1ST INFANTRY DIVISION 2ND BRIGADE GUIDONS

UNITED STATES ARMY

2nd ARMORED BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM, 1st INFANTRY DIVISION (UEx)
Unit Guidons

The US Army's armored brigade combat team (ABCT) is built around the new combined arms battalion (CAB), of which it has three. Initially organized with a headquarters company, two mechanized infantry companies and two armored companies, CABs are are affiliated with either armor, cavalry or infantry regiments. For armor- and infantry-affiliated CABs the battalion's organization color and the guidon of its headquarters company reflect the regimental identity, while the other companies have branch-oriented guidons. Companies of cavalry-affiliated CABs all use Cavalry branch guidons. The headquarters company and companies A and B of the brigade engineer battalion (BEB) use Engineer branch guidons and the other two companies have branch-oriented guidons. The headquarters company and forward support companies of the brigade support battalion (BSB) have buff guidons with scarlet letters and numerals but no branch insignia; the other three companies have branch-oriented guidons. The headquarters company of the brigade uses a guidon of the standard pattern for brigades of divisions.

As reorganized in 2014-15 the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team ("Dagger Brigade") of the 1st Infantry Division has two armor-affiliated CABs and one infantry-affiliated CAB, as shown by the HQ company guidons below. Note that the 4-7 FA has only four battery elements. Instead of the traditional organization (HQ battery, three firing batteries, service battery) FA battalions are now configured with an HQ battery and three firing batteries only. Each battery has six howitzers for a battalion total of eighteen guns. The functions of the service battery have been assumed by the forward support company of the BSB dedicated to the FA battalion (Company F). Cavalry units organized as CABs use the titles "battalion" and "company," while those organized as reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition (RSTA) units use the titles "squadron" and "troop."

In 2016 a further reorganization reduced the CABs to three maneuver companies each. Armor-affiliated CABs now have two armor companies and one mechanized infantry company; Infantry-affiliated CABs have two mechanized infantry companies and one armor company. The redundant armor company was reflagged to the cavalry reconnaissance squadron as Troop D. (Armor).