528th Support Battalion (United States)

528th Support Battalion was transformed into the Brigade Troops Battalion (Airborne) on 2 December 2005. It was formed by redesignating the 13th Support Battalion 16 May 1987 and organized into three companies: HQ, A, and B. The lettered companies were formed as forward support units.

Overview
As part of Army Special Operations Command the unit, along with the 112th Signal Battalion, is tasked to provide full logistical support to Army Special Operations Forces forming along with several other units what was known as Special Operations Support Command, later reorganized as the 528th Sustainment Command. The Brigade Troops Battalion includes a wide variety of military occupation specialists: riggers, drivers, medics, mechanics, engineers, fuelers, cooks, etc.

Important dates
Throughout its short history the battalion was inactivated, reactivated, and redesignated numerous times. Officially it was constituted on 4 December 1942 in the US Army as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment (HHD), 528th Quartermaster Service Battalion and then activated on the 15th of same month at Camp McCain, MS. Further important dates are listed below:


 * 18 Jan 1944 – HHD 528 QB (Quartermaster Battalion)
 * 24 May 1946 – HHD 528 QB (M) (Mobile)
 * 1 Aug 1946 – HHD 528 Transportation Corps Truck Battalion (TCTB)
 * 1 Feb 1947 – HHD 528 QB
 * 20 Nov 1947 – Inactivated (France)
 * 12 Oct 1948 – HHD 426 QB allotted to Organized Reserve Corps (ORC) and assigned to the 2nd Army
 * 22 Oct 1948 – Activated at Clarksburg, WV
 * 8 Nov 1950 – Inactivated (West Virginia), withdrawn from ORC
 * 15 Jan 1952 – HHD 528 QB alloted to the Regular Army
 * 1 Feb 1952 – Activated at Camp Atterbury, IN
 * 5 Nov 1966 – Inactivated (Virginia)
 * 5 Sep 1969 – HHD 528 QB reorganized
 * 25 Sep 1969 – Activated at Phu Bai, Vietnam
 * 15 Apr 1971 – Unactivated (Vietnam)
 * 3 Jun 1986 – 13 SB organized and consolidated with
 * 16 May 1987 – 528 SB redesignated
 * 1 Nov 1995 – 528 SOSB (A) allotted to SOSCOM
 * 2 Dec 2005 – Inactivated at Fort Bragg; assets succeeded to the Brigade Troops Battalion (Airborne)

World War II
Sicily(Arrowhead) Rome-Arno Southern France(Arrowhead) Rhineland Ardennes-Alsace Central Europe

Vietnam
Summer-Fall 1969 Winter-Spring 1970 Sanctuary Counteroffensive Counteroffensive, Phase VII

Southwest Asia
Defense of Saudi Arabia Liberation and Defense of Kuwait

Decorations
Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Streamer embroidered HAITI Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Streamer embroidered PANAMA Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered IRAQ-KUWAIT (17 Jan. 1991 – 28 Feb. 1991, DAGO 14, 1993, DAGO 12, 1994)

Distinctive unit insignia
The insignia is the shield and motto of the coat of arms. The insignia was authorized for wear on 14 Jan. 1988


 * Blazon
 * Shield: Or, a dance of two vert between a fleur-de-lis and two arrowheads gules, in base a fountain
 * Crest: On a wreath of the colors (or and vert) a semi-oriental winged dragon gules, armed and langued vert, grasping two arrows saltirewise of the first
 * Motto: We Support to the Utmost
 * Symbolism: The heraldic dance is reminiscent of mountains while the fountain represents water. The fleur-de-lis is for France. These elements represent the service of the unit in Europe during World War II. The unit's two assault landings are indicated by the red arrowheads while the green refers to the organization's mission of support to Special Operations. The unit's service in Vietnam is symbolized by the dragon. Its wings and the crossed arrows refer to the battalion's mission and capabilities.

Chain of command
On the picture below 528 is on the far-right branch of the chain.