189th Infantry Brigade (United States)

May 2015 March 2020 189th Infantry Brigade File:1st Army.svg 150 Shoulder sleeve insignia 24 June 1921 – 8 October 19459 January 1948 – 15 September 19511 March 1952 – 1 April 195924 October 1997 – 16 October 19991 December 2007 – present United States Regular Army and Reserve Infantry Training Brigade 85th Support Command Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington "Bayonet Brigade" Swift and Lethal World War II Northern France Campaign Rhineland Campaign Ardennes-Alsace Campaign Central Europe Campaign Army Superior Unit Award COL Lou KangasCSM Victor Benavides 100px Distinctive unit insignia 100px 200px Designated but not authorized shoulder sleeve insignia 189th Infantry Brigade Flag thumb|Colonel Mark Fields, former commander of the 189th Infantry Brigade explains training doctrine and other information about provincial reconstruction teams to media. The 189th Infantry Brigade is an Infantry brigade of the United States Army based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. It is a training brigade subordinate to First Army. Originally organized as a part of the 95th Infantry Division for World War I, the brigade never saw combat in that conflict. Kept active and in the reserve through much of the 20th century, the brigade in name was reorganized into a different unit for fighting during World War II. Seeing numerous moves, activations and deactivations, the brigade has been used principally as a training unit for most of its existence. Reactivated again in 2006, the brigade is now primarily responsible for training provincial reconstruction teams and their supporting elements for deployment to the War in Afghanistan. History Origins The 189th Infantry Brigade was first constituted and activated on 24 June 1921 in the Organized Reserves, and assigned to the 95th Division.Lineage and Honors Information: 189th Infantry Brigade https://web.archive.org/web/20121017181150/http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/div/189infbde.htm 17 October 2012 , United States Army Center of Military History. Retrieved 18 December 2012. The brigade was organized in 1922 at Muskogee, Oklahoma. It would stay active as a reserve brigade for the interwar period, but it would not be utilized for any pertinent missions. On 23 March 1925 the formation was reorganized as the 189th Brigade. On 24 August 1936 the formation was reorganized again as the 189th Infantry Brigade. In 1940, the brigade's headquarters was changed to McAlester, Oklahoma. World War II The formation saw great changes in preparation for mobilization to fight during World War II. On 13 February 1942 the brigade structure was downsized greatly and converted into a reconnaissance element. It was combined with assets from the 190th Infantry Brigade to form the 95th Reconnaissance Troop which was subsequently assigned to the 95th Division once again. The troop was ordered into active military service on 15 July 1942 and reorganized at Camp Swift, Texas, as the 95th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop, an element of the 95th Division. The division itself was also in the process of being reorganized into the 95th Infantry Division. On 1 August 1943, the group was reorganized, given vehicles, and redesignated as the 95th Reconnaissance Troop, Mechanized. It was then deployed with the 95th Infantry Division to England on 17 August 1944 was subsequently deployed to northern France. The troop fought with the Division through northern France, and eventually northern Germany capturing town after town until the end of the war.Combat Chronicle: 95th Infantry Division https://web.archive.org/web/20121102184437/http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/cbtchron/cc/095id.htm 2 November 2012 United States Army Center of Military History The formation received four campaign streamers for its participation, the only four it was to earn. After the end of World War II, the troop returned home and began the process of demobilization. It inactivated on 8 October 1945 at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. On 26 December 1947, the inactive formation was redesignated as the 95th Mechanized Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop. It was then activated on 9 January 1948 at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.189th Infantry Brigade Homepage: Unit History https://web.archive.org/web/20130218042320/http://www.hood.army.mil/div_west/189INBDE.html 18 February 2013 , 189th Infantry Brigade Staff. Retrieved 18 December 2012. On 17 December 1948, the brigade headquarters was moved to Stillwater, Oklahoma. On 30 June 1949, the troop was again reorganized as the 95th Reconnaissance Company. This allowed it to take on a larger structure and