Company F , 425th Infantry Company F , 425th Infantry was a Long Range Surveillance Company of the Michigan National Guard that was deactivated on June 12 , 2011 . The unit came into being in the mid - 1960s when the 1st Bn , 225th Infantry was reflagged as E and F Companies , 425th Infantry ( Ranger ) and adapted to the organization of a Ranger company . Ranger companies during the period were independent units assigned to division and higher level commands to perform Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol missions , as opposed to the Ranger Companies of today which comprise the battalions of the 75th Ranger Regiment . According to the United States Army Center of Military History , it was reorganized and redesignated as the 425th Infantry Detachment ( LRS ) effective 1 September 2008 . Organization . In its current organization , F Company consists of a large company headquarters and operations section , 3 patrol platoons , a communications platoon and a section of integral parachute rigger s . Each patrol platoon consists of a platoon headquarters and , at full strength , six 6 - man patrol teams . Company F has historically been an independent company within the Michigan National Guard , but for a period during the Cold War beginning in 1983 , the Company remained a CONUS unit , but assigned to US Army VII Corps Headquarters in Stuttgart , West Germany , where it would deploy and serve as the Corps Long Range Surveillance Unit in the event of a NATO - Soviet conflict in Europe . Members of F Company hold Military Occupational Specialties ( MOS ) in the branches Infantry , Quartermaster Corps ( Parachute Rigger 92R ) , Signal Corps and Military Intelligence . Since it is an Airborne unit , members are required to attend the Army ' s Basic Airborne Course at Ft Benning , GA . The regimental home for Company F , 425th Infantry , is the 425th Regimental Association . All members and former members of the unit are authorized to join the Regimental Association . www . 425regiment . org . Equipment . Throughout the Cold War , many National Guard and Reserve forces were poorly equipped in comparison to the active component , however , F Company , given its important role , was better equipped than most . It was one of the first National Guard units to receive M16 rifle s and M1956 equipment even before some active units . The unit has also historically been equipped with the most modern communications equipment . As an Airborne unit , F Company makes use of T - 10 static - line parachute which it often deploys with from aircraft of the Michigan Army and Air National Guard including UH - 60 Blackhawk s , CH - 47 Chinook s , and C - 130 Hercules transports , and historically other aircraft such as the UH - 1 Iroquois ( Huey ) , C - 123 Provider and C - 119 Flying Boxcar . Currently the unit makes use of equipment including the M - 4 Carbine , the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon , M - 203 Grenade Launcher , and the M9 Pistol , as with other combat arms units of the US Army . Installations . Company F trains at Selfridge Air National Guard Base Mount Clemens , MI , Camp Grayling at Grayling , MI and has historically been headquartered at the Pontiac Armory in Pontiac , MI . Deployments and Civil Actions . Company F ' s first action was as part of the National Guard force brought to Highland Park to quell the Detroit riot of 1968 , and performed its duties without casualties . This is not to be confused with the 1967 Detroit riot in which the 1BN / 225 Airborne participated . The company never deployed to Vietnam , like many reserve component units , but saw many training deployments during the period to locations including Puerto Rico and other stateside military installations . The company also participated in several REFORGER exercises in the 1980s . Co F was the first Reserve Component Company ever to deploy from the US and jump into a simulated combat scenario in Puerto Rico . After the 9 / 11 attacks , 3 members of Company F were activated and deployed to Iraq during the first phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom . They were designated as F 250th MI and attached to Company H 121st Inf ( LRS ) . Company F was activated on 7 December 2003 and deployed to Iraq in support of the Iraq Campaign from February 2004 to February 2005 , where it performed security operations , foreign internal defense training , as well as normal LRS mission ' s . Though a few received Purple Heart medals , the company was fortunate to return to Michigan with all of the soldiers with which it deployed a year earlier . Since its deployment , Company F has continued training with the benefit of widespread combat experience as a result of the tour of duty in Iraq . 2nd Iraq deployment Company F was activated again on 9 May 2009 and deployed to Iraq from Jul 2009 to May 2010 . Insignia . Company F , 425th Infantry ( Airborne ) ( LRS ) wears the distinctive Airborne tab above the griffin patch of the Michigan Army National Guard , distinguishing it as an Airborne LRS company . Prior to that they wore the Airborne tab above the shoulder patch of the 201st Military Intelligence Brigade . Before being reflagged as a Long Range Surveillance Company , members of Company F wore a scroll with " RANGER AIRBORNE " in lieu of an Airborne tab above the griffin patch and the black beret with distinctive flash which formerly identified them as Rangers . Today members of Company F wear the maroon beret , the distinguishing feature of the Airborne soldier .