Division West deactivates first brigade under Bold Shift

By Sgt. 1st Class Thomas Wheeler, Division West Public AffairsJanuary 13, 2015

Division West deactivates first brigade under Bold Shift
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Col. James W. Danna III, right, commander, 191st Infantry Brigade (Training Support), and Command Sgt. Major Michael J. Mingle, left, case the 191st colors during the brigade's deactivation ceremony held, Jan. 8, at Soldier Field House at Joint Base ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Division West deactivates first brigade under Bold Shift
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Col. James W. Danna III, right, commander, 191st Infantry Brigade (Training Support), and Command Sgt. Major Michael J. Mingle, left, case the 191st colors during the brigade's deactivation ceremony held, Jan. 8, at Soldier Field House at Joint Base ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Division West deactivates first brigade under Bold Shift
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Col. James W. Danna III, left, commander, 191st Infantry Brigade (Training Support), passes the 191st cased colors to First Army Division West commanding general, Maj. Gen. Jeffrey N. Colt, during the brigade's deactivation ceremony held, Jan. 8, at ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Washington (Jan. 12, 2014) -- As part of the Army's required drawdown, First Army Division West's 191st Infantry Brigade cased its colors during a deactivation ceremony, Jan. 8, at Soldier Field House.

As the 191st Infantry Brigade (Training Support) cased its colors, its sister brigade, the 189th Infantry Brigade (Combined Arms Training Brigade), assumed the role as Division West' sole training representative on the West coast.

"The inactivation of the 191st headquarters becomes the first significant act and event in Division and First Army's multi-year reorganizational effort called Bold Shift," said Maj. Gen. Jeffrey N. Colt, commanding general, First Army Division West.

In accordance with Operation Bold Shift, First Army's Department of the Army directed plan to reduce force structure will reduce First Army's training brigades from 16 to nine by 2016.

"At an institutional level, our Army must constantly assess the strategic and operational environments and make the adjustments as appropriate, force design and force structure in order to best address the security needs of the nation," said Colt.

Colt went on to say that consolidation under Bold Shift is a nested effort that will ultimately enhance First Army's resources and training capabilities.

"We'll also standardize -- to the highest degree possible -- our training formations that are essential to the enhancement of the Army's collective readiness," he said. "This is a multi-component effort with a concerted shift to pre-mobilization focus, rather than post. Our support will be focused on the total Army's readiness."

"Today marked, as General Colt mentioned, the transition and inactivation of the 191st Brigade and our transition to the 189th Combined Arms Training Brigade as part of First Army' Operation Bold Shift," said Col. James W. Danna III, commander, 191st Infantry Brigade (Training Support).

"Today gives us a chance to look at the brigade, the 191st that stands in front of you here, as it merges with the 189th, and we mark another year and another milestone in the 42-year history of mutli-component AC/RC [,or Active Component/Reserve Component] training here, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord," added Danna.

Danna went on to compliment the Soldiers of the 191st and applauded their hard work and dedication to their mission.

"You are the proud standard bearers today of all those that came before you," he said.

"It has been my honor to serve as your commander over the past 20 months. Your professionalism, excellence, and dedication to duty, which you do every day, comes through. I cannot think of a better way to go out than to lead the great outfit that you see here," he added.

In the absence of its sister brigade, the 189th Combined Arms Training Brigade, will continue its mission of mobilizing, and demobilizing RC units while shifting its primary focus to providing pre-mobilization support and training to RC units.

First Army will refocus its capabilities to advise, assist, and train Reserve Component units during pre-mobilization, all while improving and maintaining its ability to support RC unit readiness, maintain the necessary structure and know-how to support unit mobilization and post-mobilization training, and ensure First Army remains qualified in accordance with the 1993 National Defense Authorization Act.

HISTORY

The 191st Infantry Brigade was established, Jun. 24, 1921, in the Organized Reserves as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 96th Division. The 191st Infantry Brigade was organized, December of 1921, in Portland, Oregon and on Mar. 23, 1925, was re-designated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 191st Brigade. On Aug. 24, 1936, they were re-designated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 191st Infantry Brigade. Through multiple re-designations, inactivations, and reactivations over the years, the 191st was activated, Dec. 1, 2006, at Fort Lewis, Washington; receiving a change of mission to assist in the activation of the Fort Lewis Mobilization and Force Generation Installation. From 2006 to 2011, the 191st mobilized and demobilized more than 25,000 Soldiers, receiving the Army Superior Unit Award.

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