The 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team ("Red Arrow") is an infantry

Infantry

Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...

 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...

 in the United States Army National Guard. It is the largest unit in the Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...

 National Guard.

History

Formed in 1967 from the deactivated 32nd Infantry Division, the Red Arrow Brigade was formed of three battalions of light infantry as well as support and engineer units.

In April 1971, the Brigade was converted to a mechanized brigade and became the 32nd “Red Arrow” Infantry Brigade (Separate) (Mechanized), Wisconsin National Guard

Wisconsin National Guard

The Wisconsin Army National Guard has dual state and federal roles, and is jointly funded and maintained by both governments. Its federal mission is to provide trained units to the United States Army in time of war or national emergency...

. In January 1986 the 32nd Brigade participated in REFORGER '86

Exercise REFORGER

Exercise Reforger was an annual exercise conducted, during the Cold War, by NATO. The exercise was intended to ensure that NATO had the ability to quickly deploy forces to West Germany in the event of a conflict with the Warsaw Pact.The Reforger exercise itself was first conceived in 1967...

. The entire Brigade deployed from Wisconsin, with all of its equipment, to Germany.

In October 1996, the 32nd “Red Arrow” Infantry Brigade (Mechanized), Wisconsin National Guard, was assigned to the 34th "Red Bull" Infantry Division (the 34th Div. is headquartered in Minnesota). Due to this reorganization, the 32nd Brigade became a divisional brigade and was no longer a separate brigade.

On 1 October 2001, the Brigade was reorganized as the 32nd Infantry Brigade (Separate) (Light), Wisconsin National Guard. The 32nd Brigade is no longer attached to the 34th ID and is again a (Separate) brigade. On 23 January 2003 about 100 soldiers from various 32nd "Red Arrow" Infantry Brigade units reported for active duty for service as Task Force Red Arrow in support of Operation Noble Eagle

Operation Noble Eagle

Operation Noble Eagle is the name given to military operations related to homelandsecurity and support to federal, state, and local agencies...

 (ONE). Task Force Red Arrow supplemented security for two years at three of Wisconsin's airbases, the 440th Airlift Wing

440th Airlift Wing

The 440th Airlift Wing is a United States Air Force Reserve unit assigned to Twenty-Second Air Force. It is stationed at Pope Field, part of Fort Bragg in North Carolina....

 in Milwaukee, the 128th Air Refueling Wing

128th Air Refueling Wing

The United States Air Force's 128th Air Refueling Wing is an Air Mobility Command located at General Mitchell International Airport, Wisconsin...

 in Milwaukee, and the 115th Fighter Wing

115th Fighter Wing

The United States Air Force's 115th Fighter Wing is an Air National Guard fighter unit located at Truax Field, Wisconsin.-Mission:The 115th Fighter Wing provides multi-role fighter support including air-to-air, close air support and precision guided bombing...

 in Madison

Madison, Wisconsin

Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....

.

The Brigade was reorganized again in September 2007 as the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Wisconsin Army National Guard. With this change the 2nd Battalion of the 128th Regiment was reorganized as a Cavalry Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition unit, known as the 1st Squadron of the 105th Cavalry Regiment.

32nd Brigade Combat Team Units

32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team consists of the following elements:

• Headquarters & Headquarters Company, 32nd IBCT
• 32nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion
• 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry Regiment
• 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry Regiment
• 1st Squadron, 105th Cavalry Regiment (RSTA)
• 1st Battalion, 120th Field Artillery Regiment
  1-120 Field Artillery "Red Fox" Battalion
  The 1st Battalion 120th Field Artillery Regiment, also known as the "Red Fox" Battalion came into being on 22 September 1917 at Camp MacArthur, Waco, Texas as part of the 57th Field Artillery Brigade, better known as the Iron Brigade. The 120th Field Artillery Regiment previously had been the 1st...
  
  
• 132nd Brigade Support Battalion

Units deployed to Iraq in 2004–2005

First Battalion, 128th Infantry Regiment

128th Infantry Regiment (United States)

The 128th Infantry Regiment is a United States military unit of the Wisconsin National Guard. The 128th has served as part of the American Civil War, Spanish-American War, Mexican Civil War, World War I, World War II and the Iraq War....

• Activated: 10 June 2004
• In Theater: November, 2004
• Return: 25 October 2005
• Location: FOB
  Forward Operating Base
  A forward operating base is any secured forward military position, commonly a military base, that is used to support tactical operations. A FOB may or may not contain an airfield, hospital, or other facilities. The base may be used for an extended period of time. FOBs are traditionally supported...
  
