MEDIA ADVISORY: DIVWEST to deactivate 166th Aviation Brigade Wednesday

FORT HOOD, Texas — First Army Division West will deactivate its 166th Aviation Brigade here at Cameron Field near its headquarters Wednesday at 9 a.m.

Since 2013, the 166th validated 30 units for deployment, including two combat aviation brigade headquarters, totaling over 3,400 Soldiers and over 100 aircraft deploying to Kuwait. The 166th is the only unit in the Army with the authority to validate the post-mobilization training of Reserve component aviation units, which make up 48 percent of the Army's total aviation force.

The 166th’s 2nd Aviation Battalion, 291st Regiment will merge into the 120th Infantry Brigade, allowing DIVWEST to retain the capability to train, deploy, and redeploy Army Aviation elements.

Under Operation Bold Shift, Division West is reducing force structure in accordance with First Army’s concept plan, which calls for consolidating and converting eight brigades to four brigades. The process began at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, when DIVWEST’s 191st Infantry Brigade deactivated Jan. 8, and merged with the 189th Infantry Brigade (Combined Arms Training Brigade), assuming the role as DIVWEST’s sole training representative on the west coast.

On June 10, DIVWEST’s 402nd Field Artillery Brigade at Fort Bliss, Texas deactivated and merged with the 5th Armored Brigade there.

Division West, a subordinate unit of First Army, headquartered at Rock Island, Illinois, trains and validates Army National Guard and Army Reserve Soldiers for deployment to combat and other contingency operations. The division also trains units of the active Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps and United States partner nations, for a total of nearly 40,000 service members every year.

Media representatives interested in attending the 166th deactivation ceremony should contact the Division West Public Affairs Office and arrive at the Fort Hood Visitor Center no later than 8:15 a.m. Wednesday to be escorted to Cameron Field.

For more information about the 166th deactivation ceremony, contact Michael Novogradac, Division West Public Affairs chief, or Sgt. First Class Thomas Wheeler at (254) 553-5003. Email: [email protected]