504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade
Encyclopedia
The 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade
(BfSB) is located at Fort Hood, Texas. The 504th BfSB was transformed from the 504th Military Intelligence
Brigade in November 2008 becoming one of three active duty Surveillance
Brigade
of the United States Army
. The Brigade is tasked to improve the situational awareness for commanders at division level or higher, so they can adapt their units combat power for the current operations. For this the Battlefield Surveillance Brigades can deploy unmanned aerial vehicles
, signals gathering equipment, human intelligence collectors
and long range surveillance
patrols.
The 504th BfSB is currently composed of:
The 504th BfSB conducts intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations in support of III Corps.
the unit redesignated as 137th Signal Radio Intelligence Company. The unit earned battle streamer
s for the campaigns of Northern France
, Central Europe and the Rhineland.
After World War II the brigades name and tasks were subject to many changes, but on 21 April 1978 the 504th Military Intelligence Group (Corps) was activated and began its evolution to a Military Intelligence Brigade. On 16 September 1985, the Brigade was designated as the 504th Military Intelligence Brigade (Corps) at Fort Hood and supported the III Armored Corps. At that time the brigade consisted of a Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment and three Military Intelligence Battalions:
With the Transformation of the United States Army
the 504th was redesignated as the 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade. To fulfill its new mission the brigade relinquished control of the 15th Military Intelligence Battalion and activated three new companies: a Network Support Company, a Forward Support Company and a Long Range Surveillance Troop (B-38th CAV) while restructuring the Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment into a company and expanding its missions. The two remaining Military Intelligence battalions assumed identical missions as intelligence collection battalions.
The brigade's Troop B (LRS), 38th Cavalry Regiment, activated on 16 February 2008, was reorganized and redesignated on 16 June 2010 as Headquarters and Headquarters Troop (HHT), 2d Squadron, 38th Cavalry Regiment. The assets of the former Troop B (LRS) were used to form Charlie Troop (LRS)(ABN), 2–38th CAV, the only Airborne unit in III Corps.
Battlefield Surveillance Brigade
Throughout the history of warfare, soldiers have needed to know who and where the enemy is. In order to address that need in the context of the 21st century threat, the army has planned for the creation and transformation of nine units, in 2007 to the Battlefield Surveillance Brigade format...
(BfSB) is located at Fort Hood, Texas. The 504th BfSB was transformed from the 504th Military Intelligence
Military intelligence
Military intelligence is a military discipline that exploits a number of information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to commanders in support of their decisions....
Brigade in November 2008 becoming one of three active duty Surveillance
Surveillance
Surveillance is the monitoring of the behavior, activities, or other changing information, usually of people. It is sometimes done in a surreptitious manner...
Brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. The Brigade is tasked to improve the situational awareness for commanders at division level or higher, so they can adapt their units combat power for the current operations. For this the Battlefield Surveillance Brigades can deploy unmanned aerial vehicles
Unmanned aerial vehicle
An unmanned aerial vehicle , also known as a unmanned aircraft system , remotely piloted aircraft or unmanned aircraft, is a machine which functions either by the remote control of a navigator or pilot or autonomously, that is, as a self-directing entity...
, signals gathering equipment, human intelligence collectors
FM 2-22.3 Human Intelligence Collector Operations
Army Field Manual 2 22.3, or FM 2-22.3, Human Intelligence Collector Operations, was issued by the Department of the Army on September 6, 2006. The manual gives instructions on a range of issues, such as the structure, planning and management of human intelligence operations, the debriefing of...
and long range surveillance
Long Range Surveillance
Long Range Surveillance units are specially trained elite Surveillance units of the United States Army that are employed by Military Intelligence Units for gathering information from deep within hostile territories....
patrols.
The 504th BfSB is currently composed of:
- Headquarters & Headquarters Company
- 163rd Military Intelligence Battalion
- 303rd Military Intelligence Battalion
- 2d Squadron, 38th Cavalry Regiment
- 268th Network Support Company (SignalsMilitary communicationsHistorically, the first military communications had the form of sending/receiving simple signals . Respectively, the first distinctive tactics of military communications were called Signals, while units specializing in those tactics received the Signal Corps name...
) - 509th Forward Support Company (LogisticsMilitary logisticsMilitary logistics is the discipline of planning and carrying out the movement and maintenance of military forces. In its most comprehensive sense, it is those aspects or military operations that deal with:...
)
The 504th BfSB conducts intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations in support of III Corps.
History
The 504th BfSB traces its lineage to the 137th Signal Radio Intelligence Company (Aviation). Activated in the early days of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the unit redesignated as 137th Signal Radio Intelligence Company. The unit earned battle streamer
Campaign streamer
Campaign streamers are decorations attached to military flags to recognize particular achievements or events of a military unit or service. Attached to the headpiece of the assigned flag, the streamer often is an inscribed ribbon with the name and date denoting participation in a particular battle,...
s for the campaigns of Northern France
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
, Central Europe and the Rhineland.
After World War II the brigades name and tasks were subject to many changes, but on 21 April 1978 the 504th Military Intelligence Group (Corps) was activated and began its evolution to a Military Intelligence Brigade. On 16 September 1985, the Brigade was designated as the 504th Military Intelligence Brigade (Corps) at Fort Hood and supported the III Armored Corps. At that time the brigade consisted of a Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment and three Military Intelligence Battalions:
- 15th Military Intelligence Battalion (Aerial Exploitation)
- 163rd Military Intelligence Battalion (Tactical Exploitation)
- 303rd Military Intelligence Battalion (Operations)
With the Transformation of the United States Army
Transformation of the United States Army
Army Transformation describes the future-concept of the United States Army's plan of modernization. Transformation is a generalized term for the integration of new concepts, organizations, and technology within the armed forces of the United States....
the 504th was redesignated as the 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade. To fulfill its new mission the brigade relinquished control of the 15th Military Intelligence Battalion and activated three new companies: a Network Support Company, a Forward Support Company and a Long Range Surveillance Troop (B-38th CAV) while restructuring the Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment into a company and expanding its missions. The two remaining Military Intelligence battalions assumed identical missions as intelligence collection battalions.
The brigade's Troop B (LRS), 38th Cavalry Regiment, activated on 16 February 2008, was reorganized and redesignated on 16 June 2010 as Headquarters and Headquarters Troop (HHT), 2d Squadron, 38th Cavalry Regiment. The assets of the former Troop B (LRS) were used to form Charlie Troop (LRS)(ABN), 2–38th CAV, the only Airborne unit in III Corps.