control more personnel. The formation was inactivated on 15 September 1951 at Stillwater, Oklahoma. It was again activated 1 March 1952 at Jonesboro, Arkansas. The company had its location changed to Wewoka, Oklahoma on 1 June 1955. The company would be inactivated for their last time four years later on 1 April 1959 when it was disbanded in Wewoka. The 95th Reconnaissance Company would never see action again. Its elements would return to their designations before World War II. On 21 January 1963, the main elements of the company were reconstituted as the 189th Infantry Brigade. It was then allotted to the Active duty force. Though inactive, if the brigade was ever activated again it would be formed as a part of the active duty force as a separate brigade. The 190th Infantry Brigade would not be reactivated, either. Its assets would be designated as 3rd Brigade, 24th Infantry Division, having never been reorganized after its redesignation in 1942. On 24 October 1997, the brigade was activated at Fort Bragg as a training brigade. With a population of nearly 50,000 soldiers and numerous other tenant units, the fort had a large contingent of soldiers necessitating multiple brigades for training.Fort Bragg Summary https://web.archive.org/web/20080828045318/http://www.ncse.org/2008-databook/bragg.htm 28 August 2008 , Regional Data Book, Vol. X, 2008. Retrieved 5 December 2008 . However, after two years of service on the Fort, it was inactivated on 16 October 1999 at the base. The elements of the brigade were subsequently merged with the 4th Brigade, 78th Division (Training Support), another training brigade on base responsible for exercises.GlobalSecurity.org: 4th Brigade, 78th Division, GlobalSecurity. Retrieved 5 December 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130407170658/http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/78d-4bde.htm 7 April 2013 Reactivation The 189th Infantry Brigade was activated once again on 1 December 2006 at Fort Bragg. This was done by reflagging the 4th Brigade, 78th Division back to the 189th Infantry Brigade. The reflagging was just one part of the overall streamlining of the First Army from five training support Divisions commanding 16 divisional brigades to two larger regions commanding 16 separate brigades.Manson, Phil. Training Support Brigades to Reflag 1 December https://web.archive.org/web/20070801165821/http://www.first.army.mil/pao/2006_Articles/112806_TSBtoReflag.htm 1 August 2007 , First Army Website. Retrieved 5 December 2008 . The process was also designed to make identification of the brigades easier.Manson, Phil. 181st Infantry Brigade participates in reflagging, Triad Online. Retrieved 18 December 2012. It was assigned to Division East of the First Army.First Army Homepage: Organization, First Army Staff. Retrieved 5 December 2008 . Division East contains eight training brigades with responsibilities for the entire region east of the Mississippi River.The Official Homepage of First Army Division East https://web.archive.org/web/20140528080706/http://www.first.army.mil/DivEast/index.aspx 28 May 2014 , First Army Staff. Retrieved 27 May 2014 The brigade was organized as a training brigade preparing Army Reserve and Army National Guard units for deployment. The brigade prepares other units for mobilization and provides training, assistance, and support to them during pre-deployment exercises, and evaluates performance and progress of these units as they are deploying.198th Infantry Brigade official homepage https://web.archive.org/web/20130218042320/http://www.hood.army.mil/div_west/189INBDE.html 18 February 2013 , 189th Infantry Brigade. Retrieved 18 December 2012. Since its reactivation, the brigade has specialized in training provincial reconstruction teams (PRTs) deploying to Afghanistan. In early 2007, the 189th Infantry Brigade, along with the 158th Infantry Brigade, cooperated to train the first 12 PRTs at once at Fort Bragg for three-month training exercises. PRT personnel were trained in a wide range of scenarios, ranging from hospital repairs to childbirth scenarios and language labs.First Army Public Affairs First Army's 189th Infantry Brigade Trains Provincial Construction Teams for Afghanistan https://www.army.mil/article/2350/first-armys-189th-infantry-brigade-trains-provincial-construction-teams-for-afghanistan/ The United States Army 18 December 2012 21 March 2007 Afterwards, they conducted a conference on the training, in which it was decided that cultural awareness and language training needed to be stressed for future PRTs. It was during this training that the brigade finally received its distinctive unit insignia and shoulder sleeve insignia on 25 May 2008.The Institute of Heraldry: 189th Infantry Brigade