Task Force Mustang

Task Force Mustang is the deployment unit name for the Combat Aviation Brigade, 36th Infantry Division, Texas Army National Guard. The CAB completed a tour of duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in the fall of 2007 when it was relieved by the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, a similarly comprised regular army unit.

History

Task Force Mustang has previously deployed to Bosnia and Kosovo, and to the United States Gulf Coast in support of disaster operations following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Brigade Formation

During the brigade's deployment to Iraq it composed of over 2700 soldiers from 44 states. Approximately 2500 were from 16 state Army Guard units. The brigade was augmented by over 200 Individual Ready Reserve Army soldiers from 36 different states. The CAB, 36th Infantry Division is the first National Guard Combat Air Brigade under the Army's reformatting plan.

Global War on Terror

Task Force Mustang shipped to Iraq in September 2006 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, following a few weeks of Boots on the ground training at Camp Buehring, Kuwait in August. They completed five months of flight and Theatre Immersion training at Fort Hood, Texas and Fort Sill, Oklahoma and were certified "Fit to Fight" by Lt. Gen. Russel L. Honoré, commanding general, First U.S. Army, on 30 July 2006.

In the first eight months in Iraq, the CAB's units flew 51,000 combat flight hours while executing almost 7,300 combat missions. 36 CAB has hauled more than 230,000 passengers, moved more than 15 million pounds of cargo, conducted almost 60 large combat air assaults, provided outstanding Medevac support to save many Soldiers' lives, and supported ground troops with AH-64 Apaches every day.

Elements Which Deployed to Iraq

• HHC Combat Aviation Brigade, 36th Infantry Division - Headquarters and Headquarters Company

homebase: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Austin, Texas.

• 2d Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment - (Commander, LTC Christopher Petty, Command Sergeant Major, CSM Douglas Imfeld)

homebase: Buckley Air Force Base, Aurora, Colorado

• 1st Battalion, 131st Aviation Regiment

homebase: Fort Rucker, Alabama

• 1st Battalion, 108th Aviation Regiment

homebase: Topeka, Kansas

Unit became operational in Iraq on 1 November 2006 and was the last CAB unit to do so for the current Iraq deployment.

• 1st Battalion, 149th Aviation Regiment (Attack/Reconnaissance)

homebase: Ellington Field, Houston, Texas

• 449th Support Battalion (Aviation) {Commander, LTC Travis Richards, Command Sergeant Major, CSM Monroe Kelinske, Gunner, SPC Peter Taylor,HSC 449th ASB Commander, 1LT Michael McDonald, and 1SG Karl Thomas}

homebase: San Antonio, Texas

• OSACOM Battalion (Operational Support Airlift Command) — a mix of units that came together in October 2006 and will wear the 36th Inf Div patch while serving in Iraq over the next year. OSACOM flies the C-23 Sherpa.
• C Co (Air Ambulance), 1st Battalion, 111th Aviation Regiment - Home stations are in Arkansas and Florida, unit attached to 2nd Battalion (General Support), 135th Aviation Regiment in 2006 as an additional MEDEVAC Company in support of OIF.

Army Guard Unit personnel contributions

• Texas: 1000
• Colorado: 325
• Alabama: 300
• Kansas: 225
• Arkansas: 150
• Missouri: 100
• Minnesota: 100
• Nebraska: 90
• Iowa: 50
• Ohio: 50
• Utah: 40
• Mississippi: 40
• California: 30
• Georgia: 25
• New York: 25
• South Carolina: 15
• Pennsylvania: 15
• Florida 70
• Illinois 1

All troop strength numbers are approximate

Aircraft

The unit flew approximately 24 AH-64 Apache, 80 UH-60 Black Hawk, 12 CH-47 Chinook helicopters.

Referencesand external links

• News article 4 August 2006.
• US First Army website, 30 July 2006.
• Rocky Mountain News, July 28, 2006.
• US First Army press release, 28 June 2006
• Austin American-Statesman, June 28, 2006.
• San Antonio Express News article, April 8, 2006.
• Texas Guard publication, 5 April 2006.
• Summary of Army National Guard Aviation units, last date updated unknown.