Warrior Brigade
"Freedom's Guardian"
The Warrior Brigade ensures the combat readiness of assigned Modification Table of Organization and Equipment (MTOE) units and prepares them to support FORSCOM/Theater commander-in-chiefs (CINCs) for wartime or contingency deployments; provides command and control, training validation, Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), administrative, and logistical support to Reserve Component (RC) units mobilized at Fort Polk. Provides support to Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) and Fort Polk.
Warrior Brigade is constantly evolving to meet U.S. Forces Command's readiness mission and provides support to JRTC. They are "Freedom's Guardian". Warrior Brigade soldiers have participated in many major training deployments and combat operations in recent years. They have served in such places as Southwest Asia, Honduras, Cuba, Somalia, Suriname, Bosnia and Haiti. They have also participated in virtually every Joint Readiness Training Center rotation since the center moved to Fort Polk.
The Warrior Brigade was constituted in July of 1962 as Headquarters Special Troops assigned to Fort Polk, Louisiana. Redesignated 1 July of 1970 to Headquarters, Garrison Troop Command, Fort Polk, Louisiana. Redesignated 25 February of 1971 to Headquarters Command, Fort Polk, Louisiana.
In March 1982 the unit was granted approval to use the name "Devil Troop Brigade" aligning the Brigade's support mission to the 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized). Major subordinate commands of the Devil Troop Brigade were: 588th Engineer Battalion and assigned units; 15th Evacuation Hospital and assigned units; Provisional Battalion and assigned units; 5th Personnel Service Company; 36th Medical Detachment; and 5th ID Noncommissioned Officer Academy
During operation Desert Storm, the brigade's normal authorized strength was more than doubled. Seven battalions and 13 separate companies from the Regular Army, Army Reserve and the National Guard were assigned for command, control, training, validation and deployment. Simultaneously, the brigade deployed two of its organic battalions and seven of its organic companies and detachments to the war. In all, more than 8,000 soldiers from 32 units deployed via the brigade to Southwest Asia.
On 30 June 1993 the unit was granted approval to use the name "Warrior Brigade" aligning the Brigade's support mission to the Joint Readiness Training Center.
