3rd Battalion, 153rd Infantry Regiment (United States) was a United States infantry battalion, headquartered at Warren, Arkansas, assigned to the 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the Arkansas Army National Guard until it was deactivated on 5 September 2005.The Institute of Heraldry, Retrieved 13 January 2010, The history of the 3rd Battalion, 153rd Infantry as an individual battalion begins with the reorganization of the 39th Infantry Division in 1967 and the creation of the 39th Infantry Brigade (Separate). For history of the 3rd Battalion prior to 1967, see 153rd Infantry Regiment (United States) and 39th Infantry Division (United States).
3–153rd deployed soldiers to Bosnia in support of the Multi-National Security Forces (SFOR 9) and to Saudi Arabia in support of Operation Southern Watch. The 3–153rd deployed as a battalion under the 39th Infantry Brigade in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2004–2005. Company C, 3–153rd was award the Valorous Unit Award for the period 25 March 2004 – 20 January 2005 while serving with the battalion in the Adhamiyah neighborhood of Baghdad.
The 3rd Battalion was deactivated on 5 September 2005 when the 39th Infantry Brigade (Separate) was reorganized under the modular brigade combat team concept. The units of the 3–153rd were reorganized as the 1st Squadron, 151st Cavalry Regiment.
Creation of the 39th Infantry Brigade In 1967, the 39th Infantry Division was reorganized and redesignated as the 39th Infantry Brigade (Separate). In 1973 the 39th Infantry Brigade was paired with the US 101st Airborne Division as a training partner and became an air-assault brigade.
In 1994 the 39th was again reorganized and gained its designation as an "enhanced" brigade.
In 1999, the 39th became part of the 7th Infantry Division under the Army Integrated Division concept which paired National Guard and Reserve brigades with active duty headquarters and support units.Global Security.org, 39th Infantry Brigade (Light) (Separate/Enhanced), Retrieved 21 January 2010, http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/39in-bde.htm
Overseas training The 3rd Battalion, 153rd Infantry conducted an overseas training in 1990. Company C, 3–153rd conducted Annual Training in Honduras as part of the National Guard Bureau's Overseas Training Program.1967–2002, 39th Infantry Brigade (Separate), The Arkansas Brigade, 35 Years of Excellence, A Brief History of the 39th Infantry Brigade (Separate)
Operation Southern Watch Company B, 3rd Battalion, 153rd Infantry of the 39th BCT was activated for Operation Southern Watch in May through September 1999.Global Security. Org, 3–153rd Infantry Battalion, Retrieved 22 January 2010, http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/3-153in.htm Company B, 3-153 deployed to Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia. 39th Brigade Soldiers provided security at Patriot Missile Batteries during these deployments. The mission lasted a total of four months, and was the first "pure" National Guard effort in the region.1967–2002, 39th Infantry Brigade (Separate), The Arkansas Brigade, 35 Years of Excellence, Memorandum from BG Ronald S. Chastain
Security Force Nine (SFOR 9) In March 2001, Company D, 1–153rd and Company D, 3–153rd deployed to Bosnia as part of the Multinational Stabilization Force (SFOR), Security Force Nine in order to assist with the enforcement of the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH). The companies were attached to 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division for the deployment as part of Task Force Eagle. They performed presence patrols outside Forward Operating Base Morgan and Camp McGovern, and participated in the consolidation of weapon storage sites. The soldiers also guarded the sites.
Operation Iraqi Freedom II Ramp-up In 2002 the 39th Brigade was notified that it would be participating in a rotation to the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) at Fort Polk, LA. For National Guard brigades, a rotation is actually a three-year process that provides additional money, resources and training opportunities in order to improve unit readiness before the actual rotation through the JRTC. The brigade was required to complete a Mission Rehearsal Exercise during the Annual Training 2003 which was conducted at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas. Less than a month after the completion of this major training milestone, the brigade received its alert for deployment to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom on 28 July 2003.
Alert, train, and man the battalion On 12 October 2003, the 3rd Battalion, 153rd Infantry Regiment, commanded by LTC Mark Lumpkin, was ordered to federal service in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II for a period of up to 18 months. The 3–153rd IN would undergo post mobilization training at Fort Hood, Texas from October 2003 until January 2004. In January the 3–153rd shipped its vehicles and equipment to Iraq from Fort Hood, and then moved to Fort Polk for a Mission Rehearsal Exercise at the JRTC. While there, on 17 February 2004, President George W. Bush visited the 39th and had an MRE (Meal, Ready-to-Eat) lunch in a field mess tent with soldiers. After lunch, President Bush made brief remarks to the soldiers.
When the 3–153rd IN received its alert, it was approximately 130 soldiers short of its authorized end strength. This shortage was due in large part to the way new recruits are accounted for in the National Guard. In the active army a new recruit only comes to a unit and is counted on its books after the soldier has completed Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training. In the National Guard, the new recruit is counted on the unit's strength reports as soon as the soldier signs his contract. The brigade had over 500 soldiers who had not completed either Basic or Advanced Individual Training upon alert.
