment
The 1st Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment (or 1-29 IN) is responsible for the Army’s Department of Precision Fires (Master Gunner and Sniper courses), School of Combatives, and functional training on the Army's Infantry, Cavalry, and Armor platforms (M1A2 Tank, M2/M3 Bradley, and Stryker variants).
The Pioneer Battalion (1-29 IN) is commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Kenneth Reed, and CSM Ricky Fields serves as the Battalion’s Command Sergeant Major.
Heraldry
The shield in the shoulder insignia represents "defense and protection of the United States.[3] The color black and the eight stars around the crest represent the original parent unit of the brigade, the Eighth Tank Destroyer Group.[3] The colors within the crest, scarlet and white, are the traditional colors of the United States Cavalry, and the color gold represents excellence. The lightning bolt in the center represents "denotes speed, mobility, and effectiveness, the characteristics of the combined forces with which the Brigade cooperates."[3] The saber in the center is part of the United States Cavalry collar insignia.
On the distinctive unit insignia the panther is a symbol of the Eighth Tank Destroyer Group.[3]
See also
- United States Army Armor School
- United States Army Training and Doctrine Command
- Armor Basic Officer Leadership Course
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 "316th Cavalry Brigade", http://www.benning.army.mil/armor/316thCav/ Fort Benning.
- 1 2 3 "Regiment re-designated as 316th Cavalry Brigade", http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2010/07/19/1199636/regiment-re-designated-as-316th.html The Bayonet. 19 July 2010. Retrieved 4 October 2010.
- 1 2 3 4 "TIOH-Heraldry-316th Cavalry Brigade", http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Heraldry/ArmyDUISSICOA/ArmyHeraldryUnit.aspx?u=3151 The Institute of Heraldry. Wednesday 20, 2010. Retrieved 19 October 2010."