95th Civil Affairs Brigade
Encyclopedia
The 95th Civil Affairs Brigade (Airborne) is a civil affairs
brigade
of the United States Army
based at Fort Bragg
, North Carolina
. The concept for a civil affairs brigade had been under consideration for years, but was finally approved as a result of the 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review
. The 95th Civil Affairs Brigade makes up a significant portion of the four percent of civil affairs soldiers in the active component.
Tracing its lineage to a military government group that was active after World War II
, the 95th Civil Affairs Brigade was not officially activated until 2006, and remained a provisional unit until 2007. Its creation was part of a U.S. Army plan to increase civil affairs units overall.
The brigade commands five subordinate battalions all headquartered at Fort Bragg along with the brigade's Headquarters and Headquarters Company
: the 91st Civil Affairs Battalion aligned with United States Africa Command
, the 92nd Civil Affairs Battalionhttp://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Heraldry/ArmyBFBT/ArmyBFBTUnit.aspx?u=7434 aligned with United States European Command
,the 96th Civil Affairs Battalion aligned with United States Central Command
, the 97th Civil Affairs Battalion aligned with United States Pacific Command
, and the 98th Civil Affairs Battalion aligned with United States Southern Command
.
occupation of Japan. Following its brief assignment, the group was inactivated on 30 June 1946.
The group was reactivated again just prior to the Korean War
, on 29 October 1948 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. It was dispatched to the Korean peninsula where it remained during three campaigns of the war, receiving three campaign streamer
s. However, as the war became a long, drawn out stalemate and with no need for the military government group, it was deactivated in Korea on 28 October 1951 in the middle of the war.
The group was again activated on 9 February 1955 at Camp Gordon, Georgia and reorganized into a civil affairs unit. It was formally redesignated the 95th Civil Affairs Group on 25 June 1959. It received a distinctive unit insignia
on 27 March 1969. After almost 20 years of active service, the group had seen no deployments to any conflicts or contingencies with the US Army, including never seeing deployment to the Vietnam War
. Thus, the group was inactivated on 21 December 1974 at Fort Bragg.
sized civil affairs units operating for the active duty US Army. This move would allow the brigade to more quickly prepare its subordinate units for rapid deployment in support of Army contingencies in order to provide tactical support to other Army units. It was decided shortly thereafter that the 95th Civil Affairs Group would be reactivated.
On 14 March 2006, the unit was redesignated as a brigade. On 16 March 2006, Lieutenant General
Robert Wagner, the commanding general of the United States Army Special Operations Command, signed the formal activation document authorizing the unit and placing it in carrier status. Thus the 95th Civil Affairs Brigade (Provisional), was formed. By May, the brigade had 420 staff, with 20 assigned to its Headquarters and Headquarters Company
and the remaining 400 assigned to the 96th CA Battalion. The brigade is planned to grow to a size of 900 soldiers by 2011.
On 16 March 2007, The 95th Civil Affairs Brigade (Airborne) was removed from provisional status and fully activated in a ceremony at Fort Bragg. At the same time the Civil Affairs Branch of the US Army was established.
s. One of these soldiers, a Major, prompted the State of California to fly its flags at Half staff. It also suffered several casualties which were rehabilitated through the new Wounded Warrior program. The 98th Civil Affairs Battalion also had soldiers deployed to Iraq before its activation in 2008. Soldiers of this battalion also saw deployments to Africa as well as other areas in support of the Global War on Terrorism.
Civil Affairs
Civil Affairs is a term used by both the United Nations and by military institutions , but for different purposes in each case.-United Nations Civil Affairs:...
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...
based at Fort Bragg
Fort Bragg (North Carolina)
Fort Bragg is a major United States Army installation, in Cumberland and Hoke counties, North Carolina, U.S., mostly in Fayetteville but also partly in the town of Spring Lake. It was also a census-designated place in the 2010 census and had a population of 39,457. The fort is named for Confederate...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. The concept for a civil affairs brigade had been under consideration for years, but was finally approved as a result of the 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review
Quadrennial Defense Review
The Quadrennial Defense Review is a study by the United States Department of Defense that analyzes strategic objectives and potential military threats. The Quadrennial Defense Review Report is the main public document describing the United States's military doctrine.As stipulated in the 1997...
. The 95th Civil Affairs Brigade makes up a significant portion of the four percent of civil affairs soldiers in the active component.
Tracing its lineage to a military government group that was active after World War II
World 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 95th Civil Affairs Brigade was not officially activated until 2006, and remained a provisional unit until 2007. Its creation was part of a U.S. Army plan to increase civil affairs units overall.
Organization
The 95th Civil Affairs Brigade is based at Fort BraggThe brigade commands five subordinate battalions all headquartered at Fort Bragg along with the brigade's Headquarters and Headquarters Company
Headquarters and Headquarters Company
In United States Army units, a headquarters and headquarters company is a company sized military unit, found at the battalion level and higher. In identifying a specific headquarters unit, it is usually referred to by its abbreviation as an HHC...
: the 91st Civil Affairs Battalion aligned with United States Africa Command
United States Africa Command
The United States Africa Command is one of nine Unified Combatant Commands of the United States Armed Forces, headquartered at Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany. It is responsible for U.S. military operations and military relations with 53 African nations – an area of responsibility covering all...
