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Unit History

The 194th Engineer Brigade was activated as an entity of the Tennessee Army National Guard on 1 November 1973. This occurred as a result of the major reorganization of the Tennessee Army National Guard, which deactivated the 30th Armored Division. The numerical designation was derived from a former Engineer unit of the Tennessee Army National Guard, the 194th Engineer Battalion, headquartered in Centerville, Tennessee. k/p>

At creation, the unit had an authorized strength of 31 Officers, 4 Warrant Officers, and 86 enlisted personnel; pursuant to General Order 60, Military Department of Tennessee; dated 15 October 1973. Federal Recognition was granted by General Order 13, Military Department of Tennessee, dated 1 March 1974, and effective 1 November 1973. The assigned strength on date of inspection of Federal Recognition was 27 Officers, 5 Warrant Officers and 77 Enlisted personnel. Colonel William R. Kinton, Jr. assumed command per General Order 1, Headquarters, 194th Engineer Brigade (Construction), 1 November 1973.

Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 194th Engineer Brigade (Corps), Nashville was reorganized under Order 73-1, as a Theater Engineer Brigade, renaming it Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 194th Engineer Brigade (Theater Army), with an authorized strength of 43 Officers, 5 Warrant Officers and 98 Enlisted personnel. After the deactivation of the 30th Separate Armored Brigade, Headquarters Company, 194th Engineer Brigade (Theater Army) was moved on 1 January 1996, from Nashville, Tennessee to Jackson, Tennessee where it is currently located.

The Brigade has participated in numerous exercises through the years in Europe; Ulchi Focus Lens in Korea; and several New Horizons in Central America and the Caribbean. On 28 October 2004, the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 194th Engineer Brigade (Theater Army) was mobilized for Operation Iraqi Freedom III under the command of Brigadier General Jimmy G. Welch. The Brigade was headquartered at LSA Adder, Tallil, Iraq and commanded and controlled engineer units at the Corps level for the southern two-thirds of Iraq.

As part of the current Army modular transformation effective 1 January 2006, the 194th Engineer Brigade (Theater Army) was redesignated the 194th Engineer Brigade (Combat Support Brigade). Currently, the brigade is commanded by Brigadier General Robert A. Harris. The brigade's current mobilization began on 21 June, 2009, with post mobilization training taking place at FT McCoy, Wisconsin. The current wartime mission of the 194th Engineer Brigade is to command assigned and attached joint engineer units performing engineer construction and stability support missions.

The peace time mission of the 194th Engineer Brigade and its assigned units includes training to attain and maintain the highest state of combat readiness possible and to provide equipment and manpower in emergencies as directed by the Military Department of Tennessee in support of TEMA and when directed by FEMA. Elements of the 194th Engineer Brigade have participated in numerous disaster relief missions through the years to include the West Virginia floods, Hurricane Katrina relief, and Tornado cleanup. Subordinate units of the brigade also assisted the states of California and Arizona during Operation Jump Start along the Mexican border.

Current peace time subordinate units of the 194th Engineer Brigade include the following:
Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 194th Engineer Brigade, Jackson, TN; 775th Engineer Detachment (Well Drilling), Jackson, TN; 301st Troop Command, Columbia, TN; 118th Public Affairs Detachment, Nashville, TN; 129th Army Band, Nashville, TN; 1957th Support Detachment, Nashville, TN; 230th Signal Company (TIN-E), Nashville, TN; 105th Personnel Company, Nashville, TN; 1128th Finance Detachment, Smyrna, TN; 1129th Finance Detachment, Smyrna, TN; 1130th Finance Detachment, Smyrna, TN; 230th Army Liaison Team, Memphis, TN; Headquarters and Services Company, 230th Engineer Battalion, Trenton, TN; Forward Support Company, 230th Engineer Battalion, Trenton, TN; 212th Engineer Company (-) (Vertical), Paris, TN; Detachment 1, 212th Engineer Company (Vertical), Camden, TN; 913th Engineer Company, Union City, TN; 255th Engineer Detachment (Asphalt), Tennessee Ridge, TN; 190th Engineer Company (-), Russellville, TN; Detachment 1, 190th Engineer Company, Jefferson City, TN;