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422nd Signal Battalion

The 422nd Signal Battalion is part of the Nevada Army National Guard. The battalion has its headquarters in beautiful Reno, Nevada. Sub-units of the battalion are located in Northern (Reno) and Southern (Las Vegas) Nevada. On order, the 422nd Signal Battalion deploys worldwide in response to Joint Staff, Department of the Army, and Army Signal Command mission taskings, to Command and Control Signal units in order to Install, Operate, and Maintain (IOM) Echelons Above Corps (EAC) communications across the spectrum of conflict.

The 422nd Signal Battalion was activated on 1 March 1981 in Reno, Nevada with the Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment (HHD) and the 321st Signal Company (Motor Messenger). Since 1981, the 422nd Signal Battalion has successfully participated in several challenging annual training periods and has "answered the call" to many state emergency missions. The 422nd Signal Battalion introduced the "Natural Team" communication exercises to develop expertise and competence in installing, operating and maintaining (IOM) corps level communications requirements. The Natural Team exercise began with Natural Team I in Ft. Ord, California and continued through more complex missions with teams II and III; consummating with Natural Team IV in 1988 with 650 "signalers" from two signal battalions, our friends from Troop Command, one active duty signal unit and a communications section of the Nevada Air National Guard.

In addition to the "Natural Team" communications exercises, the HQ's & HQ's Detachment deployed to Ft. Gordon, GA in 1986 and the Republic of Korea for Team Spirit '87. Both annual training periods called for the battalion to assume command and control of active duty signal companies within a corps area communications network. Both the battalion HQ's and detachment soldiers received many complimentary comments from active component evaluators for their high level of technical expertise and the aggressive manner in which they completed their assigned tasks.

In 1997, the HHD deployed to Camp Zama - Japan, where they trained with the 78th Signal Battalion. The 321st Signal Company participated in the Golden Bear exercise as motor messengers with the California Army National Guard in 1986 and deployed to Ft. Hood, Texas in 1987 to train with the 313th Signal Company in light tropospheric radio operations. In 1997, the 321st sent three rotations to the Roving Sands Exercise in Texas.

More recent accomplishments include the successful installation of communications in support of tactical units in California, Southern Nevada, and Reno/Stead area in preparation for our new mission of providing communications for echelons above corps (EAC) command.

The units and soldiers of the Signal Battalion possess a proud history of providing emergency assistance to the State of Nevada. The battalion has been called upon to provide support to state fire suppression agencies; served as the task force command during 1986 and 1997 Northern Nevada flood relief missions; provided assistance to the Reno area's homeless population during the winter of 1987-1988; and prepared a communications contingency team in response to potential civil disturbances in the Las Vegas area at the time of the Rodney King jury verdict.

As a direct result of the homeless mission of 1987-1988 and the Natural Team IV communications exercise during the Summer of 1988, the battalion was the recipient of the Governor's Outstanding unit award for 1988. An award we are very proud of, and talk of to this very day.

The future of the battalion is bright and full of exciting opportunities. Since 1990, the battalion has received a new mission: providing communications for echelons above corps units - a new training affiliation: the 11th Signal Brigade of Ft. Huachuca, AZ. - and state of the art equipment including: the AN/TRC-170 (V)3 digital group multiplexing light tropospheric radio terminal, the AN/GRC-193 improved high frequency signal channel radio and communications devices that allow us to directly interface with civilian and department of defense switching networks.