2nd Brigade Combat Team , 1st Infantry Division ( United States ) The 2nd Brigade Combat Team , also known as the " Dagger Brigade " , is a maneuver brigade combat team in the U . S . 1st Infantry Division . The brigade is stationed in Fort Riley , Kansas . History . Origin . The 2nd Dagger Brigade was first constituted on 24 May 1917 as Headquarters , 2nd Infantry Brigade of the 1st Expeditionary Division , which was later designated as the 1st Division . The brigade comprised the 26th Infantry and 28th Infantry regiments . World War I . The 2nd Brigade deployed to France in December 1917 with the rest of the 1st Infantry Division as part of the American Expeditionary Force ( AEF ) , as the American military was known in World War I . The brigade participated in many campaigns , including the Meuse - Argonne Offensive and the Battle of Saint - Mihiel . The brigade redeployed at the end of World War I in August 1918 . World War II . At the start of World War II , the 2nd Brigade was stationed at Fort Ontario at Oswego , New York . When the United States Army reorganised from the square division to the triangular division each division lost one regiment , ( the 28th Infantry ) and the brigade structure . The brigade was relieved from assignment to the 1st Infantry Division on 16 October 1939 , and moved to Pierrepont , New York as a Separate Infantry Brigade on 29 March 1940 . The 2nd Infantry Brigade remained at Pierrepont , New York until 1 June 1940 , when they returned to Fort Ontario . 2nd Infantry Brigade was Inactivated on the same day . After the army ' s conversion to the triangular division , only two separate brigades were formed during World War II , the 1st Airborne Infantry Brigade and the 2nd Airborne Infantry Brigade both formed in 1943 . The 2nd Airborne Infantry Brigade was formed at Camp Mackall , North Carolina on 20 June 1943 and included the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment and the 508th Infantry Regiment . Shoulder sleeve insignia . The colours of the insignia are the traditional infantry colours of blue and white . Two bayonets reflect the number of the brigade . During World War II a black and gold " Airborne " tab was worn over the insgnia . Order of Battle . The Brigade deployed to Northern Ireland in January 1944 under its commander Brigadier General George P . Howell . In order to increase the strength of the 82nd Airborne Division that had one of its parachute regiments still deployed in Italy , the 2nd Brigade had its two regiments assigned to the 82nd , the Headquarters and Headquarters Company ( HHC ) also transferring to the 82nd with Howell becoming an assistant division commander of the 82nd Airborne . This unit was disbanded on 15 January 1945 in Europe Cold War . On 15 February 1958 the 2nd Infantry Brigade was re - activated at Fort Devens , Massachusetts as the Pentomic 2nd Infantry Brigade with its own shoulder sleeve insignia . It spent the next five years training in northern Massachusetts and Cape Cod . The Brigade was prepared to support the Marines landing in the 1958 Lebanon crisis but did not deploy . Order of Battle . It was inactivated on 19 February 1963 at Fort Devens ; in 1962 when it was reflagged as 2nd Brigade , 5th Infantry Division . It was reactivated on 23 October 1963 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company , 2nd Brigade , 1st Infantry Division and moved ( with the rest of the Division ) to Fort Riley , Kansas in January 1964 . Vietnam . On 12 July 1965 , the 2nd Brigade landed at Cam Ranh Bay and Vung Tau , making it the first element of an Infantry Division to arrive in Vietnam . On 30 July 1969 , the unit was visited by President Richard Nixon on his visit to South Vietnam . He met with the troops in Di An . The brigade returned to Fort Riley , Kansas in April 1970 . Distinctive Unit . On 11 December 1980 the 2nd Brigade was authorized their own Distinctive Unit Insignia ( DUI ) . It is described as " " a silver device 1 inches in height overall consisting of a blue arrowhead on which is superimposed a silver lion . " " Desert Storm . The Dagger Brigade deployed from Fort Riley , Kansas to Saudi Arabia in December 1990 as part of the United States ' offensive buildup . The brigade was commanded by Colonel Anthony Moreno . The brigade was composed of 2 – 16 Infantry Battalion , 3 – 37 Armor Battalion , and 4 – 37 Armor Battalion , plus supporting units . The brigade redeployed to Fort Riley in May 1991 . Bosnia and Herzegovina . On 15 February 1996 the " Dagger Brigade " was relocated with the rest of the 1st Infantry Division to Europe . The " Dagger Brigade " replaced the U . S . 