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1st Battalion - 108th Aviation Regiment

The mission of the 1st Battalion, 108th Aviation Regiment, is to, at M-Day, deploy to wartime theater of operations; occupy assigned tactical assembly areas; prepare for, and conduct combat operations as an integrated member of an air assault combined arms team; provide the full range of CS and CSS functions by providing tactical mobility of troops, supplies and equipment within the combat zone; and be prepared to conduct stability and support in support of both federal and state agencies.

The 1st Battalion 108th Aviation is located at Forbes Field in Topeka, KS. It was activated on 1 September 1986 from all the army aviation units in the Kansas Army National Guard. The unit is currently equipped with the UH-60A Black Hawk helicopter made by Sikorsky Aircraft.

The 1st Battalion, 108th Aviation Regiment was originally organized and Federally recognized on 8 March 1922 in the Kansas National Guard at Topeka, Kansas as Headquarters Detachment, 1st Squadron, 114th Cavalry, an element of the 24th Cavalry Division. It reorganized and was redesignated on 15 April 1929 as Headquarters Troop, 114th Cavalry. It converted and was redesignated on 1 October 1940 as Headquarters Battery, 127th Field Artillery, an element of the 25th Division. It was inducted into Federal service on 23 December 1940 at Topeka.

The unit consolidated on 3 February 1942 with the Pioneer Company, 635th Tank Destroyer Battalion (activated on 20 January 1942), and the consolidated unit was designated as the Pioneer Company, 635th Tank Destroyer Battalion; and concurrently relieved from assignment to the 35th Division. It was reorganized and redesignated on 1 August 1942 as the Reconnaissance Company, 635th Tank Destroyer Battalion. It inactivated on 27 October 1946 at Camp Myles Standish, MA.

Reorganized and Federally recognized on 1 December 1948 at Topeka as Company B, 174th Military Police Battalion, it converted and was redesignated on 1 May 1959 as the Aircraft Maintenance Detachment, 135th Transportation Battalion, an element of the 35th Infantry Division. It converted and was redesignated on 1 April 1960 as the 435th Transportation Detechment, and element of the 35th Infantry Division.

The unit consolidated on 1 April 1963 with the 35th Aviation Company (part) (organized in 1949 at Topeka) and the consolidated unit was reorganized and redesignated as the 1120th Transportation Company, and concurrently relieved from assignment to the 35th Infantry Division. The unit converted and was redesignated on 15 November 1965 as the 169th Aviation Company; on 1 February 1966 as the 137th Transportation Company; on 15 December 1967 as the 137th Aviation Company; and on 1 August 1975 as the 137th Transportation Company.

It expanded, reorganized, and was redesignated on 1 October 1986 as the 135th Aviation Battalion (loss elements were allotted to the Arizona and Oregon Army National Guard), with Headquarters at Topeka. It was reorganized and redesignated on 1 October 1987 in the Arizona, Kansas, Oregon Army National Guard as the 108th Aviation, a present regiment under the United States Army Regimental System, with Headquarters at Topeka, Kansas, to consist of the 1st Battalion and Company D.

The unit was reorganized on 16 March 1995 in the Arazona, Kansas and Oklahoma Army National Guard and Company D; on 1 October 1995 in the Kansas and Oklahoma Army National Guard and Company D; and on 1 September 1996 to consist of 1st Battalion.