201st Battlefield Surveillance Brigade The 201st Battlefield Surveillance Brigade ( BfSB ) is located at Joint Base Lewis - McChord , Washington . The 201st BfSB was transformed from the 201st Military Intelligence Brigade on 3 July 2008 , becoming the Army ' s third active duty surveillance brigade . The brigade improves situational awareness for commanders at division or higher so they can focus joint combat power in current operations while simultaneously preparing for future operations . The units have the tools to respond to the commanders needs from unmanned aerial vehicles to signals gathering equipment and human intelligence collectors . The 201st BfSB currently consists of two military intelligence battalions ( MI BNs ) , a cavalry squadron ( CAV ) with a long range surveillance ( LRS ) troop of company strength , a network support company ( NSC ) , and two support companies ( HHC and 602nd FSC ) . Mission . The 201st Battlefield Surveillance Brigade rapidly provides deployable all - source predictive intelligence , electronic warfare intelligence , reconnaissance and surveillance , target acquisition , battle damage assessment , command and control warfare , and broad bandwidth communications support to I Corps . It trains for and prepares to operate in both joint and combined environments in support of worldwide contingencies . The brigade concentrates on providing a shared battlefield situational awareness , and ensures the direct downlink of national and theater level intelligence through full spectrum operations assets as part of a multi - disciplined intelligence collection , surveillance and reconnaissance unit to an Army corps or a designated joint task force . It utilizes experience with split - based operations and reach - back technologies to demonstrate the capability to support any deployed force while enabling all elements to collaborate in a secure virtual environment . The brigade operates today in the environment the Army envisions building tomorrow . History . Heritage . The 201st Battlefield Surveillance Brigade carries the history and heritage of two separate units ; Headquarters and Headquarters Company , 503rd Army Security Agency Group , and the 201st Counter Intelligence Detachment . 503rd Army Security Group . The HHC , 503rd Army Security Group was constituted as the 323rd Signal Company , on 23 July 1942 and activated in Miami , Florida on 1 September 1942 . While stationed on the Marshall Island during World War II , the company supported Army Air Corps units in the Pacific Theater . The company was inactivated on 17 October 1946 at Andrews Field , Camp Springs , Maryland . After being brought back to service again , the company was redesignated 6 September 1950 as the 323d Signal Radio Intelligence Company , and allotted to the Organized Reserve Corps until the company was again activated 2 October 1950 at Fort Myer , Virginia . On 3 January 1951 , the company was converted and redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company , 601st Communications Reconnaissance Group . On 5 February 1951 the company was redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company , 503rd Communications Group . The 503rd was again activated on 1 May of the same year . 201st Counter Intelligence Detachment . The 201st Military Intelligence Detachment was constituted on 12 July 1944 as the 201st Counter Intelligence Corps Detachment . The detachment was activated on 20 August 1944 in New Guinea , and while in the Southwest Pacific area , attached to I Corps and supported the Corps through campaigns in New Guinea , and the Philippines . The detachment was inactivated on 25 February 1946 in Japan . On 6 October 1950 , the detachment was activated in Korea and assigned to the United States Army Forces , Far East and Eighth US Army participating in operations throughout Korea during the Korean War . The detachment was inactivated on 21 February 1955 in Korea . Allotted 20 March 1956 to the Regular Army , the unit activated 12 June of that year in Korea . After again being reorganized and redesignated 15 May 1959 becoming the 201st Military Intelligence Detachment , only to be inactivated the following month on 27 June 1959 in Washington , D . C . Merger . The lineage of Headquarters and Headquarters Company , 503rd Army Security Agency Group , and 201st Military Intelligence Detachment merged on 1 September 1987 . Headquarters and Headquarters Company , 503rd Army Security Agency Group was withdrawn from the Army Reserve and allotted to the Regular Army . The company was consolidated with the 201st Military Intelligence Brigade . The new unit was activated on the same day at Fort Lewis , Washington . Transformation . The former unit consisted of one active component and two inactive detachments , On 3 July 2008 , the 201st Military Intelligence Brigade transformed into the 201st Battlefield Surveillance Brigade on Watkins Parade Field at Fort Lewis . The 201st BfSB is the third active - duty surveillance brigade in the Army today , following the 525th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade from Fort Bragg , North Carolina , and the 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade , which was stood