86th Expeditionary Signal Battalion

The 86th Signal Battalion ("Tigers") of the United States Army is an element of 11th Signal Brigade. It is based at Fort Bliss, Texas. The unit mascot is the Tiger.

86th Signal Battalion
86th Signal Battalion Distinctive Unit Insignia
Active23 March 1966– 30 April 1971
1 July 1977 - present
Country United States
Branch United States Army
SizeBattalion
Part of11th Signal Brigade
Garrison/HQFort Bliss
Nickname(s)"Tigers"
Motto(s)"First Voice Heard!"
"Loud and Clear!"
EngagementsVietnam War
Gulf War
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Iraqi Freedom

Mission

The 86th Expeditionary Signal Battalion enables mission command for supported units, without Signal assets. The Battalion engineers, installs, operates, maintains, and defends network communications in support of Combatant Commanders and Joint Force Land Component Commanders.[1] The Battalion currently provides support to the Brigade Modernization Command and 1st Armored Division during the Network Integration Evaluation (NIE) held bi-annually in the Spring and Fall at Fort Bliss, TX and White Sands Missile Range, NM.

History

The 86th Signal Battalion was first constituted on 23 March 1966 in the Regular Army as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 86th Signal Battalion. The Battalion was officially activated on 1 June 1966 at Fort Bragg, NC. The battalion deployed to Vietnam from 1967 through 1971. On 30 April 1971 the Battalion was officially deactivated in Vietnam.

The Battalion was re-activated on 1 July 1977 at Fort Huachuca, AZ as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 86th Signal Battalion.[2]

In April 2011 the Battalion returned from a deployment from Afghanistan. Shortly after the deployment the Battalion completed a BRAC move to Fort Bliss, TX.[3]

Subordinate units

The 86th Signal Battalion is an Expeditionary Signal Battalion or "ESB". It comprises the following units:

  • Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC)
  • A Company (Expeditionary Signal Company)
  • B Company (Expeditionary Signal Company)
  • C Company (Area Signal Company)[1]

Capabilities

In the Spring of 2014 the Battalion was fielded with Warfighter Information Network - Tactical Increment 1b (WIN-T Inc 1b). The Battalion was the first ESB to be fielded with WIN-T Inc 1b. WIN-T Inc 1b, introduced the Network Centric Waveform into the tactical network which optimizes bandwidth and removed the military's reliance on costly civilian satellite services. It also introduced the colorless network. The colorless network enables the encryption of unclassified data when transmitted it over satellite and line of sight.[4]

Honors

Unit decorations
Ribbon Award Year Notes
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) 1966-1987 for service in Vietnam[2]
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) 1990–1991 for service in Desert Storm
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) 2002–2004 for service in Afghanistan[5]
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) 2006–2007 for service in Iraq[6]
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) 2010–2011 for service in Afghanistan[7]

Campaign streamers
Conflict Campaign Year(s)
Vietnam War Counteroffensive II 1966–1967
Vietnam War Counteroffensive III 1967–1968
Vietnam War Tet Counteroffensive 1968
Vietnam War Counteroffensive IV 1968
Vietnam War Counteroffensive V 1968
Vietnam War Counteroffensive VI 1968–1969
Vietnam War Tet 69 Counteroffensive 1969
Vietnam War Summer - Fall 1969 1969
Vietnam War Winter - Spring 1970 1970
Vietnam War Sanctuary Counteroffensive 1970
Vietnam War Counteroffensive VII 1971[2]
Operation Enduring Freedom Consolidation I 2002–2004
Operation Iraqi Freedom National Resolution 2006–2007
Operation Enduring Freedom Consolidation III 2010–2011

References
  1. "FM 6-02 : SIGNAL SUPPORT TO OPERATIONS" (PDF). Armypubs.army.mil. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 December 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  2. "Department of the Army - Lineage and Honors". History.army.mil. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  3. Amy McLaughlin (13 April 2011). "Uncasing ceremony marks signal unit's homecoming". Army.mil. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  4. Amy Walker, PEO C3T (5 March 2014). "New network technologies to support expeditionary signal battalions". Army.mil. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  5. "UNIT AWARDS" (PDF). Armypubs.army.mil. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 September 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  6. "UNIT AWARDS" (PDF). Armypubs.army.mil. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  7. "PERMANENT ORDERS 056~06" (PDF). History.army.mil. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
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