Photo By Staff Sgt. Noah Sladek | All units from the Mercury Brigade go on a run for team building and morale on March...... read more read more
CAMP HUMPHREYS, REPUBLIC OF KOREA – 1st Signal Brigade (1st Sig Bde) can safely say it has stood the test of time, continuously proving its invaluable necessity as the brigade celebrates it’s 57th birthday April 1st, 2023 at Camp Humphreys, Republic of South Korea. Holding a special place in the world of the U.S. Army Signal Corps, 1st Sig Bde stands tall as a proud organization that never wavers at “Getting the Message Through.”
Forming in 1966 as the Strategic Communications Command Signal Brigade and eventually redesignated to the name it carries now in 1967, 1st Sig Bde would play a vital role in the Vietnam War. Comprising 12,000 soldiers and reaching 23,000 at the height of the war, the brigade would provide communications that would cover over 60,000 square miles. Never wavering, the 1st Sig Bde would not only set up signal towers, but on many occasions be forced to defend them as well from enemy attacks. For the work the organization performed in the Vietnam War they earned three Meritorious Unit Commendations and fifteen campaign streamers. General William C. Westmoreland, Commander of U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, from 1964-1968, stated “No combat operation in Vietnam has ever been hampered by the lack of communication-electronics support.”
In 1972 1st Sig Bde was transferred to the Republic of Korea and assigned to give support to the United Nations, United States Forces Korea, and Eighth Army, becoming the only signal brigade on the peninsula. For over five decades the brigade has been at the center of all communications support, constantly dealing with the challenges of upgrading their technology. Even this year, 2023, the brigade has moved into its new communication center that houses its own state of the art Army Enterprise Data Center, one of only a dozen in the entire military.
As we celebrate the brigade for its storied history, it is the people who have been there from the past to present who are the driving force of it all. Currently, with over 1,500 assigned personnel, 1st Sig Bde thrives because of their commitment to the mission. 1st Sig Bde prides itself in creating an environment that not only strives to be the best at signal support, but an organization that centers around family and friendship. There is never a holiday, or month that an event or gathering is not happening, whether that be from the Unit Ministry Team, the Soldier Family Readiness Group, or just the units coming together, the relationships formed here are truly everlasting.
“1st Sig Bde has truly become our family away from home” said Major Aiana Artis, the 1st Sig Bde Operations Officer-in-Charge. “Just being here I have learned a lot, I have experienced a lot in such a short amount of time and I truly appreciate them.”
As the brigade gets ready to celebrate its signal roots during Signal Week and bring together the soldiers for some competitive games and fun, it is also a time of reflection on what brought them to this point. Capping off that week, 1st Sig Bde will host a traditional military ball on the last day, the first theater-wide signal ball since 2019. Events such as Signal Week and the Signal Ball are fundamental to the brigade’s core and enhance the profession. “The relationships I have formed here will last a lifetime,” said Private First Class Lani Patterson, Network System Specialist for Bravo Company, 304th Expeditionary Signal Battalion-Enhanced. “I really am proud of everything I have accomplished here, and I am looking forward to the future. My unit has challenged me and pushed me to be the best Soldier I can be.”
1st Sig Bde will keep pushing forward and keep the momentum as it starts fresh in its 58th year. The brigade will continue to foster a culture of dedicated soldiers and civilian employees alike as they keep on their already very successful journey.
| Date Taken: | 03.30.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 03.29.2023 20:23 |
| Story ID: | 441525 |
| Location: | CAMP HUMPHREYS, KR |
| Web Views: | 81 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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