5th Armored Brigade (United States) explained

Unit Name:	5th Armored Brigade
Dates:	1942–45 1951–56 1975–99 2006–present
Country:	United States
Branch:	Armor
Role:	Combined Arms Training Brigade
Size:	Brigade
Command Structure:	First Army Division West
Garrison:	Fort Bliss
Nickname:	Dagger Brigade
Motto:	Sharpen the Edge!
Decorations:	Army Superior Unit Award
Current Commander:	Col. Johnny R. Sutton
Commander4:	CSM Robert M. Preusser Jr.
Current Commander Label:	Commander
Identification Symbol Label:	Distinctive unit insignia
Identification Symbol 2 Label:	Designated but not authorized SSI

The 5th Armored Brigade is an AC/RC (active component/reserve component) unit based at Fort Bliss, Texas. The unit is responsible for training selected United States Army Reserve (USAR) & Army National Guard units west of the Mississippi River before they deploy to conduct combat operations overseas. The unit was formerly designated as 2nd Brigade, 91st Division. In 2006, the brigade trained the Military Transition Teams at Fort Riley before the mission was assigned to the 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division.^[1] In 2007, the brigade was reassigned from Fort Carson, Colorado to Fort Bliss, Texas.

The brigade was redesignated and re-missioned several times:

• 5th Tank Destroyer Group 1942–1945 (one of 14 activated for World War II)
• 5th Armored Cavalry Regiment 1951–1954 (as a USAR unit in Lincoln, Nebraska)
• 5th Armored Group 1954–1956
• 5th Brigade (Training) 1975–1995, Lincoln, Nebraska^[2]
• In 1999 the 5th was merged with the 2d Brigade, 91st Division and carried the latter name and lineage until redesignated in 2006.
• In 2015, the 5th absorbed the 402nd Field Artillery Brigade, whose commander assumed command of the merged units.^[3]

Organization

The unit is composed of:

• Headquarters & Headquarters Company, 5th Armored Brigade
• CONUS Replacement Center "Vipers"
• 2nd Battalion, 356th Regiment (Logistics Support) "Red Ball"
• 1st Battalion, 360th Regiment (Infantry) "WarHawgs"
• 3rd Battalion, 360th Regiment (CS/CSS) "Rough Riders"
• 1st Battalion, 361st Regiment (Engineers) "Red Hawks"
• 3rd Battalion, 361st Regiment (CS/CSS) "Mountain Warriors"
• 1st Battalion, 362nd Regiment (Air Defense) "Renegades"
• 2nd Battalion, 362nd Regiment (Field Artillery) "Kodiak"
• 3rd Battalion, 362nd Regiment (Infantry) "Stallions"
• 2nd Battalion, 363rd Regiment (CS/CSS) (Infantry) "Black Scorpion"

Decorations

^[4]

External links

• 5th Armored Brigade Official Website
• Lineage & Honors for 2nd Brigade, 91st Division
• Training Division (West)
• The Tank Destroyer Society
• Bibliography for Tank Destroyer research
• Personal recollection from a unit veteran

Notes and References

1. Web site: MiTT Training at Fort Riley. www.army.mil.
2. Web site: 5th Armored Brigade (Training Support). www.globalsecurity.org.
3. http://fortblissbugle.com/two-units-become-one-5th-armored-bde-changes-command-absorbs-402nd-fa-bde/ Fort Bliss Bugle
4. Web site: Permanent Order 332-07. 6 June 2018. 2 April 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150402113522/http://www.first.army.mil/(S(khcx1x45z035js45pzhbo255))/documents%5Cpdf%5CFirstArmyASUA08-11PO332-07.pdf. dead.