Aviation Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division
There were three Apache Battalions in the ROK as of 1999 -- 1/6 CAV at Camp Eagle, 3/6 CAV at Camp Humphries, and 1-2 AVN at Camp Page.
Historically, brigade command has been the highest echelon of command where the majority of basic branch officers command primarily functionally-pure, branch-specific formations and/or organizations. Promotable Aviation lieutenant colonels and colonels in the operations career field have the opportunity to compete in at least one of these centralized selection list command boards.
Selection for brigade command is a distinct accomplishment. Historically, slightly more than 20 percent of Aviation colonels have been selected to command at the brigade level. These colonels have been selected in accordance with the specific requirements as outlined in the DA Selection Board Memorandum of Instruction (MOI). These requirements are traditionally contained within five categories, four of which are functional or branch specific. A colonel must possess a branch and an area of concentration compatible with the category requirements in order to compete in that category.
Aviation brigades located at the corps level or below which historically consist of two to four Aviation battalions. As the Army goes through transformation, the current Aviation brigades will become Aviation Units of Action (UA). Their configuration will reflect a composite structure that is easily adaptive, expeditionary, able to deploy on short notice, and capable of conducting the entire spectrum of Aviation operations as part of a joint task force. The Army is transitioning from seventeen tactical Aviation brigades in 2004, to eleven Aviation UAs by 2008.
The 8th U.S. Army’s Multi-Functional Aviation Brigade (MFAB) was officially formed as the 2nd Aviation Brigade -- 16 June 2005 marked the activation the 2nd Multi-Functional Aviation Brigade (MFAB). The newly consolidated aviation unit includes Apache Longbow attack helicopters, UH-60 Blackhawk utility helicopters, CH-47 Chinook medium lift helicopters and manages the Eighth Army C-12 Huron (fixed wing aircraft) detachment. This new Brigade, later redesignated the 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade, appears to be subordinated to the 2nd Infantry Division, rather than to 8th Army directly. This new numbered Brigade appears to have replaced the 2 ID Aviation Brigade, which was a rather unsubtantial entity to begin with, lacking lineage, insignia or any other apparent indicator of corporate existence.
