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29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (United States)
Encyclopedia
The 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team is an Infantry
brigade
of the United States Army National Guard of Hawaii.
(HIARNG). Since 1995, the brigade has been one of the nation's 15 elite enhanced readiness brigades. This distinction means that the 29th must be trained and equipped to deploy within 90 days of a federal call-up. The brigade has become a truly pan-Pacific brigade with units located on the islands of Hawaii, Maui
, Oahu
, Molokai
, and Kauai
; in the states of Arizona
, California, Minnesota
, and Oregon
; and, on the Pacific islands of American Samoa
and Guam
, and the Northern Mariana Islands
.
The brigade consists of units that span the State of Hawaii. Its Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 229th Military Intelligence Company, and 29th Support Battalion are located on Oahu at its Kalaeloa facilities, formerly known as Barbers Point Naval Air Station. The bulk of the 227th Engineer Company's heavy engineering equipment which is so vital in war and during times of natural disaster is located in the HIARNG's Pearl City complex on Oahu. A combat engineering detachment is situated in the community of Keaau on the island of Hawaii. The brigade's 1st Battalion, 487th Field Artillery can be found on the outskirts of Wahiawa in Central Oahu.
The units of the brigade's 1st Squadron, 299th Cavalry, are strategically located in communities throughout the state. The battalion's headquarters and headquarters company is located in Hilo, Hawaii, with a scout platoon
detached to Kaunakakai, Molokai. The bulk of the battalion's Company A is located on Kauai in Kapaa, with a detachment in Hanapepe. Company B of the battalion is similarly split between the communities of Kealakekua and Honokaa on the island of Hawaii. Companies C and D are located in Kahului, Maui, and Wahiawa, Oahu, respectively.
Upon federal mobilization, the brigade's strength would increase as it is augmented by the 1st Battalion, 158th Infantry of the Arizona Army National Guard (ARNG), 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry of the California Army National Guard (ARNG), the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry of the U.S. Army Reserves (with units from the island of Oahu, Guam, and American Samoa), Troop F, 82nd Cavalry (Ground) of the Oregon ARNG, and Battery E, 216th Air Defense Artillery of the Minnesota ARNG.
On 20 July 2004 more than 2,100 soldiers were ordered to report for active duty 16 August 2004, about a month earlier than expected, to begin preparations for a year of combat duty in Iraq
. With six months of training time on the mainland and at least a year in Iraq, the Hawaii soldiers will be away at least 18 months. By late February 2005 the 29th Brigade replaced the 81st Brigade of the Washington Army National Guard
, whose major elements are north of Baghdad
in Balad
.
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...
of the United States Army National Guard of Hawaii.
History
The 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team is the largest unit in the Hawaii Army National GuardHawaii Army National Guard
The Hawaii Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization...
(HIARNG). Since 1995, the brigade has been one of the nation's 15 elite enhanced readiness brigades. This distinction means that the 29th must be trained and equipped to deploy within 90 days of a federal call-up. The brigade has become a truly pan-Pacific brigade with units located on the islands of Hawaii, Maui
Maui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
, Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
, Molokai
Molokai
Molokai or Molokai is an island in the Hawaiian archipelago. It is 38 by 10 miles in size with a land area of , making it the fifth largest of the main Hawaiian Islands and the 27th largest island in the United States. It lies east of Oahu across the 25-mile wide Kaiwi Channel and north of...
, and Kauai
Kauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
; in the states of Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, California, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, and Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
; and, on the Pacific islands of American Samoa
American Samoa
American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa...
and Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
, and the Northern Mariana Islands
Northern Mariana Islands
The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , is a commonwealth in political union with the United States, occupying a strategic region of the western Pacific Ocean. It consists of 15 islands about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines...
.
