10th Combat Aviation Brigade

Mission

Our mission is to maintain an aviation brigade, trained and ready to deploy anywhere in the world to conduct combat, combat support and combat service support aviation operations to enable the 10th Mountain Division (LI) to fight and win!

History

The 10th Aviation was constituted on Sept. 21, 1965, in the Regular Army as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 10th Aviation Battalion. The unit activated on Aug. 23, 1965, at Fort Benning, Georgia, and it was redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 10th Aviation Battalion, on Dec. 1, 1968.

The 10th Aviation was an important contributor to the U.S. Army’s efforts in Vietnam. The unit provided critical aviation support in the first Tet counter-offensive, and it distinguished itself by successfully fulfilling this vital role. The 10th Aviation regularly repeated this standard for success in the intervening years and was recognized for valorous acts at Dak To and Tuy Hoa, receiving Commendations (Army) and five awards for gallantry from the Republic of South Vietnam. The 10th Aviation was inactivated Dec. 30, 1980, at Fort Lewis, Washington.

On July 2, 1988, the 10th Aviation Brigade was reactivated at Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, New York, as part of the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry); it relocated to Fort Drum, New York, in 1990. Since then, it has played a key role in all division missions, to include support for Hurricane Andrew Relief in south Florida, Operations Restore Hope and Continue Hope in Somalia, Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti, SFOR and KFOR missions in Bosnia and Kosovo, and most recently, Operations Iraqi Freedom in Iraq and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. In each instance, the brigade demonstrated its capability to rapidly deploy and conduct aviation missions upon arrival while emphasizing safety and readiness.

In July 2003, the 10th Aviation Brigade Headquarters deployed to Bagram Airfield, and 2nd Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment, deployed to Kandahar Airfield in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) IV. While deployed, 10th Aviation Brigade assumed command of Task Force Panther, Task Force Talon, and Task Force Red Dawg (U.S. Marine Corps), and the brigade was renamed Combined Joint Task Force Falcon.

In January 2006, the 10th Aviation Brigade Headquarters, along with the newly formed 3rd General Support Aviation Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment, and 277th Aviation Support Battalion, deployed to Bagram, with 2-10 Aviation again deploying to Kandahar, this time with a slice of 277th ASB. Upon completion of their mission in support of OEF VII, the units returned to Fort Drum.

In October 2008, the 10th CAB Headquarters, along with 1-10 Aviation, 2-10 Aviation, 3-10 Aviation and 277th ASB, deployed to Contingency Operating Base Speicher, while 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, deployed to Mosul in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom VIII.

In October 2010, the 10th CAB Headquarters, along with Task Force Phoenix (3-10 Aviation), and Task Force Mountain Eagle (277th ASB) deployed to Bagram Airfield, while Task Force Knighthawk (2-10 Aviation) deployed to Forward Operating Base Shank, Task Force Tigershark (1-10 Aviation) deployed to Salerno, and Task Force Six Shooters (6-6 Cavalry) deployed to Jalalabad Airfield to support Operation Enduring Freedom XI.

In February 2012, the 10th CAB Headquarters, along with TF Phoenix (3-10 Aviation) deployed to Bagram Airfield, while TF Knighthawk (2-10 Aviation) deployed to FOB Shank, and TF Tigershark (1-10 Aviation) deployed to Salerno in support of Operation Enduring Freedom XIV.

In February 2013, the brigade successfully deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

In February 2015, D/10 “Gray Eagle” Company deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.

In October 2015, 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, deployed to South Korea with their OH-58D Kiowa helicopters. After their return from the rotation, the airframe was retired in July 2016, and 6-6 Cavalry transitioned into a heavy attack reconnaissance squadron (HARS) flying AH-64D Apache helicopters and RQ-7 Shadow unmanned aerial vehicles.

In March 2016, Soldiers of 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment, deployed to Iraq and Kuwait in an advisory role as part of Operation Inherent Resolve and Operation Spartan Shield.

In January 2017, D/10 “Gray Eagle” Company deployed to Iraq and Kuwait in support of both Operation Spartan Shield and Operation Inherent Resolve.

In February 2017, Soldiers of 10th CAB, augmented by 1-501st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, deployed across Europe in support of NATO and Atlantic Resolve 2.0.

In September 2017, 6-6 Cavalry returned to South Korea for a nine-month rotation to augment 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade, this time as an H-ARB.

Today, the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade stands ready to deploy in support of contingency operations worldwide.