43d Area Support Group (43d ASG)
The 43d Area Support Group (43d ASG) has been assigned to Fort Carson [the Mountain Post] since March 23, 1966. It consists of a Headquarters and Headquarters Company, a Military Police Battalion, a Corps Support Battalion, a Combat Support Hospital, an Engineer Battalion, a Personnel Services Battalion, and a Finance Battalion. There are over 2,900 soldiers assigned to the 43d ASG, and its mission is to provide combat support and combat service support to an army corps.
The 43d ASG is currently assigned to FORSCOM. Major subordinate elements of the 43d ASG include the 759th Military Police Battalion; the 68th Corps Support Battalion; the 10th Combat Support Hospital; the 52nd Engineer Battalion; the 4th Finance Battalion; and the 4th Personnel Services Battalion. Elements of the 43d ASG deployed in support of Operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM in 1990-91. More recently, the 43d ASG has deployed units to Somalia, Haiti, Honduras, and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
The unit was constituted into the regular Army on 18 January 1966 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 43d General Support Group. The unit was activated on 26 March 1966 at Fort Carson, CO and organized on 16 May 1966. The first battalion to join the Group was the 68th Transportation Battalion which was activated in August 1966. Three more battalions joined the Group in 1967: 195th Maintenance Battalion on 23 February; 242nd Maintenance Battalion on 25 February; and 70th Ordinance Battalion on 1 March.
On 26 July 1967, acting on a seven hour notification, HHC, 43d and 352nd Transportation Company (Light Truck) deployed to Selfridges Air Force Base, Michigan, to provide logistical support for the elements of the XVIII Airborne Corps during riot control operations. In August and September of 1967, units of the Group deployed to Alaska during severe flooding to establish a field laundry site.
In 1968, the organization of the Group changed: the 336th Ordnance Battalion joined the Group on 20 May and the 242nd Maintenance Battalion, one of the Groups original members, inactivated on 25 August. In addition to Group organization changes, the 336th Ordnance Battalion deployed to Southeast Asia on 26th September 1968.
Several more changes to the Group organization occurred from 1970-1972. In 1970: three military police companies, the 19th, 148th and 984th and 283rd Aviation Company joined the Group in May; the 40th Supply and Service Company joined the Group in November; and the 195th Maintenance Battalion, another of the Group's original members, inactivated on 4 December. In 1971: The 283rd Aviation Company was transferred to Fort Bragg in June; the 4th Military Police Company joined the Group; and a third original member, the 70th Ordnance Battalion, was inactivated in November. In 1972: The 19th Military Police Battalion was formed as a headquarters for the Group's Military Police companies; the 52nd Engineer Battalion joined the Group in July; and the 4th Military Intelligence Company and B Company, 75th Infantry (Ranger) joined the Group in August. The Group was redesignated as the 43d Corps Support Group in 1973 at Fort carson.
The White Buffalo of the 43d Area Support Group is named "Liberty", unveiled on 1 October 2001. In some traditions, animals are sacred. The "White Buffalo" is the most revered of all. The appearance of the White Buffalo is a sign that prayers are being heard, that the sacred pipe is being honored, and that the promises of prophesy are being fulfilled.
The 43d Corps Support Group deployed to Southwest Asia as a part of operation DESERT SHIELD/STORM from 15 October 1990 to 23 April 1991. The Group also deployed to Somalia as a part of Operation Restore Hope from December 1992 to September 1993. The Group was redesignated as the 43d Area Support Group on 16 April 1994. In September 1994, the 43d deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to participate in support of Operation Sea Signal as the 43d Joint Logistics Support Group for JTF 160. The 43d returned from Cuba in February 1995.
