Photo By 1st Lt. Christian Brooks | KATTERBACH, Germany - Lt. Col. Comador M. Ferguson III (left) and Command Sgt. Maj....... read more read more
Subscribe
ANSBACH, Germany – The 12th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) has reflagged its attack battalion from 1st Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment (Attack), to 2nd Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment (Attack), effective immediately, Oct. 14, 2025.
The activation of the “Gunslingers” Battalion is largely a change in name-only for the 12th CAB, part of the wider Army Aviation Transformation Initiative (AATI). This action returns the 1-3 Attack Battalion lineage to the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Stewart, Georgia, while re-activating a historic unit name for the U.S. Army’s attack presence in Europe.
“We are redesignating back to 2-159th, and my team is excited to resume the heritage of this storied unit,” said Lt. Col. Comador M. Ferguson III, commander of the 2-159th Attack Battalion. “We will continue to fly and fight the world’s most technically advanced Apache with a laser-like focus on addressing potential near-peer threats, while continuously showcasing our expertise in hard-hitting, gritty lethality.”
Crucially, no Soldiers or equipment will be leaving the 12th CAB. The personnel, helicopters, and mission readiness currently provided by the unit remain here in Germany, continuing their vital role in support of U.S. Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF).
The return of the 2-159 name reestablishes a unit with a strong connection to Germany. The 2nd Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment was originally constituted in 1968 and was reorganized and redesignated in August 2006 as the 2nd Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment, stationed in Germany at Storck Barracks. In October 2015, as part of a restructuring initiative, it was reflagged as the 1st Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment at Katterbach, the name the battalion carried until this current transformation under the AATI.
“Katterbach has always been more than a duty station; it’s a home to generations of Soldiers, Families, and our German neighbors who have welcomed and supported us,” said Col. Adam R. Bock, commander of the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade. “As we reactivate the 2-159th Attack Battalion, let us also rededicate ourselves to the mission, to one another, and to the trust placed in us by our nation.”
| Date Taken: | 10.14.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 10.23.2025 05:20 |
| Story ID: | 550324 |
| Location: | DE |
| Web Views: | 28 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, 2-159th Attack Battalion Activates, Continuing 12th CAB's Attack Aviation Legacy in Europe, by CPT Lydia LaRue, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
