Military

Brigade Unit of Action

Boots on the Ground - Active
Boots on the Ground - ARNG


The Secretary of Defense approved an increase in the number of active modular BCTs from 33 to 43 on 30 January 2004. The Army intends to increase the number of Active Component brigades from 33 to 43 by fiscal year 2007. At that time, the Army will decide whether to continue the process to achieve 48 brigades, apparently by establishing five separate brigades.

During the same time period, Army National Guard Brigades will reorganize into 34 brigade-size units using the same modular design as the Active Component. This will entail standing down four existing brigades, and increasing the number of Enhanced readiness brigades from 15 to 22. It appears that the Separate Brigades are destined to be stood down, while the Strategic Brigades are to be retained. The end state will consist of 32 Brigade Units of Action [22 light and 10 heavy], 1 Stryker Brigade Combat Team, and 1 Scout Group.

On 27 July 2005 the Department of the Army announced the locations for the active component modular Brigade Combat Teams. The modular design and their stationing are both critical to ensure the Army is properly postured to maintain the high degree of readiness needed to meet its strategic commitments, including ongoing operations globally in the war on terror. The decisions implementing the Defense Department’s Integrated Global Presence and Basing Strategy (IGPBS) recommendations, allowing the Army to return up to 50,000 soldiers from overseas locations by the end of the decade. Two key recommendations of the global force presence realignment decisions include the return of the 1st Infantry Division (1ID) to Fort Riley, KS and the relocation of the 1st Armored Division to Fort Bliss, Texas. The 1ID returns in Fiscal Year 2006 and the timing for the return of the 1AD is under review.

By the end of Fiscal Year 2006 the Army will stand up its first Future Force Unit of Action. This will be a brigade headquarters and at least one combat battalion, and will be equipped with Future Combat System prototypes. That unit will become the central point of experimentation,

The decision to implement resourcing of final 5 UAs subject to operational necessity and OSD approval. If this is implemented, the new units would include one additional heavy brigade for the 1st Armored Division, one additional heavy meachanized brigade for the 1st Infantry Division, two additional brigades for the 2nd Infantry Division, and an additional separate Airborne / Air Assault brigade to be stationed in Alaska.



Active Component
OPFOR 1-4th IN REGT 1-509th IN REGT 11th Armored Cav REGT
Light Infantry BDE Air Assault Brigade
2nd Armored Cav REGT 3rd Armored Cav REGT 172nd Infantry BDE 173rd Airborne BDE
1st Armor Division 1st Brigade 2nd Brigade 3rd Brigade 6th Brigade
1st Cavalry Division 1st Brigade 2nd Brigade 3rd Brigade 5th Brigade
1st Infantry Division 1st Brigade 2nd Brigade 3rd Brigade 4th Brigade
2nd Infantry Division 1st Brigade 2nd Brigade 3rd Brigade 4th Brigade
3rd Infantry Division (Mech) 1st Brigade 2nd Brigade 3rd Brigade 4th Brigade
4th Infantry Division 1st Brigade 2nd Brigade 3rd Brigade 4th Brigade
10th Mountain Division (Light) 1st Brigade 2nd Brigade 3rd Brigade 4th Brigade
25th Infantry Division 1st Brigade 2nd Brigade 3rd Brigade 4th Brigade ABN
5th Brigade
6th Brigade
82nd Airborne Division 1st Brigade 2nd Brigade 3rd Brigade 4th Brigade
101st Airborne Division 1st Brigade 2nd Brigade 3rd Brigade 4th Brigade
Army National Guard
Separate Brigades 25th MECH BDE 32nd IN BDE 33rd IN BDE
115th AR BDE
Strategic Brigades 31st AR BDE 92nd IN BDE 207th IN Group
Enhanced Separate Brigades 27th IN BDE 29th IN BDE 53rd IN BDE
76th IN BDE 81st IN BDE (Mech) 116th Cavalry BDE
155th AR BDE 256th IN BDE (Mech) 278th Armored Cav REGT
7th Infantry Division 39th IN BDE 41st IN BDE 45th IN BDE
24th Infantry Division [Mech] 30th IN BDE 48th IN BDE 218th IN BDE
28th Infantry Division [Mech] 2nd Brigade 55th Brigade 56th Brigade 53rd IN BDE
29th Infantry Division (Light) 1st Brigade 3rd Brigade 26th Brigade
34th Infantry Division 1st Brigade 2nd Brigade 32nd Brigade
35th Infantry Division [Mech] 66th IN BDE 149th AR BDE 67th Infantry Brigade
36th Infantry Division 56th Cavalry Brigade 72nd Infantry Brigade 3rd Brigade
38th Infantry Division 2nd Brigade 37th AR BDE 46th IN BDE
40th Infantry Division [Mech] 1st Brigade 2nd Brigade 3rd Brigade
42nd Infantry Division [Mech] 3rd Brigade 50th Brigade 86th Brigade
49th Armored Division 36th Brigade 2nd Brigade 3rd Brigade