2nd Brigade - 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized)
"Spartan"
The 2nd (Spartan) Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized) is located at Ft. Stewart, GA. The 2nd Brigade has the distinction of being the single armor heavy brigade in the 3rd Infantry Division. The 2nd Brigade is one of four brigades in the 3rd Infantry Division, and is affectionately known as its "Iron Fist," as it is the only armor-heavy brigade in the XVIII Airborne Corps.
The mission of the 2nd Brigade is to rapidly deploy to a contingency area by air, sea and land, and conduct mobile, combined-arms offensive and defensive operations to defeat an armored-heavy force. This mission calls for the Spartan Brigade to accomplish several key tasks. Each of these tasks is directly and indirectly supported by the unique skills and expertise of over 4400 soldiers assigned to the brigade upon alert. Each soldier in a unique specialty at various skill levels must remain proficient in his or her occupation and, furthermore, must understand where they fit into the larger tasks and missions. Their role must be synchronized to achieve a harmony of effort so that the individual skills of all Spartan soldiers will result in a collective effort that is greater than the sum of all the individual parts. The 4400-plus man brigade has over 31 associated specialties, each of which spans 5 skill levels. It should be apparent that one individual cannot independently synchronize such an effort.
Headquarters and Headquarters Company was originally constituted on 12 November 1917 at Camp Green, NC, as Headquarters Detachment, 5th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division.
The brigade tasted its first combat during World War I, and participated in six major campaigns. The most notable was the Battle of the Marne from which the 3rd Infantry Division derives its motto "Rock of the Marne". In March 1921, the brigade was reorganized and redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 5th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division. During this period it was the 2nd Brigade's privilege to have General George C. Marshall as its most distinguished commander.
On 16 October 1939, just prior to World War II, the Brigade was disbanded at Vancouver Barracks, Washington, due to the reorganization of the Army division structure from the "Square" to the "Triangular" concept.
The unit was reconstituted on 18 April 1963 in the Regular Army, and was redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division as the "ROAD" concept was adopted. On 17 June 1963, the 2nd Brigade was activated in Kitzingen, Germany, as a senior headquarters to one armor battalion and two mechanized infantry battalions. Here the brigade remained as a major force of the 3rd Infantry Division. On 15 January 1994, the 2nd Brigade was inactivated.
The unit was reactivated on 16 February 1996, at Fort Stewart, GA, as part of the XVIII Airborne Corps Rapid Deployment Force.
The brigade deployed to the National Training Center (NTC) in May 97. It had had a successful rotation, but was already scheduled for an additional rotation in January 98. The six months from JULY 97 through Dec 97 were dominated by train-up for this second rotation. Despite a recent deployment, however, normal personnel transition cycles required placing continued focus on individual and crew qualification in preparation for the upcoming rotation. This training included two local gunners and two major maneuver-training exercises at Fort Stewart. These training events are critical to the preparation of a combat vehicle crew for a deployment to the NTC. The tasks that accompany a live fire maneuver event with an M1A1 Abrams tank such as those conducted at NTC are quite extensive and the crew that executes them must gel as a team to ensure both accuracy and effectiveness, and or exceed minimum safety requirements. Therefore, it is important to note that any given training cycle to the NTC will normally not stand-alone. A six-month "ramp up" will typically accompany such a rotation.
While two of the three battalions were preparing for this NTC deployment, the other battalion, 4-64 Armor, was tasked as part of the Division Ready Brigade (DRB) with the 1st Brigade, to deploy in support of any contingency operation. This heightened state of alert continued for three months. During this period, soldiers had their individual readiness requirements screened to include dental screening, wills, powers of attorney, vaccines, finance and pay status just to name a few. This screening is extremely important in that it is a deployability requirement, and thus an additional task for an already busy organization. However, it is also a means taking care of soldiers and their families back home to ensure a minimum standard of quality of life is maintained while their loved ones are deployed. These soldier readiness checks help the soldier avoid pay problems, health problems, or legal issues while they are deployed, thus allowing the soldier to remain focused on mission requirements and remain effective throughout the deployment.