   O'Ryan, FOB Cobra, FOB McKenzie, Patrol Base Olson, and the Kaufman Compound
• 6 KIA (TF 1–128) includes Attached Units

Second Battalion, 127th Infantry Regiment

127th Infantry Regiment (United States)

The 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry Regiment traces its origins to the 4th Infantry Battalion, Wisconsin National Guard.-Organization:The 4th Infantry Battalion, Wisconsin National Guard, was organized on 25 April 1884 from Milwaukee companies, expanded and redesignated in 1890 as the 4th Infantry...

• Activated: June, 2005
• In Theater: August, 2005
• Return: August, 2006
• 3 KIA
• Location: CSC Navistar

Second Battalion, 128th Infantry Regiment

128th Infantry Regiment (United States)

The 128th Infantry Regiment is a United States military unit of the Wisconsin National Guard. The 128th has served as part of the American Civil War, Spanish-American War, Mexican Civil War, World War I, World War II and the Iraq War....

• Activated: August, 2005
• In Theater: November, 2005
• Return: November 2006
• Locations:

A Co. Camp Navistar, Al-Abdali, Kuwait.

B Co. Camp Victory Kuwait, then Camp Virginia after its closure.

C Co. Camp Buehring

Camp Buehring

Camp Buehring is a staging post for US troops in the northwestern region of Kuwait. The base is used for military troops heading north into Iraq as well as the primary location for the Middle Eastern Theater Reserve...

, Udairi Range, Kuwait, Ali Al-Salim airbase

Ali Al Salem Air Base

Ali Al Salem Air Base is a military airbase situated in Kuwait, approximately 23 miles from the Iraqi border. The airfield is owned by the Government of Kuwait, and during Operation Southern Watch and Operation Telic / Operation Iraqi Freedom hosted Royal Air Force , United States Air Force and...

 L.S.A.

D Co. Camp Virginia, Kuwait. HHC

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...

 at Camp Buehring

Camp Buehring

Camp Buehring is a staging post for US troops in the northwestern region of Kuwait. The base is used for military troops heading north into Iraq as well as the primary location for the Middle Eastern Theater Reserve...

, Kuwait.

First Battalion, 120th Field Artillery Regiment (United States)

1-120 Field Artillery "Red Fox" Battalion

The 1st Battalion 120th Field Artillery Regiment, also known as the "Red Fox" Battalion came into being on 22 September 1917 at Camp MacArthur, Waco, Texas as part of the 57th Field Artillery Brigade, better known as the Iron Brigade. The 120th Field Artillery Regiment previously had been the 1st...

• Activated: August, 2005
• In Theater: November, 2005
• Return: November, 2006
• Location: Kuwait Naval Base, Ash Shuayba SPOD, LSA, C Battery: Camp As Sayliyah

Qatar, Camp Virginia, LSA (Ali Al Salem), Balad, Baghdad, Hillah, Iraq

First Battalion, 121st Field Artillery Regiment, 57th Field Artillery Brigade

• Activated: April, 2006
• In Theater: July, 2006
• Return: July, 2007
• CSC Navistar, Camp Virginia
• 2 KIA

Units deployed to Iraq in 2009

In September 2008, the entire 32nd Brigade and six other related units received mobilization orders directing their return to Iraq. This is the largest operational deployment of Wisconsin National Guard forces since World War II. They began training and preparing for deployment in February 2009. The Brigade completed three weeks of training at Camp Blanding

Camp Blanding

Camp Blanding Joint Training Center is the primary military reservation and training base for the Florida National Guard, both the Florida Army National Guard and certain non-flying activities of the Florida Air National Guard. The installation is located in Clay County, Florida near the city of...

 Joint Training Center in Florida on 30 January 2009, completing its training for deployment to Iraq.

In February 2009 the entire BCT, 3,200 Wisconsin Army National Guard soldiers, were activated along with six supporting units outside the brigade. They were given a send-off on 17 February 2009 at the Alliant Energy Center Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Madison, Wisconsin. The soldiers are reporting to Fort Bliss

Fort Bliss

Fort Bliss is a United States Army post in the U.S. states of New Mexico and Texas. With an area of about , it is the Army's second-largest installation behind the adjacent White Sands Missile Range. It is FORSCOM's largest installation, and has the Army's largest Maneuver Area behind the...

 in elements of 400–600 soldiers by 1 March to complete preparations for a one-year deployment. Sgt. Pete Smoczyk and Col. Tommy Makal, two World War II veterans who served in the 32nd Division during World War II, when it was last called up for overseas combat duty, also marched out with the brigade. Spc. Marissa Hendriks, Smoczyk's granddaughter, is deploying to Iraq with the unit.

