10th Sustainment Brigade (United States)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 10th Sustainment Brigade


caption=10th Sustainment Brigade shoulder sleeve insignia
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country=United States
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branch=United States Army
type=Sustainment Brigade
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command_structure=10th Mountain Division
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nickname=Muleskinners
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The 10th Sustainment Brigade is a sustainment brigadeof the United States Army. It provides logistical support to the 10th Mountain Division.

History

Origins

The soldiers of the 10th Division Support Command (DISCOM) can trace their heritage directly back to the Alpine Infantrymen and their pack mules that formed the Mountain Medical, Quartermaster, and Ordnance Maintenance Battalions which supported the US 10th Infantry Division during World War II. [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/10mtn-discom.htm GlobalSecurity.org: 10th Sustainment Brigade] , GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 04-15-2008.] The Division Trains, as they were called, were organized and assigned to the 10th Infantry Division on 14 June 1957 and activated in Germany. [http://www.drum.army.mil/sites/tenants/division/SPT-BDE/HQ/10th_SPT_BDE_HISTORY.htm 10th Sustainment Brigade Homepage: Unit History] , 10th Sustainment Brigade Staff. Retrieved 04-12-2008] on 1 July 1957. Moving forward, they exchanged their stubborn mules for wheeled ambulances, trucks and forklifts, and upon unit replacement in Germany, were inactivated at Fort Benning, Georgia on 14 June 1958.

When the Division was officially reactivated as the 10th Mountain Division on 13 February 1985 at Fort Drum, New York, the Division Trains found a new home. Redesignated as the 10th Division Support Command, the headquarters element organized with the 10th Supply and Transportation Battalion, the 10th Medical Battalion, and the 710th Maintenance Battalion (which became the 10th Forward Support Battalion, the 210th Forward Support Battalion, and the 710th Main Support Battalion respectively), all committed to supporting the Mountain soldiers in this new Light Infantry Division. On 16 August 1987, the 548th Supply and Services Battalion was moved from Fort McClellan, Georgia, and was assigned to the Fort Drum Garrison. On 16 November 1993, the battalion was reorganized as the 548th Corps Support Battalion and became part of the 10th DISCOM.

Gulf War onwards

Since its reactivation, the 10th DISCOM has earned a reputation of supporting the climb to glory. In September 1990, the 548th CSB deployed to Southwest Asia for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, providing critical combat service support to units operating in Saudi Arabia and Iraq. In 1992, elements of the 10th DISCOM were called upon twice for critical missions. In August, Muleskinners deployed to Florida in support of Hurricane Andrew Relief Operations, armed with a high level of expertise in providing desperately needed supply, maintenance, and medical support that rendered their services invaluable to the communities and lives they helped to rebuild. In December, the 10th DISCOM deployed again, this time to Somalia in support of Operation Restore Hope. The ranks and responsibilities of the Muleskinners grew dramatically as they sustained, maintained, and cared for several rotations of Division soldiers while supporting humanitarian assistance to the local population.

In September 1994, the 10th DISCOM was called upon again and deployed with the Division to Haiti in their traditional role as providers and sustainers, while also supporting humanitarian operations as part of Operation Uphold Democracy. In August 1999, elements of the 10th DISCOM deployed to the Balkans in support of peacekeeping operations as part of Task Force Eagle in Bosnia. In November 2001, elements from the DISCOM deployed to Kosovo in support of Task Force Falcon.

But the climb didn’t end there. Since October 2001, 10th DISCOM units have repeatedly deployed to both Afghanistan and Iraq in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. They have set new standards for combat service support and exceeded every one, to include providing support to the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), the 3rd Infantry Division, and the newly constituted Afghan National Army. During this period, the 10th DISCOM Headquarters itself deployed to Afghanistan for OEF IV to serve as the Joint Logistics Command-180.

Upon return the 10th DISCOM immediately began to transform to meet the new army requirements. The 10th DISCOM transformed into 10th Brigade Special Troops Battalion and the 548th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion.

References

External links

* [http://www.drum.army.mil/sites/tenants/division/SPT-BDE/HQ/10TH_SPT_BDE_INDEX_PG.htm History of the 10th Sustainment Brigade]
* [http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Sustain/10SustainmentBrigade.htm The Institute of Heraldry: 10th Sustainment Brigade]