The brigade consists of units that span the State of Hawaii. Its Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 229th Military Intelligence Company, and 29th Support Battalion are located on Oahu at its Kalaeloa facilities, formerly known as Barbers Point Naval Air Station. The bulk of the 227th Engineer Company's heavy engineering equipment which is so vital in war and during times of natural disaster is located in the HIARNG's Pearl City complex on Oahu. A combat engineering detachment is situated in the community of Keaau on the island of Hawaii. The brigade's 1st Battalion, 487th Field Artillery can be found on the outskirts of Wahiawa in Central Oahu.
The units of the brigade's 1st Squadron, 299th Cavalry, are strategically located in communities throughout the state. The battalion's headquarters and headquarters company is located in Hilo, Hawaii, with a scout platoon
Platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
detached to Kaunakakai, Molokai. The bulk of the battalion's Company A is located on Kauai in Kapaa, with a detachment in Hanapepe. Company B of the battalion is similarly split between the communities of Kealakekua and Honokaa on the island of Hawaii. Companies C and D are located in Kahului, Maui, and Wahiawa, Oahu, respectively.
Upon federal mobilization, the brigade's strength would increase as it is augmented by the 1st Battalion, 158th Infantry of the Arizona Army National Guard (ARNG), 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry of the California Army National Guard (ARNG), the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry of the U.S. Army Reserves (with units from the island of Oahu, Guam, and American Samoa), Troop F, 82nd Cavalry (Ground) of the Oregon ARNG, and Battery E, 216th Air Defense Artillery of the Minnesota ARNG.
On 20 July 2004 more than 2,100 soldiers were ordered to report for active duty 16 August 2004, about a month earlier than expected, to begin preparations for a year of combat duty in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. With six months of training time on the mainland and at least a year in Iraq, the Hawaii soldiers will be away at least 18 months. By late February 2005 the 29th Brigade replaced the 81st Brigade of the Washington Army National Guard
Washington Army National Guard
The Washington Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the Washington National Guard based in Washington. The history of the Washington Army National Guard dates back to 1854 with formation of the Washington Territorial Militia...
, whose major elements are north of Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
in Balad
Balad
Al-Balad is the historical area of Jeddah, the second largest city of Saudi Arabia. Balad can literally be translated as "The City." Balad is the historic center of the City of Jeddah. Balad traces its history 2,500 years back as a fishing village when the Quda'a fishermen tribe settled...
.
Order of battle
- 1st Battalion, 158th Infantry Regiment158th Infantry Regiment (United States)The 158th Infantry Regiment is a infantry unit of the Arizona National Guard. The regiment has served in World War I, World War II and Afghanistan.-History:...
(AZ ARNGArizona Army National GuardThe Arizona Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization...
) - 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment (USAR)
- 1st Squadron, 299th Cavalry Regiment
- 1st Battalion, 487th Field Artillery Regiment
- 29th Special Troops Battalion
- 29th Support Battalion
- The following units were added to the unit's command when it participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom 3:
- 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry Regiment (CA ARNGCalifornia Army National GuardThe California Army National Guard is the land force component of the California National Guard, one of the reserve component United States Army and is part of the United States National Guard. The California Army National Guard is composed of about 20,000 soldiers...
) - 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment (USARUnited States Army ReserveThe United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....
) - Troop F, 82nd Cavalry Regiment82nd Cavalry Regiment (United States)The 82nd Cavalry Regiment is a Regiment in the U.S. Army National Guard.-Distinctive Unit Insignia:* DescriptionA Gold color metal and enamel device 1 1/8 inches in height overall consisting of a shield blazoned: Or, a chevron enhanced rompu parti per chevron Azure and Gules in base between three...
(ORANGOregon Army National GuardThe Oregon Army National Guard is a Federally mandated and equipped military organization under the civilian direction of the Oregon Military Department, with the Governor of Oregon as its Commander in Chief. It responds to state and national emergencies, military conflicts and natural disasters,...
) - 227th Engineer Company
- 229th Intelligence Company
- Batteries D-E, 1st Battalion, 216th Air Defense Artillery Regiment
- 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry Regiment (CA ARNG