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75th Division (Training Support)

75th Division (Training Support) plans, prepares, synchronizes, supports and executes Lanes training and Battle Command Staff Training (BCST) for designated units in the Fifth United States Army area to enhance their readiness.

The current division structure has headquarters 75th Division and 1st Brigade located at Houston, Texas. The 2d Brigade is at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, the 3d Brigade is at Fort Riley, Kansas, and the 4th Brigade is at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

The history of the 75th Division (Training Support) extends back to its combat days of World War II as the 75th Infantry Division. In April 1943 the unit activated as the 75th Infantry Division at Fort Leonard Wood Missouri with an authorized strength of 15,514. In April 1944 the 4th Army Commander recognized the division with a better than satisfactory rating for their performance in the Louisiana Field Maneuvers. In November 1944 the 75th Infantry Division deployed by sea to England.

In December 1944 the unit moved from England to France and found itself a part of the Ardennes Campaign or the "Battle of the Bulge" as it is more commonly known. In January 1945 units of the 75th Division attached to 3rd Armor Division make contact with the enemy near Ocquier, Belgium. On the 15th of January 1945 the division had its bloodiest day of combat, and during the month there were 465 killed and 1707 wounded in action. In February 1945 the division was assigned to the 7th Army and boarded trains for Alsace, France. The division secured the North and East flank of the city, and was part of the effort to finally push the Germans out of France. In February 1945 the division deployed to Holland as part of the VIII Corps of the Second British Army. The division was in 3 countries and assigned to 4 Army Groups in a short 10 week period. The battle of the Ruhr would last from 31 March until 15 April.

After VE Day, 08 May 1945, the 75th Infantry Division assumed security and military government duties in Westphalia, Germany. For its participation in WWII, unit members received 4 Distinguished Service Crosses, 193 Silver Stars, 7 Legion of Merits, 30 Soldier's Medals, and 1,321 Bronze Star Medals. The Division suffered numerous casualties, including 817 soldiers killed in action, 3,314 wounded in action, and 111 who died from their wounds. In November 1945 the 75th Infantry Division was de-activated at Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia.

In November 1950 the 75th Infantry Division re-activated as an Army Reserve Division at Houston, Texas. In February 1952 the 75th Division was allotted to the Organized Reserve Corps. In 1955 the Army deactivated the Division except for a HQs and HHC. This became the origin of the 75th Infantry Division (MAC).

On 15 February 1957, the Army configured the unit into the 75th Maneuver Area Command (MAC), consisting of a HQ and an Umpire Group. The original mission of the 75th Maneuver Area Command (MAC) was to plan and coordinate large-scale maneuvers for units in preparation for their overseas deployment. The mission of the MAC was to train commanders and staffs of Battalion - Corps level units. The 75th MAC was one of two prototype units, along with a sister unit, the 87th MAC in Birmingham, Alabama. The experiences of World War II and the Korean War confirmed in the minds of military planners the need for units to plan and conduct large scale maneuvers prior to the deployment of units. They believed that the stateside maneuvers, that American forces had undergone in World War II, had contributed to their success. The new MAC concept embodied this training agenda by creating the needed command and control centers. The 75th received training responsibility for all the units west of the Mississippi River, while the 87th conducted similar operations in the eastern third of the U.S.

In the early 1960s the MAC continued to grow and accepts new training responsibilities like furnishing umpires and controllers for command post and field training exercises. In 1966 4th Army gave the MAC the responsibility to perform Army Training Tests, and Command Post Exercises at platoon level. The 75th MAC received a new mission after convincing 4th Army that it could not only conduct exercises, but also write the scenarios used. In 1966, 4th Army gave the 75th MAC the responsibility for administering Army Training Tests (ATTs) and Command Post Exercises (CPXs) to USAR units, down to platoon size. Reflecting these new assignments, the unit restructured into two major functional areas: the Command Group, responsible for preparing tactical exercises for all forces in the maneuver area, and the Umpire Group, which trained and provided umpires. In 1967 the MAC administered "Blue Flag Alpha" to the 36th Infantry Brigade, Texas National Guard. In 1969 the MAC performed exercises across the country from Fort Lee, VA to Fort Irwin, CA involving more than 9,000 soldiers.

In 1973 the Army initiated the "Total Force Concept" which the 75th MAC was a key player. The MAC had to train the newly developed Military Training Commands. The Military Training Commands (MTCs) were created to train batallion and lower level units, in the Fifth Army (5A) and Sixth Army (6A) areas. The 75th MAC had played a vital role in formulating the MTC concept, working with the Office of the Chief, Army Reserve (OCAR) to complete the pioneering MTC TDA.

In 1975, the unit streamlined its command structure in order to provide a more responsive and cost effective use of its manpower by creating functional combat arms and combat support / combat service support exercise groups. In part this structure emphasized the growing importance of combat support and combat service support exercises. Each sub-element trained to accomplish broad missions prior to the receipt of training exercises from client units. The 75th MAC used this TDA through the rest of its operational life.

In the late 1970s, the 75th MAC began to move to a computerized training format. Beginning in 1977, the 75th MAC began conducting Computer Assisted Map Maneuver Systems (CAMMS) exercises, which offered an innovative and low cost approach to battle simulation designed to exercise commanders and staffs at the brigade and battalion level. CAMMS offered the 75th MAC its first experience with computer simulation exercises, an approach that would later gain its Army wide recognition with the creation of the Battle Projection Center (BPC).