, the 92nd Civil Affairs Battalionhttp://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Heraldry/ArmyBFBT/ArmyBFBTUnit.aspx?u=7434 aligned with United States European Command
United States European Command
The United States European Command is one of ten Unified Combatant Commands of the United States military, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. Its area of focus covers and 51 countries and territories, including Europe, Russia, Iceland, Greenland, and Israel...
,the 96th Civil Affairs Battalion aligned with United States Central Command
United States Central Command
The United States Central Command is a theater-level Unified Combatant Command unit of the U.S. armed forces, established in 1983 under the operational control of the U.S. Secretary of Defense...
, the 97th Civil Affairs Battalion aligned with United States Pacific Command
United States Pacific Command
The United States Pacific Command is a Unified Combatant Command of the United States armed forces responsible for the Pacific Ocean area. It is led by the Commander, Pacific Command , who is the supreme military authority for the various branches of the Armed Forces of the United States serving...
, and the 98th Civil Affairs Battalion aligned with United States Southern Command
United States Southern Command
The United States Southern Command , located in Miami, Florida, is one of nine Unified Combatant Commands in the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for providing contingency planning and operations in Central and South America, the Caribbean The United States Southern Command...
.
Origins
The brigade traces its lineage back to the 95th Military Government Group, activated 25 August 1945. The group was assigned to Japan to provide provisional government duties during the post-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...
occupation of Japan. Following its brief assignment, the group was inactivated on 30 June 1946.
The group was reactivated again just prior to the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, on 29 October 1948 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. It was dispatched to the Korean peninsula where it remained during three campaigns of the war, receiving three campaign 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. However, as the war became a long, drawn out stalemate and with no need for the military government group, it was deactivated in Korea on 28 October 1951 in the middle of the war.
The group was again activated on 9 February 1955 at Camp Gordon, Georgia and reorganized into a civil affairs unit. It was formally redesignated the 95th Civil Affairs Group on 25 June 1959. It received a distinctive unit insignia
Distinctive unit insignia
A Distinctive Unit Insignia is a metal heraldic device worn by soldiers in the United States Army. The DUI design is derived from the coat of arms authorized for a unit...
on 27 March 1969. After almost 20 years of active service, the group had seen no deployments to any conflicts or contingencies with the US Army, including never seeing deployment to the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Thus, the group was inactivated on 21 December 1974 at Fort Bragg.
Activation
The US Department of Defense issued its Quadrennial Defense Review on 6 February 2006. In this report, the department announced that the US Army would increase in all areas across all branches of the US Military. To support this, the department announced that psychological operations and civil affairs units would be increased by 3,700 soldiers to support units throughout the Army. This would include a large increase of the active component civil affairs, which at the time consisted of only the 96th Civil Affairs Battalion, commanding six company sized units assigned to the major regional commands of the US Army. The decision was made to form a brigade-sized civil affairs unit to act as a command element for the only four active duty battalionBattalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
sized civil affairs units operating for the active duty US Army. This move would allow the brigade to more quickly prepare its subordinate units for rapid deployment in support of Army contingencies in order to provide tactical support to other Army units. It was decided shortly thereafter that the 95th Civil Affairs Group would be reactivated.
On 14 March 2006, the unit was redesignated as a brigade. On 16 March 2006, Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Robert Wagner, the commanding general of the United States Army Special Operations Command, signed the formal activation document authorizing the unit and placing it in carrier status. Thus the 95th Civil Affairs Brigade (Provisional), was formed. By May, the brigade had 420 staff, with 20 assigned to its Headquarters and Headquarters Company
Headquarters and Headquarters Company
In United States Army units, a headquarters and headquarters company is a company sized military unit, found at the battalion level and higher. In identifying a specific headquarters unit, it is usually referred to by its abbreviation as an HHC...
and the remaining 400 assigned to the 96th CA Battalion. The brigade is planned to grow to a size of 900 soldiers by 2011.
On 16 March 2007, The 95th Civil Affairs Brigade (Airborne) was removed from provisional status and fully activated in a ceremony at Fort Bragg. At the same time the Civil Affairs Branch of the US Army was established.
Deployment
The brigade headquarters itself has not seen a deployment, even though all subordinate units have been deployed for several support missions. The 96th CA Battalion deployed units in support of the Iraq War in mid 2007. The brigade also had troops deployed in support of special operations units in Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan. The brigade suffered several casualties in Iraq, including two soldiers killed by improvised explosive deviceImprovised explosive device
An improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...
s. One of these soldiers, a Major, prompted the State of California to fly its flags at Half staff. It also suffered several casualties which were rehabilitated through the new Wounded Warrior program. The 98th Civil Affairs Battalion also had soldiers deployed to Iraq before its activation in 2008. Soldiers of this battalion also saw deployments to Africa as well as other areas in support of the Global War on Terrorism.
Campaign streamers
| Conflict | Streamer | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Korean War Korean War The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union... |
First UN Counteroffensive | 1950 |
| Korean War Korean War The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union... |
CCF Spring Offensive | 1951 |
| Korean War Korean War The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union... |
UN Summer-Fall Offensive | 1951 |