In January 98, the brigade ultimately deployed two battalions of the brigade for the anticipated NTC rotation. Upon returned to Ft. Stewart in February 98, portions of the Marne Division were alerted to support Operation Desert Thunder in Kuwait. The Spartans prepared to assume the role of the FORSCOM Division Ready Brigade (DRB) with a mission to be prepared to immediately deploy with the remainder of the division to Kuwait.
The Spartans assumed the duties of FORSCOM's DRB - prepared to deploy on a moment's notice - and would remain so for three more months until April 98. This meant that the soldiers of this brigade had begun an intense period of training in the summer of 97 and did not stand down for 10 months. The stand-down would last one month.
In June 1998 the brigade was given a series of concurrent missions. The Spartans again resumed the duties of DRB and not relinquish them until after the first of the year in 1999. Additionally, they were assigned two back-to-back Intrinsic Action Missions in Kuwait. The first mission was assumed by TF 4-64 Armor in August 98 which they would relinquish in December 98. TF 3-15 Infantry would then assume the second mission and is not scheduled to return until April 99. It should also be noted that a portion of the other battalion, 1-64 Armor, deployed to NTC again in November 98 in support of 3d Brigade from Ft. Benning.
This pace was significant in itself, but the brigade was alerted in November 98 for a potential deployment to Kuwait. After a brief stand-down we were again alerted in December 98 in support of Operation Desert Fox. At the time of our alert notification, the brigade was executing three simultaneous tasks. They were deployed with the headquarters on a command post exercise in the local training area, deploying TF 3-15 Infantry to Kuwait for their scheduled Intrinsic Action rotation, and attempting to redeploy TF 4-64 Armor for their anticipated return from the desert.
In a 24 hour period after receipt of the alert, TF 4-64 Armor halted their redeployment and returned to the desert from their garrison area in Kuwait; the brigade completed the deployment of TF 3-15 Infantry, enabling them to draw equipment in Kuwait and move out into the desert; and they returned our brigade headquarters staff from the local exercise, packed equipment, and deployed into theater for potential brigade operations. The crisis ultimately passed and TF 4-64 Armor and the Spartan Brigade headquarters returned. TF 3-15 Infantry continued operations as part of Intrinsic Action in Kuwait.
The 3rd Infantry Division's 2nd Brigade and cavalry squadron went to the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, CA for a month-long rotation. The actual training began in late March 2002, and 5,500 troops were sent there. Previously the division deployed to Fort Irwin by flying its troops on commercial airplanes to California, where the troops used tanks and other equipment already at Fort Irwin. The Army has changed its training guidelines at Fort Irwin, and divisions are now required to bring their own equipment. The division will use one ship and more than 50 railroad cars to transport its equipment across the country.
News reports in the Hinnesville Coastal Courier, the local paper for Fort Stewart, dated Sept. 23, 2002, indicate that around Sept. 18, 2002, 180 soldiers from the 123rd Signal Battalion and E Troop 3rd Squadron 7th Cavalry departed for Kuwait as part of the Desert Spring rotation. Additionally, 135 soldiers from the 1-64th Armor Regiment departed the following weekend (Sept 21).
The 2nd Brigade Combat Team Soldiers moved out of their assembly area and crossed the Iraq border March 20, 2003.
From March 20 to 21, as the Brigade occupied Attack Position Appalling, the first hostile act of the ground war was committed as Iraq fired SCUD missiles into Kuwait. The Brigade began its combat operations on the evening of March 20 with a coordinated air, artillery, and ground attack to destroy enemy border operations and establish passage lanes.
From March 21 to 22, the Spartan Soldiers made history as they conducted a attack into Southern Iraq, moving further and faster than any armored force. The Brigade covered 300 kilometers in 24 hours, posting itself deep in enemy territory prepared to continue the attack.
The Spartan Soldiers had their first significant enemy contact March 23.
From March 23 to 25, the Brigade fought Fedayeen forces as it attacked to Objective Rams. After securing this objective in order to facilitate occupation by Division and Corps support elements, the Brigade continued to advance north to Objective Spartans through small arms, rocket propelled grenade, and indirect fire from conventional and irregular forces that, while at times sustained, were largely not coordinated.
