311th Theater Signal Command (TSC)
The 311th Theater Signal Command (TSC) is a Direct Reporting Command (DRC) of the United States Army Reserve Command (USARC) located at Ft. Meade, Maryland. It is commanded by a Major General. 311th Theater Signal Command has two missions in the Pacific. It is a direct deploying unit, and upon mobilization would deploy to either Ft. Shafter, Hawaii, or to the Republic of Korea, depending on the situation involved. If deployed to Korea, it would serve as the communications component of the Eighth United States Army (EUSA), the Army component of United States Forces Korea (USFK). In either instance, the mission is to serve as the Theater Signal Command-Army (TSC(A)), the senior Army communications headquarters in the theater. This mission includes communications management responsibility for all deployed Army Echelons Above Corps (EAC) signal forces in theater and operation and maintenance (O&M) responsibilities for EAC communications.
The U. S. Army Signal Command designated the Army Reserve's 311th Theater Signal Command here as the executive agent for the July 10-31 1999 Grecian Firebolt Exercise. Grecian Firebolt is an annual communications exercise, sponsored by the USASC located at Ft. Hauchuca, Ariz. The exercise provides theater signal commands with the resources to establish communications networks and validate proficiency of their mission essential tasks. The 311th TSC, with the support of U.S. Army Reserve Command (USARC) and the National Guard Bureau (NGB), used the GF99 exercise to provide all available Reserve and Active Component units aligned to the Pacific Command area of responsibility, with a means for command and control of operations. Grecian Firebolt will provide connectivity to units in the Continental U.S. (CONUS), the PACOM and the Republic of Korea (ROK).
As executive agent, the 311th TSC had command and control all participating signal units. The 311th TSC is also provided signal support staff to the U.S. Forces, Korea (USFK) and the Eighth U.S. Army (EUSA). Exercise participants include active Army, Army Reserve and Army/Air National Guard Signal units. The exercise reflects the Army's total force integration initiative, with Reserve Component units training with their active counterparts. Signal units during GF99 provided communications connectivity to the various locations of several major annual training exercises, such as Golden Medic by the 3rd Medical Command; Golden Kastle by the 372nd Engineer Group; Global Patriot by the National Guard Bureau; and Summer EX by the EUSA in Korea. Throughout the GF99 exercise, signal connectivity extended to more than 27 different locations at home and overseas. Units deployed in phases, validating whether their planning efforts will lead to a successful assessment of their mission capabilities. Such validation ensures that, when called to serve, the communications resource of today's military can provide the connectivity necessary for command and control during deterrence and conflict.
Constituted on 26 January 1944 in the United States Army, the 3112th Signal Service Battalion was activated on 1 February 1944 at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. On 7 June 1945, the 3112th was reorganized and redesignated as the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3112th Signal Service Battalion, in Germany. The unit was inactivated on 5 December 1946.
The Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3112th Signal Service Battalion was redesignated on 27 May 1952, as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 311th Signal Group and allotted to the Organized Reserve Corps. This unit was activated in Baltimore, Maryland on 10 April 1963. On 26 April 1954, the unit was reorganized and redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 311th Signal Group. The detachment was inactivated on 20 February 1963.
The Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 311th Signal Group was redesignated as the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 311th Theater Signal Command on 5 May 1995. The 311th Theater Signal Command was activated on 16 June 1996 at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. Campaign participation credit includes World War II service in Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, and Central Europe.
The 311th TSC was redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 311th Signal Command on 16 June 1996 and activated on 22 June 1996 at Fort G. Meade, Maryland.
