1st Squadron, 108th Cavalry Regiment

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 1st Squadron, 108th Cavalry Regiment


caption= 108th Cavalry Regiment distinctive unit insignia
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country= United States
allegiance= State of Georgia
branch= Army National Guard
type= Cavalry
role= Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (RSTA)
size= Squadron
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garrison= Calhoun, Georgia
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nickname= Roughriders
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battles= Iraq Campaign
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The 1st Squadron, 108th Cavalry Regiment is a Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition squadron of the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT), Georgia Army National Guard. 1st Squadron provides the 48th IBCT both mounted and dismounted reconnaissance capabilities. Prior to 2007, the unit was designated as the 1st Battalion, 108th Armor Regiment.

History

The 1st Battalion, 108th Armor mobilized for Desert Storm, but were not deployed in time to be able to participate in the war. After certifying at the National Training Center as combat-ready, they demobilized.

The 1st Battalion, 108th Armor deployed to Bosnia and Herzegovina for Stabilization Force (SFOR) Rotation 9 to provide support operations for Task Force Eagle (United States contingent to United Nations Operations in support of Dayton Peace Accord). The SFOR9 rotation was scheduled from April to October 2001.

The 1st Battalion, 108th Armor mobilized as a component of the 48th Brigade Combat Team in 2004 for combat operations in support of the Global War on Terrorism. It was augmented with an additional Infantry company from Alabama and organized as Task Force (TF) Roughrider. In May 2005 the unit began deploying to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and experienced some of the fiercest combat actions in the campaign. During the first half of the brigade's deployment (Spring 2005 through Spring 2006) to Iraq, the 1-108th spent much of its time conducting cordon and search operations, reconnaissance missions, and raids in Iraq's Triangle of Death region southwest of Baghdad. The unit's focus shifted during the second half of the deployment to a theater security mission primarily consisting of convoy escort and civilian military operations.

TF Roughrider suffered six casualties while deployed to OIF: SGT Michael J. Stokely, SPC Joshua P. Dingler, SGT Paul A. Saylor, SGT Thomas J. Strickland, SSG George R. Draughn, Jr., and SFC Robert Hollar, Jr. [CNN: U.S. & Coalition Casualties, August 2005 [http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/2005.08.html] ]

On April 20, 2006, at Ft. Stewart, members of the 1-108th returned home after a year of combat operations in Iraq.

As a part of the United States Army's ongoing transformation to a lighter, more modular force the 1st Battalion, 108th Armor was re-designated as the 1st Squadron, 108th Cavalry (RSTA) in 2007. The unit traded in its M1 Abrams tanks and most of its M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicles for up-armored HMMWVs. Most of the squadron's tank crewmen have reclassified to 19D cavalry scouts or 11B infantrymen. [48th IBCT soldiers transform from heavy armor to light infantry at annual training [http://www.dod.state.ga.us/armyguard/arngpages/48thtransforming.html] ]

In December 2007, the Georgia National Guard's 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) was alerted that it will be deployed to Afghanistan in the summer of 2009 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). It is expected that the unit will concentrate on training Afghan National Security Forces. [Five Guard brigades notified of 2009 deployments [http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=58192&archive=true] ]

Organization

*Headquarters and Headquarters Troop (HHT), located in Calhoun, GA
*A Troop (Cavalry), located in Rome, GA
*B Troop (Cavalry), located in Canton, GA
*C Troop (Infantry), located in Dalton, GA
*D Company (FSC), 148th Brigade Support Battalion, located in Cedartown, GA (attached)

References