This shortage led to the decision to consolidate the available manning into two infantry battalions that would be supplied for the brigade by the Arkansas National Guard and to ask National Guard Bureau to provide the third infantry battalion. Because of the 2002 deployment of the 2-153 Infantry Battalion to the MFO, the battalion was deemed non-deployable as an organization, however the soldiers of the battalion were to deploy. The decision was made by BG Chastain to consolidate the three infantry battalions into two battalions and request an additional battalion from National Guard Bureau. The 3rd Battalion, 153rd Infantry Regiment was one of the two Arkansas infantry battalions which would deploy. The battalion commander (LTC Kirk Van Pelt) and staff from 2–153rd IN were transferred to 3–153rd IN Infantry. The 3–153rd IN battalion commander and staff were transferred to 2–153rd IN and were designated to function as the brigade's rear detachment during the deployment. This transfer led to the 3-153 IN often being referred to as the Two-Thirds (2/3) Battalion by members of the 39th BCT. 3–153rd IN adopted the 2–153rd IN's nickname and call sign, "Gunslingers" for OIF II.
Consolidation for deployment During consolidation of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions 153rd Infantry for OIF II, efforts were made to maintain unit integrity at least at the platoon level. The units were consolidated in the following fashion:CPT Slade McPherson, 3rd Battalion Administrative Officer, 2002–2007, 3rd Battalion Consolidation Plan
Battalion Headquarters OIF II Deployed Unit Consolidated Units 3rd Battalion, 153rd Infantry HHC, 3–153rd HHC, 2–153rd Company A, 3–153rd Company A and a Plt from C/3-153rd Company B, 3–153rd Company B, 2–153rd Company C, 3–153rd Company A, 2–153rd, and a plt from C/2-153 Company D, 3–153rd Company D, 2–153rd and a Plt from D/3-153rd 1st Battalion, 153rd Infantry HHC, 1–153rd HHC, 1–153rd Company A 1–153rd Company A and 2 Plts from B/1-153rd Company B, 1–153rd Company B, 3–153rd and a Plt from D/3-153rd Company C, 1–153rd Company C, 1–153rd Company D, 1–153rd Company D, 1–153rd and 1 Plt from D/3-153rd
Operation Bowie Fury Mission statement 3–153rd conducts combat missions and stability operations and support operations (SOSO) in order to set the conditions for a safe and secure Baghdad and greater Iraq.
Area of operations The 3rd Battalion, 153rd Infantry Regiment relieved the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery and 3rd Battalion, 7th Armor, of 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division in the Baghdad neighborhood of Adhamiyah. This relief in place took place in the midst of a multiparty insurgency uprising.Restoring Essential Services in Baghdad During Operation Iraqi Freedom II, Colonel L. Barrett Holmes, The U.S. Army War College, Page 5 The brigade's convoys were heavily opposed during the convoy north.Stars and Stripes Mideast edition, 39th Brigade passes torch at Camp Taji, Vince Little, Saturday, 12 March 2005, retrieved 19 January 2010, http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=27694 3–153rd was stationed at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Gunslinger (aka FOB Solidarity), in the Adhamiyah neighborhood of Baghdad which lies immediately to the west of Sadr City. Soldiers of Company C, 3-153rd were stationed at Patrol Base Apache (also known as Fort Apache) the former Adhamiyah Palace, which was prominently displayed in the 2004 documentary film Gunner Palace. Additionally 3-153rd was charged with patrolling a large area of operations that stretched north from Baghdad along the east side of the Tigris River, and included the city of Hussainiyah, a town of 500,000 about twelve miles north of Baghdad. 3–153rd was tasked with providing a Military Assistance Training Team to support the Headquarters and Companies C and D of 301st Iraqi National Guard Battalion, and Company C, 102nd Iraqi National Guard Battalion.1st Cavalry Division History, Order of Battle, Retrieved 21 January 10, http://www.first-team.us/tableaux/apndx_03/
Significant combat actions 3–153rd was responsible for the development of various tactics, techniques and procedures related to sniper operations. On 9 June 2004, 3rd Battalion snipers engaged and destroyed an enemy 60mm mortar team attempting to attack elements of the 1st Squadron, 5th Cavalry Regiment on the FOB Justice (the former Iraqi Ministry of Justice).DA Form 7594, Unit Award Recommendation, Meritorious Unit Award Recommendation submitted by 3rd Battalion, 153rd Infantry for OIF II This engagement was the first successful sniper engagement against an enemy mortar in Task Force Baghdad. On 29 August 2004, and 13 January 2005, battalion snipers engaged and destroyed enemy 82mm mortar teams. Battalion snipers also destroyed two enemy Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) teams, one enemy machine gun team and various other small unit formations. In all the 3rd Battalion snipers accumulated over 3,000 hours in observation and hide sites in the battalion's area of observation.
The battalion conducted over twenty battalion level operations ranging from cordon and search operation, raid, and movement to contact. These operations resulted in the capture of two-hundred enemy personnel and the destruction of over one hundred and twenty enemy fighters. The battalion's subordinate companies conducted over two hundred fifty company level operations and conducted over one thousand five hundred patrols. The 3rd Battalion also confiscated thousands of pounds of enemy arms, ammunition and equipment.