12th Combat Aviation Brigade ( United States ) The 12th Combat Aviation Brigade is a Combat Aviation Brigade of the United States Army . It was first organized as the 12th Aviation Group at Fort Benning , Georgia , on 18 June 1965 . Vietnam . The unit deployed to Vietnam in August 1965 to command non - organic Army aviation units , and by November 1965 , the group consisted of 11 , 000 personnel and 34 aviation units . Between 1965 and 1966 the group doubled in size and was used to form the 1st Aviation Brigade in March 1966 . Among its units in Vietnam were the 11th , 13th , 145th , 210th , 214th , 222nd , 269th and 308th Aviation Battalion s . Assigned to the III Military Region in Vietnam , the 12th Group was the largest unit of its type to serve in combat . Its colors , emblazoned with 18 campaign streamers , give lasting testimony to its role . The unit earned the Meritorious Unit Commendation , two Vietnamese Crosses for Gallantry with Palm , and the Vietnamese Civic Action Medal , First Class while in Vietnam . Cold War . Upon its return in March 1973 , the 12th Aviation Group became a major subordinate command of the XVIII Airborne Corps , Fort Bragg , North Carolina . In November 1979 , the 12th Aviation Group deployed to Lindsey Air Station , Wiesbaden , Germany as a major subordinate command of the V Corps , providing command and control of aviation units throughout the V Corps area of operation . In April 1984 , Headquarters Company , 12th Aviation Group moved to Wiesbaden Air Base . In October 1987 , under army - wide restructuring , the 12th Aviation Group was re - designated as the 12th Aviation Brigade , along with its subordinate units : 5th Battalion , 158th Aviation Regiment ; C Company , 7th Battalion , 158th Aviation Regiment ; and B Company , 6th Battalion , 158th Aviation Regiment . In the latter part of 1988 , the Brigade re - structured again when the 5th Squadron ( AH 64 ) , 6th Cavalry Regiment arrived in Europe . During the Cold War years the 12th had a 12 - man pathfinder platoon assigned to the group headquarters . The authorization for the pathfinder unit was deleted around the time the group was redesignated a brigade and the pathfinders departed as their tours ended . Their beret flash and parachute wing trimming can be seen on the Institute of Heraldry website . Middle East . In August 1990 , the Brigade deployed to Southwest Asia for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm with 2 – 3 Aviation Regiment ( Attack ) attached . During Desert Storm the Brigade provided a highly mobile and lethal maneuver force to the multi - national forces in Saudi Arabia . Initially attached to the 101st Airborne Division ( Air Assault ) , the Brigade became a major subordinate command of XVIII Airborne Corps in January 1991 . During the four - day coalition ground offensive , the Brigade flew nearly 400 flight hours , transporting 390 tons of cargo to forward deployed units and providing essential combat and combat support services for the ground offensive . Post - Cold War . On 15 June 1992 , the 5th Squadron , 6th Cavalry Regiment was de - activated as part of the downsizing of U . S . Army Europe ( USAREUR ) . The 3rd Battalion , 58th Aviation Regiment ( Air Traffic Services ) joined the Brigade on 16 June 1992 . Since the end of the Cold War , the Brigade has played a major role in America ’ s peacekeeping operations . From 1991 until 1996 , 12th Brigade ensured the safety of Kurdish citizens during Operation Provide Comfort . The Brigade operated the Beirut Air Bridge from 1995 until 1998 , providing a logistical lifeline to the US Embassy in Beirut from Cyprus . The Brigade also deployed soldiers to Hungary and Bosnia in 1995 to enforce the peace during Operations Joint Endeavor and Joint Guard . In April 1999 , the Brigade deployed to Tirana , Albania as part of Task Force Hawk in support of NATO Operation Allied Force . The Brigade Task Force consisted of 65 aircraft including UH - 60 Black Hawk s , CH - 47 Chinook s , AH - 64 Apache s , and UH - 60 MEDEVAC aircraft . When peace was declared in June 1999 , the Brigade transported elements of the 82nd Airborne Division into Macedonia and Kosovo , moving 390 personnel , 24 vehicles , and 13 pallets of equipment in less than 48 hours of the signing of the Military Technical Agreement . The Brigade flew in excess of 6 , 000 hours and conducted 22 , 185 aircraft movements in support of operations in Albania , Macedonia , and Kosovo , with CH - 47 and Air Traffic Control elements supporting Task Force Falcon until March 2001 and June 2000 , respectively . After returning from Task Force Hawk and Task Force Falcon , 12th Brigade prepared for re - structuring and re - stationing initiatives . USAREUR Movement Directive 5 - 00 directed all of the Aviation Brigade elements stationed at Wiesbaden Army Airfield to move to Giebelstadt Army Airfield . On 30 June 2000 , 5th Battalion , 158th Aviation Regiment , the largest aviation battalion in theater consisting of 840 soldiers , split into two separate battalions , 3 - 158 Aviation Regiment and 5 - 158 Aviation Regiment . On 31 August 2000 , all units from Wiesbaden closed on Giebelstadt Army Airfield . War on Terror . In support of the Global War on Terror , the 12th Aviation Brigade conducted full spectrum combat operations during its year - long deployment to Operation Iraqi Freedom . The brigade flew thousands of hours , moved over 25 , 000 personnel , and controlled over 230 , 000 air movements . In February 2005 the 12th Aviation Brigade deployed to Afghanistan in support Operation Enduring Freedom and to Pakistan in support of International Earthquake Humanitarian Relief Operations . While in support of Operation Enduring Freedom Task Force Griffin flew in excess of 52 , 000 hours , transported 105 , 000 personnel , and moved over 25 million pounds of cargo . On 7 August 2006 , the units of Aviation Brigade , 1st Infantry Division combined with units of both the 12th Aviation Brigade and the former 11th Aviation Group ( inactivated 9 June 2005 ) and reflagged as the 12th Aviation Brigade ( Combat ) , attached to the 1st Armored Division . On 20 March 2007 the 12th became a separate brigade under V Corps . Most recently , the 12th deployed to Iraq in the summer of 2007 , organized as Task Force XII in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom . TF XII served in Balad , Iraq as the Corps Aviation Brigade under Multi - National Corps - Iraq over a four - month period before relocating to Taji as the aviation brigade under Multi - National Division - Baghdad . Current Role . Since its organization in 1965 , the 12th Aviation Brigade has served as a key member of the combined arms team . The brigade is currently based around Ansbach , Bavaria , in Germany , residing at both Katterbach Kaserne and Illesheim Army Airfield s . Prior to the activation of the 16th Combat Aviation Brigade it was the only regular duty Combat Aviation Brigade not assigned to a particular division under the Army ' s transformation programme . The 12th Combat Aviation Brigade currently consists of the following units : An article in the " Stars & Stripes " on March 1 , 2013 stated 1 - 214th Aviation would be reduced at Clay Kaserne , Wiesbaden , by 190 soldier spaces and at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center by 50 soldier spaces in 2016 . Additionally , 3 - 58th Aviation would return to CONUS in 2015 .