The units activated are:

• Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, based out of Camp Williams, at Camp Douglas, Wisconsin. As of September 2009, the HHC is currently serving as the Joint Area Support Group-Central in the International Zone in Baghdad, Iraq and is responsible for administering, securing, and transitioning the International Zone.
• 1st Squadron, 105th Cavalry (Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition)
• Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 105th Cavalry – Madison
• Troop A, 1st Squadron, 105th Cavalry – Fort Atkinson
• Troop B, 1st Squadron, 105th Cavalry – Watertown

2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry Regiment

127th Infantry Regiment (United States)

The 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry Regiment traces its origins to the 4th Infantry Battalion, Wisconsin National Guard.-Organization:The 4th Infantry Battalion, Wisconsin National Guard, was organized on 25 April 1884 from Milwaukee companies, expanded and redesignated in 1890 as the 4th Infantry...

• Headquarters and Headquarters Co., 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry
  127th Infantry Regiment (United States)
  The 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry Regiment traces its origins to the 4th Infantry Battalion, Wisconsin National Guard.-Organization:The 4th Infantry Battalion, Wisconsin National Guard, was organized on 25 April 1884 from Milwaukee companies, expanded and redesignated in 1890 as the 4th Infantry...
  
   – Appleton

Detachment 1, Headquarters Co., 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry – Clintonville

• Company A, 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry – Waupun

Detachment 1, Co. A, 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry – Ripon

• Company B, 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry – Green Bay

• Company C, 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry – Fond du Lac

• Company D, 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry – Marinette

1st Battalion, 128th Infantry

127th Infantry Regiment (United States)

The 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry Regiment traces its origins to the 4th Infantry Battalion, Wisconsin National Guard.-Organization:The 4th Infantry Battalion, Wisconsin National Guard, was organized on 25 April 1884 from Milwaukee companies, expanded and redesignated in 1890 as the 4th Infantry...

• Headquarters and Headquarters Co., 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry – Eau Claire

Detachment 1, Headquarters Co., 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry – Abbotsford

• Company A, 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry – Menomonie

• Company B, 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry – New Richmond

Detachment 1, Co. B, 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry – Rice Lake

• Company C, 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry – Arcadia

Detachment 1, Co. C, 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry – Onalaska

• Company D, 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry – River Falls

1st Battalion, 120th Field Artillery

1-120 Field Artillery "Red Fox" Battalion

The 1st Battalion 120th Field Artillery Regiment, also known as the "Red Fox" Battalion came into being on 22 September 1917 at Camp MacArthur, Waco, Texas as part of the 57th Field Artillery Brigade, better known as the Iron Brigade. The 120th Field Artillery Regiment previously had been the 1st...

• Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 120th Field Artillery

Wisconsin Rapids

• Battery A, 1st Battalion, 120th Field Artillery – Marshfield

• Battery B, 1st Battalion, 120th Field Artillery – Stevens Point

32nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion

• Headquarters and Headquarters Co., 32nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion – Wausau

Detachment 1, Headquarters Co., 32nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion – Merrill

• Company A (Engineer), 32nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion – Onalaska

• Company B (MI), 32nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion – Madison

• Company C (Signal), 32nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion – Antigo

132nd Brigade Support Battalion

• Headquarters and Headquarters Co., 132nd Brigade Support Battalion – Portage

• Company A (Distribution), 132nd Brigade Support Battalion – Janesville

Detachment 1, Co. A, 132nd Brigade Support Battalion – Elkhorn

• Company B (Maintenance), 132nd Brigade Support Battalion – Mauston

• Company C (Medical), 132nd Brigade Support Battalion – Milwaukee

• Company D (FSC), 132nd Brigade Support Battalion – Baraboo

Detachment 1, Co. D, 132nd Brigade Support Battalion – Madison

• Company E (FSC), 132nd Brigade Support Battalion – Waupaca

Detachment 1, Co. E, 132nd Brigade Support Battalion – Appleton

• Company F (FSC), 132nd Brigade Support Battalion – Neillsville

Detachment 1, Co. F, 132nd Brigade Support Battalion – Eau Claire

• Company G (FSC), 132nd Brigade Support Battalion – Mosinee

Detachment 1, Co. G, 132nd Brigade Support Battalion – Wisconsin Rapids

The six additional units mobilized to augment the 32nd Brigade Combat Team have a combined authorized strength of about 1,050 soldiers in 10 Wisconsin communities. Units to be mobilized with the 32nd BCT are:

• Company B (Spt Maint), 257th Brigade Support Battalion – Kenosha

• 108th Forward Support Company – Sussex

• 32nd Military Police Company – Milwaukee

Detachment 1, 32nd Military Police Company – Oconomowoc

• 829th Engineer Company (Vertical) – Chippewa Falls

Detachment 1, 829th Engineer Company – Richland Center

Detachment 2, 829th Engineer Company – Ashland

• 1158th Transportation Company – Beloit

Detachment 1, 1158th Transportation Company – Black River Falls

• Battery A, 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery – Racine