96th Aviation Support Battalion, 101st Aviation Brigade
"Troubleshooters"
The mission of the 96th ASB is provide logistical and maintenance support to the 101st Aviation Brigade's aircraft. On order, 96th Aviation Support Battalion deploys to new theater area of operations to provide sustainment to the 101st Aviation Brigade. The Brigade is composed of a Headquarters and Service Company and three additional companies. The mission of the HSC is to on order deploy assets worldwide and provide ground maintenance, field feeding, level I medical support, and staff support to all units in 96th ASB. Also, to provide backup ground maintenance, support operations, STAMIS repair, and medical evacuation to the entire 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, in support of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). A Company, 96th Aviation Support Battalion's mission is to deploy to a new theater of operations to establish a general supply facility and provide supply, fuel & water, transportation and Combat Logistical Patrol (CLP) security to the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade. The mission of B Company, "Big Ugly", 96th ASB is to provide the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade with continuous, world class Aviation Intermediate Maintenance (AVIM) support, including back up unit level support and scheduled and unscheduled repairs on over 110 helicopters, and all related components. Additionally, "Big Ugly" provides formidable force protection capabilities to the battalion and the brigade. During deployment and redeployment, B Company prepares and downloads all brigade helicopters during sea port operations. "Big Ugly" also provides the brigade with rapid and immediate dedicated Downed Aircraft Recovery Team (DART) support for both air and ground recoveries. Charlie Company of the 96th ASB deploys worldwide to establish and sustain reliable communications systems for the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade in support of the 101st Airborne Division (AASLT) or any UEx in a theater of operations.
The 96th ASB's B Company was the only AVIM Company in the Army utilizing a seven platoon structure to focus skills on each mission requirement. Those platoons included the Headquarters Platoon (Headquarters), Attack Systems Repair Platoon (ASRP), Cavalry Systems Repair Platoon (CSRP), Lift and Cargo Systems Repair Platoon (LCSRP), Combined Shops Platoon (Shops), Avionics Platoon (Avionics) and the Aviation Support Equipment/Downed Aircraft Recovery Team Platoon ("Aces"). With an authorized strength of over 330 Soldier these tailored platoons could execute the company mission extremely efficiently and ensure skills match requirements.
The history of the 96th Aviation Support Battalion has a long history dating back to 1 May 1936 at Camp Crowder, Missouri. The unit was initially activated as the 96th Quartermaster Battalion (Bakery) on 20 April 1942 and redesignated as the 96th Quartermaster Bakery Battalion on 4 July 1942. The battalion was reorganized 15 September 1943 as Headquarters and Headquarters as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 96th Quartermaster Battalion. Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment was inactivated 15 March 1947 in Germany.
On 9 May 1949 the unit was redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 96th Quartermaster Service Battalion, activated 1 June 1949 and inactivated 22 July 1949 in the Philippine Islands. On 22 December 1949, the battalion was redesignated as Headquarters, 96th Quartermaster Service Battalion activated 27 January 1950 and inactivated 26 June 1950 in Guam. 7 December 1950 the unit was redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 96th Quartermaster Battalion and activated on 19 December 1950 in Korea and inactivated 25 September 1958 at Fort Hood, TX. The 96th Quartermaster Battalion was activated 21 October 1961 at Fort Lee, Virginia and inactivated 6 July 1962 and activated 26 March 1963.
The battalion was reorganized 20 July 1966 and elements reorganized or redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 96th Supply and Service Battalion. Companies A and B, 96th Quartermaster Battalion inactivated in Vietnam, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 96th Supply and Service Battalion inactivated 1 September 1968 in Vietnam.
On 16 September 2004 the 96th Aviation Support Battalion was activated at Fort Campbell, Kentucky as part of the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (AASLT). On September 9th, 2005, Soldiers of 96th ASB "Troubleshooters," completed their transformation into the best world class multifunctional aviation support battalion in less than 14 months and deployed into Central Command (CENTCOM) Theater of War in support of the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB).
The Soldiers of the 96th ASB were instrumental in supporting the Nation's Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) by providing unparalleled logistics sustainment support to the 101st CAB. The mission of the 96th ASB is to provide combat support consisting of: Two-Level Field Maintenance, Level I Medical Care, Distribution Operations, Intermediate Aviation Maintenance, and Tactical Signal Communications to the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade in support of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). As the 101 CAB became the first 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Unit of Action to deploy, the 96th ASB was the Out load Support battalion for the 101st CAB.
Its focus was the disassembly, preparation, and loading of 111 rotary wing aircraft and 520 vehicles, trailers and containers into Central Command (CENTCOM) Area of Operations (AOR) for OIF IV. The 96th ASB consistently exceeded all Headquarters Department of the Army (HQDA) readiness standards for both ground and air logistics operations during OIF IV. During which time it completed over 2010 ground field maintenance work orders while maintaining an average production rate of 96 percent - six percent above the HQDA standard. In 2006, B company of the 96th ASB had the distinction of exceeding its production index five months in a row. The Soldiers of the 96th ASB continued to carry the standard for all Army Aviation maintainers to follow. The Professionalism and commitment of the Troubleshooters was essential in making the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) the most lethal and deployable division in the world.
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