FORT BRAGG, N.C. – With a final roll in front of family, friends and alumni, the guidon of Fox Company, 91st Civil Affairs Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), was cased on March 6. This marked the formal inactivation of a unit whose work was pivotal to U.S. Army missions across Africa, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific.
The ceremony, steeped in military tradition, symbolized the end of the company’s mission as part of a broader transformation within U.S. Army Special Operations.
The strategic realignment is designed to maximize adaptability to the complex and evolving security environments across Africa, the Indo-Pacific and the Middle East, where Fox Company’s Soldiers have been continuously deployed for the past 15 years.
While the unit’s guidon will no longer fly, the missions it supported are ongoing. The inactivation is not an end, but a transformation, with the company’s operational lineage and its Soldiers being integrated into Special Operations restructure.
“From day one, the mission was clear and the tempo was high. Fox Company didn’t just meet the standard; it set the standard. By 2012 its Soldiers were spread across a vast expense of Trans-Sahara, from Somalia to Nigeria,” said U.S. Army Maj. Kristopher Levy, the 91st Civil Affairs Battalion executive officer and former Fox company commander, as he reflected on the unit’s history. “The following year they were in the mountains of Afghanistan.”
Operating in environments where trust is the ultimate currency, Civil Affairs Soldiers from Fox Company served as the essential link between military commanders and the civilian populations around them. Their primary role was simple; understand and engage the human terrain. This included advising local and national leaders on governance, facilitating humanitarian assistance, and coordinating with non-governmental organizations to support regional stability.
“To the Soldiers of the 91st, this is a moment not just to remember Fox Company’s history, but the immense responsibility entrusted to all of us as you witness constant change in the world and challenges on the horizon. We are reminded of a stark truth that we do not choose the time or place of the next call,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Micheal Veglucci, commander of the 91st Civil Affairs Battalion, as he addressed the Soldiers and alumni of Fox Company. “It is for this reason that we must remain ready, professional, prepared, and deeply committed to the mission.”
These Soldiers worked alongside U.S. forces, partner forces, allies, and local leaders, often in remote and austere locations. Civil Affairs Soldiers help villages secure a clean water source, advise local officials on public services, or simply building rapport with community elders. Their efforts were critical to mitigating conflict and fostering long-term security. This work behind the scenes was fundamental to creating the conditions necessary for broader mission success, helping to counter malign influence and deny sanctuary to extremist organizations.
For the Soldiers attending the ceremony, it was a moment of reflection.
“It’s true, Fox Company was established in October 2010, however the official history fails to mention how the company was initially a collection of freshly minted Civil Affairs NCOs and officers straight out of the qualification course mixed with groups from other organizations,” said Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Angelo Gutierrez.
Although their company is now part of history, the skills of the Soldiers of Fox Company remain in high demand. The Fox Company Soldiers will be reassigned, bringing their invaluable experience and regional expertise to other Special Operations units supporting U.S. Africa Command, U.S. Pacific Command and U.S. Central Command.
As the guidon is cased, it marks the conclusion of a long chapter of Civil Affairs history. Yet, the legacy of Fox Company remains etched in the strengthened partnerships and stabilized communities it left behind, a testament to the quiet professionals who lived up to their commander’s charge.
Fox Company’s guidon may be rolled up and stored away, but to those who served under it, one thing remains, the essence of the 91st Civil Affairs Battalion and its never-ending legacy.