3rd Infantry Division ' s " Raider Brigade " in Schweinfurt , Germany . Also in February 1996 the " Dagger Brigade " deployed units to Bosnia and Herzegovina to participate in Operation Joint Endeavor with the US 1st Armored Division . On 7 October 1996 , the Brigade Combat Team deployed to Bosnia to cover the US 1st Armored Division ' s redeployment to Germany . The brigade participated in Operation Joint Endeavor and Operation Joint Guard , and served as a stabilization force . The brigade redeployed to Schweinfurt in May 1997 , except for the 1 – 77 Armor Battalion task force , which stayed in Bosnia until November 1997 . Kosovo . The " Dagger Brigade " served in Kosovo in 1999 – 2000 and again in 2002 – 2003 . The " Dagger Brigade " deployed to the Balkans twice in 1999 , first as part of Task Force Sabre in Macedonia , then in Kosovo as part of Task Force Falcon . Task Force Falcon served as the U . S . component of the NATO - led Kosovo Force ( KFOR ) with the mission of conducting peacekeeping operations in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia ' a Serbian Kosovo province . TF Falcon was under the command of the 1st Infantry Division and included elements from the 1st Armored Division . The " Dagger Brigade " enetered the war - torn province of Kosovo on 12 June 1999 . TF Falcon headquartered at Camp Bondsteel , and grew into a Multi - National Brigade , including units from Greece , Russia , Poland , Ukraine , Lithuania , and the UK . Initial efforts focused on monitoring and verifying the withdrawal of former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia " ( now Serbia and Montenegro ) " forces and later the demilitarization and transformation of the Kosovo Liberation Army . The " Dagger Brigade " rotated to Kosovo again in 2002 , this time focused on maintaining the secure environment established by coalition forces . Operation Iraqi Freedom II . In January 2003 , elements of the " Dagger Brigade " deployed to Turkey to support Operation Iraqi Freedom . Initial efforts were to prepare the way for the U . S . 4th Infantry Division to invade Iraq from the north . When the Turkish government denied access through their border , the 2nd brigade returned to Germany . In February 2004 , the " Dagger Brigade " deployed to northern Iraq to serve as part of the occupation force . The Brigade Combat Team included of 9th Engineer Battalion , 1 – 18 Infantry Battalion , 1 – 26 Infantry Battalion , 1 – 77 Armor Battalion , 2 – 108 Infantry Battalion , 1 – 7 Field Artillery Battalion , 299th Forward Support Battalion , 2nd Brigade Recon Team , and supporting elements . Operation Iraqi Freedom 06 - 08 . In August 2006 the 2nd " Dagger " Brigade Combat Team again deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from their home station in Schweinfurt , Germany . Task Force 1 – 26 ( BLUE SPADERS ) was sent ahead of the main body in an effort to curve the growing violence in Adamiyah , Shab and Uhr in North East Baghdad , Iraq . The Dagger BCT followed in September 2006 and assumed the mission as the CENTCOM reserve , positioned in Kuwait . Shortly after arrival in Kuwait , TF 1 – 77 AR ( STEEL TIGERS ) was deployed to Ramadi and TF 1 – 18 IN ( VANGUARDS ) was deployed to FOB Falcon , in the Rashid District of Baghdad , Iraq . The BCT Headquarters along with the 9th Engineers ( GILAS ) , 1 – 7 FA ( FIRST LIGHTNING ) , the 299th Forward Support Battalion ( LIFELINE ) and the BCT ' s four separate companies , were deployed to Camp Liberty , Baghdad . The DAGGER BCT assumed responsibility for Coalition Force activities in Northwest Baghdad in late October 2006 following Operation Together Forward II . The BCT assumed Command of 3 Task Forces already in Sector ; TF 1 – 22 ( REGULARS ) in the Abu Ghraib area west of Baghdad , TF 8 – 10 CAV in the Ameriyah district and TF 1 - 23IN ( TOMAHAWK ) , a STRYKER Infantry Task Force which operated mainly in the Ghazaliyah and Shulla districts of Baghdad . Throughout the BCT ' s tour of duty , they effectively integrated and employed a total of nine attached Task Forces including TF 1 - 22IN , TF 8 - 10CAV , TF 1 - 23IN , TF 2 - 8CAV , TF 2 – 12 CAV , TF 1 - 325AIR , TF 1 - 5CAV , TF 2 - 32FA and TF 1 – 64 AR . TF 1 - 22IN ( 1st BCT , 4th ID ) transitioned the Abu Ghraib district to TF 2 - 8CAV ( 1st BCT , 1st CAV ) . TF 8 – 10 CAV ( 4th BCT , 4th ID ) transitioned Ameriyah and Khadra to TF 1 – 5 CAV ( 2nd BCT , 1st CAV ) . TF 1 - 23IN ( 3 / 2 STRYKER ) transitioned Ghazaliyah to TF 2 - 12CAV ( 4th BCT , 1st CAV ) and the Tomahawks assumed responsibilities in Hurriyah and Khadamiyah . TF 1 - 325AIR ( 2nd BCT , 82nd ) arrived as part of the surge and assumed responsibilities for Khadamiyah , Hurriyah and some of the most dangerous Shia zones in Baghdad . TF 1 - 64AR ( 3ID ) relieved TF 1 - 5CAV for Khadra and Mansour , enabling TF 1 - 5CAV to fully focus efforts against Sunni extremists in Ameriyah . TF 2 - 32FA ( 4th BCT , 1st ID ) assumed responsibilities for Yarmouk