FORT BENNING, Ga., (June 26, 2013) -- Fort Benning celebrated the history and contributions of the 192nd Infantry Brigade June 19 during its discontinuance ceremony on Parade Field at the National Infantry Museum.
The ceremony included the casing of its colors, with Col. Ronald P. Clark relinquishing command of the brigade that has conducted Army Basic Combat Training in direct support of the Global War on Terrorism since it was reactivated at Fort Benning in 2007.
"It's been great," Clark said. "It's been the best team I've been a part of in terms of the leaders, the Soldiers and the contribution we make to the Army."
Clark, commander of the brigade since June 2011, plans to attend a Senior Service College Fellowship at Duke University. He previously served with Fort Benning's Ranger Training Brigade as an assistant operations officer. Clark thanked the Soldiers who volunteered to defend their country, as well as cadre and their Families for the sacrifice and hard work to reorganize the brigade in the past two years.
Maj. Gen. H. R. McMaster, Maneuver Center of Excellence commanding general, said the brigade was responsible for "the most important mission in our Army."
"(It's) transforming these great civilian volunteers you see on the field today into Soldiers," he said. "Soldiers that are ready to fight and win and to access the skills necessary to join our teams across our Army and to pursue the enemies of our nation."
Earlier this year, battalions of the 192nd Infantry Brigade were reorganized in preparation for the brigade's discontinuance. According to Fort Benning officials, these actions are part of the Army's initiative to reshape its force to meet national security requirements more effectively, while reducing its end-strength from 562,000 at the end of fiscal 2012 to 490,000 by fiscal 2020.
This restructuring will save the Army an estimated $1,628,800 in fiscal 2014. Forty-four military positions and 27 civilian positions -- of which four are currently vacant -- were affected by the restructuring according to a Civilian Personnel Advisory Center study.
"The parts of the restructure are tied to our civilian workforce, and we couldn't do what we do in terms of the mission without those folks as part of our formation," Clark said. "The leadership here has found a way to keep everyone employed."
According to the Department of the Army, the restructuring is a result of local reduction of the number of units needed to train fewer Soldiers at Fort Benning due to the overall drawdown of the Army. Since the wartime highpoint in 2010, the number of Soldiers who train annually has dropped by about 23 percent.
"In three last years, we've gone from 12,000 trainees to 10,000 to 8,000 in training this year," Clark said. "We only have 11 companies in basic combat training and you don't need a brigade headquarters to command 11 companies. It's the right thing to do in regards to the Army in terms of right sizing the formation as we go forward."
Battalion-level units, including, 1st Battalion, 46th Infantry Regiment, 192nd Infantry Brigade, 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment, 192nd Infantry Brigade, 30th Adjutant General Battalion (Reception), 192nd Infantry Brigade, are now assigned to the 194th Armored Brigade.
192ND INFANTRY BRIGADE HISTORY
The 192nd Infantry Brigade was constituted June 24, 1921, in the organized Army Reserves as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, and assigned to the 96th Division in Seattle.
The unit was converted and re-designated in April 1942 (concurrently with the 191st Infantry Brigade) as the 96th Reconnaissance Troop of the 96th Infantry Division.
Ordered to active service Aug. 15, 1942, and reorganized at Camp Adair, Oregon, as the 96th Mechanized Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop, 96th Infantry Division.
Deployed in 1944 to Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, the 96th Infantry Division led the "Return to the Philippines Assault" and landed on Leyte Island on Oct. 20, 1944, during World War II.
The division seized Leyte beaches, Hill 120 and Catman Hill before moving inland to defeat major Japanese resistance and attacks at Tabonatabon and the Central Leyte Valley airfields. The division completed the Leyte mop-up and prepared to depart for the Ryukyus Campaign.
The unit landed again with the 96th Infantry Division during amphibious assault landings on Okinawa April 1, 1945. The division captured Dick Hill and Conical Hill and broke the resistance. The division completed the Okinawa mop-up in late July 1945 and sailed to Mindoro Island in the Philippines to prepare for the planned invasion of Japan.
The division returned to the United States in Jan. 1946 and was disbanded. The Cavalry Troop was inactivated Feb. 3, 1947, at Camp Anza, Calif.
The troop was re-organized and redesignated during the next 15 years, before the Brigade was finally deactivated from the 96th Infantry Division in Nov. 1962.
Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 192nd Infantry Brigade, remained inactive until withdrawn Feb. 8, 2007, from the Army Reserve and allotted to the Active Army as Headquarters, 192nd Infantry Brigade, and reactivated at Fort Benning.
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