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26th Area Support Group

In 2005, an official ceremony in Heidelberg, Germany marked the reflagging of the Installation Management Agency - Europe's Area Support Groups, Base Support Battalions, and Area Support Teams into 21 US Army Garrisons to align with the common US Army installation management structure worldwide, known as Standard Garrison Organization. As a result, the 26th Area Support Group was inactivated and reflagged as the US Army Garrison Heidelberg.

The 26th Area Support Group provided command and control, base support operations, force protection and reception, staging, onward-movement in support of wartime contingencies; conducted area operations and support force projection, deployments and contingency operations; and enhanced the readiness and quality of life of America's Army living and working within the Group's geographic boundaries while shaping a capability to meet future requirements.

The distinctive unit insignia was approved for the 26th General Support Group on 13 January 1969. It was redesignated and the symbolism revised for the 26th Support Group on 9 November 1979. The fer de moline, an iron affixed to the center of a mill-stone and used as an heraldic representation for support, on a black annulet simulating a truck tire, symbolizes the former service mission of the organization during World War II in Italy. The embattled gold and red band, colors taken from the flag of the former Republic of Vietnam, alluded to the organization's service in that country. Furthermore, the embattled line alluded to the unit's motto "THE NORTHERNMOST."

The distinctive unit insignia was approved for the 26th General Support Group on 13 January 1969. It was redesignated and the symbolism revised for the 26th Support Group on 9 November 1979. It consisted of a gold embattled band on a red enameled background above a black enameled annulet bearing a gold fer de moline. Encircling the upper portion of the device was a gold scroll bearing the inscription "THE NORTHERNMOST" in black letters. The fer de moline, an iron affixed to the center of a mill-stone and used as an heraldic representation for support, on a black annulet simulating a truck tire, symbolized the former service mission of the organization during World War II in Italy. The embattled gold and red band, colors taken from the flag of the former Republic of Vietnam, alluded to the organization's service in that country. Furthermore, the embattled line alludes to the unit's motto "THE NORTHERNMOST."

The 26th Area Support Group supported a diverse group of United States military communities in Germany, focused on maintaining the highest quality of life for its soldiers, civilians and family members, and serving as a forward-deployed power projection platform.

The 26th Area Support Group consisted of the military communities in Heidelberg, Kaiserslautern, Mannheim, Worms, Darmstadt, Babenhausen, the Frankfurt area, Schwetzingen and Germersheim. Headquarters for the 26th Area Support Group was on Patton Barracks in Heidelberg. The 26th Area Support Group consisted of the 293rd Base Support Battalion, headquartered in Mannheim; the 411th Base Support Battalion, headquartered in Heidelberg; the 233rd Base Support Battalion, headquartered in Darmstadt; and the 415th Base Support Battalion, headquartered in Kaiserslautern. In addition, the 1st Battalion, 214th Aviation Regiment was also assigned to the Group.

With more than 60,000 soldiers, civilians, and family members, the 26th Area Support Group covered an area larger than the state of Massachusetts. The landscape offered picturesque beauty rivaling any in Europe, as well as bustling, modern cities with famous historical buildings, excellent cuisine, outstanding wines and friendly hospitality.