In 1980 the 75th MAC moved fully into the computer age using microcomputers and modern communications equipment. In 1981, the unit constructed a simulated, realistic wartime CPX training center at the Reserve Center. By 1985, plans had been formalized to build the BPC. Using microcomputers and up to date tele- communications equipment, the BPC allowed the MAC to conduct multi-echelon exercises for CAPSTONE aligned USAR, ARNG, and AC elements in joint operations. This greatly increased the service to customer units, while offering the 75th MAC tremendous cost saving opportunities. In 1989, the BPC became operational, and two months later it began conducting exercises.

In late 1983, the unit held ground breaking ceremonies for the new SGM Macario Garcia (WWII Medal of Honor recipient) Reserve Center, a 130,000 square foot facility. Visiting dignitaries included United States Senator John G. Tower and then Vice President George H. Bush. In 1987, 5th Army reassigned the 95th MTC, organized in 1975 as part of the 95th Division (Training), to the 75th MAC as a major subordinate command. The 95th MTC held responsibility for exercising the staffs of USAR and ARNG elements at battalion and below sized units in the 5A area, while the 75th continued to exercise battle staffs at the division, brigade, and group level units in 4th, 5th, and 6th Army areas. In 1989 the MAC received Army wide recognition with the development of a Battle Projection Center. In 1989 the MAC won an Army Communities of Excellence Award.

In 1990 and 1991 the MAC trained units for deployment to Operations Desert Shield/Storm. In late 1990 and early 1991, the 75th MAC had a chance to put into practice its motto, "Make Ready". In preparation for Desert Shield / Desert Storm, the 75th MAC conducted training exercises for units slated for deployment to Saudi Arabia at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, California. In addition, several members of the 75th MAC and 95th MTC served their country by volunteering for active-duty overseas during the war. The 75th MAC received numerous awards for excellence, including the Superior Unit Award, the AUSA/ROA Walter T. Kerwin Award, and the ROA Outstanding Large Unit Award.

In October 1993 The 75th MAC restructured and was designated as the 75th Division (Ex) with 5 subordinate Brigades. The mission of the 75th Division (Exercise) remained training. While the division continued to conduct computer simulations, it will also add LANES training to its repertoire of exercise capabilities. To better serve its client units, the 75th Division (Exercise) now has a total of five brigades located in Houston TX , Dallas TX , Oklahoma City OK., and Kansas City MO. The Division provided simulations exercises, and command and staff training for all Reserve Component battalion and higher headquarters in its area of operation. The division also assumed the responsibility for LANES training exercises for Combat Service Support and selected Combat and Combat Support units. In 1995 the Division won its second Army Communities of Excellence award.

In October 1999 The 75th Division (Ex) was redesignated as the 75th Division (Training Support), integrating Active Component and Reserve Component soldiers into one unit. The 75th Division (TS) became an integrated organization with an authorized strength of: 799 Active Component (AC) soldiers, 2,265 Reserve Component (RC) soldiers, 35 National Guard (NG) soldiers and 80 civilians. Operational command and control headquarters of the division is Fifth United States Army, Fort Sam Houston, Texas. The mission of the Division changed to align with the Training Support XXI plan. This established a more formal relationship between the division and its client units.

In 2000 1st Brigade executed battle command staff training for 39 brigade and battalion-level headquarters. In 2000 2d, 3d, and 4th Brigades provided training support and mobilization assistance for a client base composed of 298 Priority and 643 Traditional units throughout the US Army Reserve and Army National Guard.

The lineage of today´s 75th Division (Exercise) is long and distinguished. In World War II as combat unit, the 75th Infantry Division proved its valor on the battlefield. As the 75th Maneuver Area Command, it trained soldiers from across the nation to operate on new battlegrounds under varying conditions. In recognition of its training prowess, the 75th MAC received numerous awards for excellence, including the Superior Unit Award, the AUSA/ROA Walter T. Kerwin Award, the ROA´s Outstanding Large Unit Award, and ACOE (Army Community of Excellence) Awards. Now, as the 75th Division (Exercise), it continues to strive for the high level of achievement its proud tradition demands.

More than 30 observer/controllers from the 75th Division (Training Support), an Active component/Reserve component training support division headquartered in Houston, Texas, spent six months in late 2003 near Kabul training members of the Afghan National Army. They worked with Coalition Joint Task Force 180, headed by the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry). Upon arrival at Camp Phoenix, the Soldiers separated into sections focusing on finance, light infantry, and installation operations. The 75th Soldiers worked closely with Afghan Soldiers to teach advance infantry tactics, organizational skills and leadership, for instance. They also served as examples of how professional Soldiers look and act.

The unit also assisted other coalition forces with helping the Afghan Army develop officer and non-commissioned officer corps. One of the points they stressed was that the Afghan officers should train their own Soldiers, with the U.S. and other coalition members offering training and advisement to the officers.

The division will continue to have a presence in Afghanistan when Soldiers from its 2nd Brigade accompany Oklahoma National Guard Soldiers when they deploy, along with members of the New England National Guard, to continue the mission of training the Afghan Army. The 25th Infantry Division (Light) from Hawaii will replace the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) when it returns to Fort Drum, N.Y.