155th Armored Brigade Combat Team (Mississippi National Guard)

155th Armored Brigade Combat Team (Mississippi National Guard)
Unit name	155th Armored Brigade Combat Team
Dates	1968–present
Country	United States
Allegiance	Mississippi
Branch	Mississippi National Guard
Type	Armored brigade combat team
Role	Combined arms maneuver
Size	Brigade
Garrison	Jackson, Mississippi
Nickname	"Mississippi Rifles"
Motto	"Ready, Reliable, Responsive"
Colors	Blue and Gold
Battles	Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom
Decorations	Meritorious Unit Commendation, Joint Meritorious Unit Award

155th Armored Brigade Combat Team (Mississippi National Guard)

The 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) of the Mississippi National Guard is a modular armored brigade organized for combined arms operations, headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi. The brigade traces lineage to National Guard formations with service in World War I, World War II, and postwar reorganizations, and provides maneuver, reconnaissance, artillery, engineer, sustainment, and command-and-control capabilities to state and federal missions. The 155th ABCT has participated in major operations including Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and stability missions in Kuwait and Afghanistan.

History

The brigade's antecedents derive from the 20th-century Mississippi National Guard units that fought in Meuse-Argonne Offensive during World War I and various theaters in World War II such as the Mediterranean Theater of Operations and the European Theater. During the Cold War, Mississippi formations underwent multiple reorganizations tied to the Pentomic and later ROAD restructuring of the United States Army. The 155th designation was established in the late 1960s amid National Guard reorganization, aligning with the Army’s shift to brigade-centric structures exemplified by units like the 1st Cavalry Division and the 2nd Armored Division. In the 1990s the brigade contributed personnel to Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, and in the 2000s elements mobilized for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, integrating with formations including the III Corps and XVIII Airborne Corps.

Organization and Structure

The 155th ABCT is structured as a modern armored brigade combat team consistent with United States Army modular doctrine, comprising a brigade headquarters and headquarters company, two combined arms battalions, a combined arms battalion mechanized or armor-heavy affiliated with units like the 1st Battalion, 155th Infantry or similar state-designated battalions, a brigade reconnaissance squadron, a field artillery battalion, an engineer battalion, and a brigade support battalion. The brigade routinely coordinates with the Mississippi Air National Guard and joint partners such as Army National Guard divisions during joint exercises. Command relationships have included attachments to active-duty divisions and corps for mobilizations, mirroring historical tasking practices seen with formations such as the 82nd Airborne Division during joint training rotations.

Equipment and Insignia

The 155th ABCT fields armored and mechanized equipment consistent with ABCT configurations: main battle tanks comparable to the M1 Abrams, infantry fighting vehicles analogous to the M2 Bradley, self-propelled artillery systems similar to the M109 Paladin, engineer vehicles, and tactical logistics vehicles like the M939 series and HMMWV. Communications and command systems reflect Army standards including the Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System and tactical network radios interoperable with Blue Force Tracking. The brigade shoulder sleeve insignia and distinctive unit insignia incorporate state symbolism referencing Mississippi heritage and motifs used historically by state units such as the Mississippi Rifles, while unit guidons follow United States Army regulation patterns.

Deployments and Operations

The 155th ABCT and its subordinate units have deployed in force and through individual augmentee programs to operations in the Middle East and Central Asia. During Operation Desert Storm personnel supported armored and logistics missions in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. In Operation Iraqi Freedom the brigade provided route security, base defense, and partnered with Iraqi security forces in provinces including Anbar Province and Basra Governorate. Elements mobilized for Operation Enduring Freedom missions in Afghanistan provided advisory, force protection, and reconstruction support, integrating with coalition formations such as the International Security Assistance Force. The brigade also participates in homeland-response missions for Hurricane Katrina-type disasters and state emergencies under Title 32 activations.

Training and Facilities

The 155th ABCT trains at state facilities including the Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center and conducts combined arms live-fire and maneuver exercises at regional training centers such as the National Training Center (United States) at Fort Irwin and the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Johnson. Annual training cycles include collective training lanes, urban operations with partners like U.S. Army Corps of Engineers task forces, and pre-deployment mobilization at mobilization stations used by National Guard units. Professional development for leaders leverages schools such as the United States Army War College, the Command and General Staff College, and the NCO Professional Development System.

Honors and Decorations

Subordinate units within the 155th ABCT have received unit-level awards including the Meritorious Unit Commendation and the Joint Meritorious Unit Award for service during overseas deployments. Campaign participation credits span operations tied to Southwest Asia campaigns and post-9/11 operations, and state awards have recognized disaster response contributions in events like Hurricane Katrina and flood relief operations in Mississippi.

Commanders and Notable Personnel

Commanders and senior leaders have included Mississippi National Guard general officers and brigade commanders who later served in state and federal capacities, often coordinating with leaders from formations such as the National Guard Bureau, the United States Northern Command, and the Department of Defense. Notable personnel have included career National Guard officers who advanced to flag rank, veterans who served in combined arms billets alongside active-duty counterparts from divisions like the 1st Infantry Division, and enlisted leaders recognized by organizations such as the Sergeants Major Academy.

Category:Military units and formations in Mississippi Category:Brigades of the United States Army National Guard