28th Combat Aviation Brigade (United States)

The Combat Aviation Brigade, 28th Infantry Division is a heavy aviation unit of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. The Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) is one of five brigades of the 28th Infantry Division. It provides provides aviation assets for both federal and state active duty missions. The aviators of the CAB fly the AH-64D Apache, UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook helicopters. The CAB headquarters is at Fort Indiantown Gap, located north of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

The brigade is composed of the following additional units:

• Headquarters and Headquarters Company
• 1st Battalion, 104th Aviation Regiment (Attack) (PA NG)
• 1st Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment (Attack)
• 1st Battalion, 150th Aviation Regiment (Assault) (NJ NG)
• 2nd Battalion, 104th Aviation Regiment (General Support)
• 628th Support Battalion (Aviation)

Iraq deployment

Soldiers of the CAB, 28th Infantry Division began mobilization on 29 January 2009 for Operation Iraqi Freedom 09-11. Over 2,000 soldiers from multiple states completed validation training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma before moving to Camp Buehring, Kuwait. Throughout the opening days of May 2009, soldiers flew into multiple Forward Operating Bases across Iraq with the majority of the brigade based out of Tallil, Al Kut, and Basrah.^[1]

CAB – OIF Composition

• HQ CAB
  • 2nd Battalion (General Support), 104th Aviation Regiment
    • Company A (Assault), 1st Battalion, 106th Aviation Regiment
    • Company B (Heavy Lift), 2d Battalion, 104th Aviation Regiment
    • Company C (Attack), 3d Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment***
    • Company C (Medical Evacuation), 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment
    • Company D (Maintenance), 2d Battalion, 104th Aviation Regiment
    • Company E (Supply), 2nd Battalion, 104th Aviation Regiment
  • 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment (Montana National Guard)
  • 1st Battalion (Assault Helicopter), 150th Aviation Regiment
  • 1st Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment
  • 628th Support Battalion (Aviation)

(*** Co C, 3d Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment is a Regular Army unit that was OPCON to the 2d Battalion (General Support), 104th Aviation Regiment during OIF 08-10. They are currently task organized as a part of 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, stationed in Germany.)

References

1. ^ Pennsylvania National Guard's 28th Combat Aviation Brigade Assumes Authority of Multi-National Division – South Aviation Operations

• Global Security.Org, About the 28th Combat Aviation Brigade