The Spartan Soldiers faced their first urban fight March 26 in An Najaf, where they relieved 3rd Battalion, 7th Cavalry of security of Euphrates River bridges. During this engagement, the Rogues (1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment) destroyed hundreds of irregular forces and numerous technical trucks.
The brigade secured Objective Spartan on March 31. E Battery, 9th Cavalry Scouts got the enemy's position, and multiple launch rocket systems and tanks did the rest.
From March 31 to April 1, the Spartans attacked to seize Objective Spartan. Task Force 4-64 Armor attacked to seize the Euphrates River crossing at Objective Murray in order to cause the commitment of enemy forces from the north and east.
On April 2, the brigade split into four battalions to fight in Karbala. The brigade was brought together at Objective Garth, a refuel point. The four battalions attacked and marched for two days straight.
From April 2 to 3, the Brigade initiated an attack north through Karbala in preparation for the attack across the Euphrates.
On April 4, the entire brigade converged on Objective Saints, the intersection of Highways 8 and 1, 10 miles from Baghdad, to control enemy movement to and from the city.
From April 3 to 4, with portions of the Brigade still moving through the Karbala Gap, Task Force 1- 15 Inf. led the attack across the Euphrates River to seize Objective Saints. Task Force 1-64 followed and destroyed remnants of the Medina Division further south along Highway 8 with TF 4-64 destroying enemy forces along Highway 1. Task Force 3-15 Inf., operating under control of the Engineer Brigade, successfully repelled numerous counter-attacks on the crucial river-crossing site at Objective Peach.
'Thunder Runs' - quick trips from Saints to Baghdad International Airport, began on April 5.
On April 7 the Spartans attacked Baghdad.
Their success resulted in 2nd Brigade being given a follow-on mission, about a month later, to quell another hot spot - Fallujah.
To achieve the goals, the Soldiers were out on patrol the very first night they got into Fallujah.
A big part of the Fallujah mission was training the Fallujah Police Department to operate on its own. With the help of 3rd Military Police Company and other elements of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, the Fallujah police force made itself stronger and more capable. Another part of the mission for the Soldiers was letting the locals know they were there to help. .
The 1/9 Soldiers had help from 1st Battalion, 3rd Air Defense Artillery Soldiers. They provided Soldiers and firepower at guard points along 1/9 Soldiers' route.
Part of the peace process in Fallujah involved getting rid of weapons. Rocket - propelled grenades, missiles and mortars; these were only some of the types of weapons and unexploded ordnance lying in and around Fallujah.
The 10th Engineer Battalion, with help from the 890th Engineer Battalion, a National Guard unit from Picayune, Miss., spent their days collecting and destroying dangerous ordnance for the safety of both Soldiers and civilians.
The city's infrastructure was in bad shape before the war even began. The Engineer Brigade worked to fix it. They provided generators for the treatment plants and repaired the lines that carry water throughout the city, said Ahmed Jassam, Falluja
The 2nd Brigade was the first unit in the Army to begin to be restructured under the Unit of Action concept, beginning in 2004. The brigade demonstrated its capabilities at the National Training Center from March 26 thru April 10, 2004. One difference between the BCT and the new unit of action is the addition of assets that previously belonged to the division. Field artillery, signal, chemical and engineer units that once supported the brigade are now permanently assigned to the UA. Capabilities such as counter-intelligence, human intelligence, and electronic warfare have been moved down to the UA. Instead of three maneuver battalions, now there will be only two in the UA. The UAs will be modular - each with one infantry battalion and one armored battalion. The 1/9th Field Artillery is also permanently assigned, minus a battery of Paladins that used to support the BCT. The brigade also lost a battery of air defense artillery as it transitioned to a UA. In the brigade support area, the 26th Forward Support Battalion and elements of the 10th Engineer Battalion are also now assigned to the UA. In the past, the FSB and engineers supported the brigade in combat, but now they're permanent UA assets. A signal company and military intelligence company is also part of the UA. A four-person public affairs section will be part of the UA, and the headquarters will be beefed up by a total of 58 additional personnel.