up a year prior at Fort Hood , Texas . The former MI brigade , which included reservists , and National Guardsmen , as well as active - duty soldiers , transformed into the 201st BfSB within a year . Broadening its reconnaissance mission to include surveillance and target acquisition with the addition of a long - range surveillance company – C Troop , 38th Cavalry , the 63rd Network Support Company , and the 602nd Forward Support Company . This however , was no easy task . The brigade stand - up required an almost total overhaul , complete with equipment , vehicles , amended missions and hundreds of new active - duty soldiers . Three hundred forty - five " " whirlwind days " " of preparation ended 23 Sept . when the 201st Battlefield Surveillance Brigade , with its subordinate battalions , cased their colors for deployment to Operation Iraqi Freedom . The changes made were all part of an Army - wide transition to the Army Modular Force , future - concept ( " Grow The Army Plan " of modernization ) proposed by US Army Chief of Staff General Peter Schoomaker in 2007 . The plan calls for eleven Surveillance Brigade s , seven of which are designated to Army National Guard : the 58th BfSB from Maryland , the 67th BFSB from Nebraska , the 71st BfSB from Texas , the 142nd BfSB from Alabama , the 219th BfSB from Indiana , the 297th BfSB from Alaska , and the 560th BfSB from Georgia , all of which are moving to the objective designs by the scheduled completion of the Grow The Army Plan by fiscal year 2013 . The 109th Military Intelligence Battalion activated in October 2008 to resume its 25 - year - old legacy at Fort Lewis as formerly the 9th Infantry Division ’ s primary intelligence - gathering arm . The 502nd Military Intelligence Battalion went through a transformation of its own to conform to the collection needs of the newly modular , self - sufficient brigade . At a future date , Troop C ( LRS ) , 38th Cavalry Regiment will be reorganized and redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Troop ( HHT ) , 3d Squadron , 38th Cavalry Regiment . The squadron will include Troops A and B ( ground troops ) and Troop C ( LRS ) , which will be formed from the assets of the existing C - 38th CAV . Today the brigade is home to nearly 1 , 000 service men and women . The brigade and its organic intelligence systems play a major role in the Army ’ s Transformation Project now taking shape at Joint Base Lewis - McChord . This transformation will include another overhaul of the current structure to the reconnaissance , surveillance , and target acquisition ( RSTA ) format . Oriental blue and silver gray are the Military Intelligence branch colors . The two parts symbolize the responsibility for acquisition and processing of tactical and strategic intelligence . The sword symbolizes the aggressiveness , and physical danger inherent in Military Intelligence operations . The lightning bolts refer to the electronic warfare capabilities of the unit and the commander ’ s need for accurate and ready intelligence from all sources . Insignia . The shoulder sleeve insignia was originally approved for the 201st Military Intelligence Brigade on 29 April 1987 . It was redesignated effective 16 October 2008 , for the 201st Battlefield Surveillance Brigade with the description updated . ( TIOH Dwg . No . A - 1 - 733 ) Oriental blue and silver gray are the colors associated with the Military Intelligence branch . Black denotes secrecy . The blue disc superimposed by the silver polestar symbolizes the world and the far reaching capabilities of the unit . The blue and silver wavy bars allude to World War II campaign participation in the Pacific . The silver mountain peak is representative of the Korean campaigns . The griffin , having the keen eyesight of an eagle and the strength and courage of a lion , indicates the attributes of Military intelligence and also alludes to the motto " " With Courage and Vision " " . The lightning flash is indicative of communications , electronic warfare capabilities and the origin of the unit as a signal unit . The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 201st Military Intelligence Brigade on 29 April 1987 . It was redesignated effective 16 October 2008 , for the 201st Battlefield Surveillance Brigade with the description updated . Structure . The BFSB improves situational awareness for commanders at division or higher so they can focus joint combat power in current operations while simultaneously preparing for future operations . The units have the tools to respond to the commanders need from unmanned aerial vehicles to signals gathering equipment and human intelligence collectors . Each BFSB consists of a headquarters and headquarters company . Active units have two military intelligence battalions , while the Army National Guard BFSB ' s have one . The brigades also have a reconnaissance and surveillance unit , a signals company and a logistics company . The 201st Battlefield Surveillance Brigade ( BfSB ) currently consists of two Military Intelligence battalions ( MI BNs ) , a Cavalry Squadron with a Long Range Surveillance ( LRS ) troop , a Network Support Company ( NSC ) , and two support companies ( HHC , and 602nd FSC ) .