and Hateen , completing the DAGGER BCT stance for OIF 06 - 08 . For the bulk of its deployment , DAGGER BCT would employ 5 maneuver Task Forces , from 5 different BCTs from 5 different installations in the Continental United States . Throughout the tour , 1 - 7FA would be attached to the Victory Base Defense Force , but provided reliable Fire Support to the DAGGER BCT ' s efforts across Northwest Baghdad . The 9th Engineers established a route clearing capability dubbed " DAGGER IRON CLAW " which served to clear more than 50 % of the routes in support of BCT , Division and Corps level efforts in Baghdad . The 299th Forward Support Battalion established an extremely active and vital Logistics Support Area in support of MND - Baghdad , and tirelessly sustained the BCT and all attached and detached formations while concurrently operating the Division Detainee Holding Area Annex . DAGGER BCT ultimately established 14 Joint Security Stations , multiple Safe Neighborhoods and formally partered with the Iraqi Security Forces in the Khadamiyah and Mansour Security Districts . Under Dagger BCT OPERATION MARBLE ARCH , sectarian violence was significantly reduced as the BCT fought to stop the expansion of Shia and Sunni criminals and extremists from the North East and West / South West respectively . The BCT and ISF leadership joined forces with the ARROWHEAD Stryker BCT for OPERATION ARROWHEAD STRIKE 9 , which enabled a true combined forces approach to eliminating Sunni extremist from critical areas across the Mansour and Khadamiyah security districts . These combined efforts fully integrated Coalition , ISF and Iraqi Municipal Service efforts and enabled the rapid expansion of safe neighborhoods and increased Iraqi civilian participation in the security and services efforts . Under DAGGER BCT OPERATION SEVENTH VEIL , corrupt ISF and Governmental Official ' s influence was significantly reduced with several key , senior - level officials being arrested and imprisoned and many others being put on notice . SEVENTH VEIL was conducted in full partnership with the leadership of the Kharkh Area Command . OPERATION SWITCHBLADE enabled the effective integration of volunteer security forces into the Combined Security Plan of the DAGGER BCT and partnered units of the Iraqi Kharkh Area Command , to include the combined units of the Khadamiyah and Mansour Security Districts . OPERATION OUR TOWN effectively linked the security apparatus with the essential services apparatus and served as a nexus for positive , real economic and essential service growth across North West Baghdad . The BCT effectively transitioned Coalition Force responsibilities to the 2nd BCT of the 101st in November 2007 and the Brigade re - deployed to Schweinfurt , Germany . 61 soldiers from the brigade lost their lives during the deployment . Return to CONUS . On 16 March 2008 , 1st Infantry Division ' s presence in Europe formally ended when the 2nd ( Dagger ) Brigade in Schweinfurt , Germany reflagged as the 172nd Infantry Brigade . As part of the Grow the Army Plan announced 19 Dec 2007 , the 172nd is one of two Infantry Brigades that will be activated and retained in Germany until 2012 and 2013 . The other Brigade is the 2nd Brigade , 1st Armored Division in Baumholder , Germany , which was reflagged to 170th Infantry Brigade on 15 July 2009 . On 28 March 2008 , the 3rd Brigade , 1st Armored Division ( HBCT ) inactivated at Fort Riley . The Soldiers and equipment currently assigned were reflagged as 2d ( Dagger ) Brigade , 1st Infantry Division ( HBCT ) , aligning all units on Fort Riley under the 1st Infantry Division . Units . The 2nd Brigade Combat Team as of 2008 is composed of the following : Return to Iraq . On 30 September 2008 , the Dagger Brigade Combat Team held its deployment ceremony on the Cavalry Parade Field at Fort Riley , KS . 2nd HBCT received their warning order from the Department of the Army to deploy in the fall of 2008 . In October 2008 the Dagger Brigade deployed to North West Baghdad in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom , they returned to Fort Riley September 2009 and then received the Meritorious Unit Commendation for their efforts in the support of Operation Iraqi Freedom . See details of their achievements at http : / / www . 1id . army . mil / UnitPage . aspx ? unit = 2bct Operation New Dawn . In November 2010 , the Dagger Brigade deployed to Baghdad , Iraq in support of Operation New Dawn as an Advise and Assist Brigade . The Brigade was the only maneuver Brigade in Baghdad and partnered with 7 Iraqi Army and Federal Police Divisions and 2 Corp Level Commands , which constituted half of the Iraqi Government ' s security forces . They redeployed in November 2011 . Africom . In 2013 , the " Dagger Brigade " will be designated as the main force for Africom .