A patchwork of 28th Infantry Division units

Photo By Lt. Col. Cory Angell | Col. Mark P. O’Neill Jr., commander, 3rd Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, works through an exercise at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calf. The round patch representing the unit replaced the 28th Divsion's Keystone when the unit was reorganized. photo provided by the unit  

WILKES-BARRE, PA, UNITED STATES

09.24.2018

Story by Cory Angell 

28th Infantry Division

Harrisburg, Pa – Units with the 28th Infantry Division have undergone major changes over the past few years. The traditional red keystone that use to be seen in units across the state has been changed in some regions as units have converted from the old 55th Brigade headquartered in the northeastern part of the state. The “Bloody Bucket;” a name given to the division patch by the German soldiers they fought in World War II, has been replaced with new insignia. Many of those division soldiers that serve still do so under new colors.

“While it may have been difficult for some to replace the Keystone with a 278th patch, our Soldiers are professionals. Like Patton; ‘they fight where they're told and they win where they fight’,” said Maj. Thomas Rebuck, Executive Officer, 3rd Battalion, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment. “We completed a National Training Center Rotation in May and will be deploying to Poland in late Spring of 2019.” Rebuck said the unit will be the core of the task force Battle Group Poland as part of the Enhanced Force Presence mission.

“I think the biggest challenge hasn't been the swap to an armored cavalry regiment as much as it is the OPTEMPO [operational tempo] for an Enhanced Readiness Unit,” said Rebuck. “We are located in Danville, Lewisburg, Lock Haven, Wellsboro and Williamsport here in Pennsylvania but our unit patch is from the Tennessee, National Guard.”

The 3rd Battalion, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, nicknamed Pacesetter, is part of the larger change to the 55th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade. The 55 MEB consists of many other units and also has its own insignia this one a larger style keystone with a rearing horse silhouetted.

The MEB tends to look much like its old self when you look at its organizational chart; with units like the 109th Field Artillery located in Wilkes Barre, Plymouth and Nanticoke, Pa. The 109th now wears the 169th Field Artillery Brigade patch; they are affiliated with the Colorado National Guard.

The 337 Engineering Battalion for the MEB is located in Scranton, Fort Indiantown Gap and Johnstown, Pa. While the MEB’s 213th Signal Company is located in Tobyhanna, Pa.

Something new that left the 28th infantry Division’s structure returned. The 165th Military Police Battalion is located in Fort Indiantown Gap, Friedens and Johnstown, Pa. Like the 3/278 ACR, this unit has a mission. They departed in Sept. 2018 for the Middle East in support of Operation Spartan Shield with approximately 160 Soldiers.

The 28th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade underwent change in 2016 when the attack helicopter mission left the National Guard and is now solely in the active Army. Interestingly the keystone patch can be found in places outside of Pennsylvania with the structure of units changing over the years.

“The 1st Battalion, 104th Aviation deactivated but we still had the remaining units,” said Capt. Travis Mueller, Public Affairs Officer, 28th ECAB. “The 2nd Battalion, 104th General Support Aviation Battalion has units that serve outside of Pennsylvania in New Jersey, West Virginia, Nebraska and Alaska.”

The other state with keystone patches is Maryland.

“We have the 175th Infantry Regiment in our brigade,” said Maj. Gary Zembower, the 2nd Brigade Infantry Combat Team, administrative officer. “If the brigade were to be mobilized that regiment from Maryland would fall under us when we were federalized. Their training aligns with our brigades to meet all requirements and they come together with us for all brigade Capstone training events. The Brigade Warfighter Exercise this past year at Fort Indiantown Gap and an upcoming exercise in June 2019 at Ft. Pickett, Va. are prime examples of how we train together.”

Although the patches have changed and the keystone has traveled outside the state the mission remains the same with divisional and other National Guard units be trained up and deployed regularly. The 28th Division Headquarters will return in the fall of 2018 after serving in Operation Spartan Shield over the past year.

• Date Taken: 09.24.2018
• Date Posted: 09.24.2018 15:13
• Story ID: 294174
• Location: WILKES-BARRE, PA, US