https://web.archive.org/web/20080910005931/http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Inf/189InfantryBrigade.htm 10 September 2008 , The Institute of Heraldry. Retrieved 5 December 2008 . In early 2008, the Brigade began training another group of 12 PRTs.Navy Joins Other Services to Make Difference in Lives of Afghans https://web.archive.org/web/20110629154148/http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=35232 29 June 2011 , Expeditionary Combat Readiness Center Public Affairs. Retrieved 18 December 2012. Several months later, the Brigades began training the next 12 PRTs for a 270-day deployment to Afghanistan.Grill, Eric. Service members prepare for Afghan deployments, Air Force News Agency. Retrieved 18 December 2012. In 2011, the 189th Infantry Brigade transferred from the authority of Division East, First Army, to Division West, First Army, and uncased its colors at Joint Base Lewis-McChord on 7 September. The brigade has worked closely with the Civilian Response Corps to standardize and institutionalize the training for the PRTs.Afghanistan https://web.archive.org/web/20110105091548/http://www.crs.state.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=public.display&shortcut=4979 5 January 2011 , Civilian Response Corps Homepage. Retrieved 5 December 2008 . All members of the PRTs are required to assemble for the training, which lasts approximately six weeks. These PRTs include members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and civilian military contractors, as well as members of the UN Assistance Mission Agency (sic: United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan?), and numerous other groups.USJFCOM support to operation enduring freedom (OEF) Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) Training, USJFCOM. Retrieved 5 December 2008 . It has also been responsible for training security forces that guard the PRTs, including elements of the 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team.Soucy, Jon. Illinois Guard Trains for Upcoming PRT Mission https://web.archive.org/web/20090907084603/http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=51643 7 September 2009 , American Forces Press Service. Retrieved 18 December 2012. Organization The 189th Infantry Brigade is a Combined Arms Training Brigade (CATB) assigned to the 85th Support Command.Our units https://www.usar.army.mil/Commands/Support/85th-Support-Command/85th-SC-Units/ 85th Support Command 5 January 2026 Like all formations of the 85th Support Command, the brigade is not a combat formation, but instead trains Army Reserve and Army National Guard units preparing for deployment. As of January 2026, the brigade consists of a Headquarters and Headquarters Company, five active duty battalions, and five reserve battalions. 21px 189th Infantry Brigade, at Joint Base Lewis–McChord (WA)Washington units https://www.usar.army.mil/Featured/Ambassador-Program/Find-an-Ambassador/Washington/ US Army Reserve 4 January 2026 23px Headquarters and Headquarters Company, at Joint Base Lewis–McChord (WA) 25px 1st Battalion, 356th Regiment (Logistical Support), at Joint Base Lewis–McChord (WA) 25px 1st Battalion, 357th Regiment (Brigade Support Battalion), at Joint Base Lewis–McChord (WA) 25px 2nd Battalion, 357th Regiment (Infantry), at Joint Base Lewis–McChord (WA) 25px 2nd Battalion, 358th Regiment (Armor), at Joint Base Lewis–McChord (WA) 25px 3rd Battalion, 358th Regiment (Field Artillery), at Joint Base Lewis–McChord (WA) 25px 3rd Battalion, 360th Regiment (Training Support), in Salt Lake City (UT)Utah units https://www.usar.army.mil/Featured/Ambassador-Program/Find-an-Ambassador/Utah/ US Army Reserve 4 January 2026 25px 3rd Battalion, 363rd Regiment (Training Support), at Joint Forces Training Base – Los Alamitos (CA)California units https://www.usar.army.mil/Featured/Ambassador-Program/Find-an-Ambassador/California/ US Army Reserve 4 January 2026 23px 1st Battalion, 364th Regiment (Training Support), at Joint Base Lewis–McChord (WA) 23px 2nd Battalion, 364th Regiment (Training Support), at Joint Base Lewis–McChord (WA) 23px 3rd Battalion, 364th Regiment (Brigade Engineer Battalion), at Joint Base Lewis–McChord (WA) The brigade's four training support battalions and logistical support battalion are Army Reserve formations. Honors Unit decorations Ribbon Award Year Orders150pxArmy Superior Unit Award2008-2011thumb|Permanent Orders 332-07 announcing award of the Army Superior Unit award Campaign streamers Conflict Streamer Year(s) World War II 150px 150px Northern France 1944 Rhineland 1945 Ardennes-Alsace Campaign 1944–1945 Central Europe 1945 References External links 189th Infantry Brigade official homepage Category:Infantry brigades of the United States Army Category:Military units and formations established in 1921