History of the 1st Brigade Special Troops Battalion

The 1st Brigade Special Troops Battalion was formed on 12 July, 2005.  It was created when the 20th Engineer Battalion de-activated.  At the time, two of its engineer companies joined task forces 2-5 and 2-8, and the third company de-activated.  HHC/20th Engineer Battalion became HHC/1st Special Troops Battalion and gained a Maintenance Support platoon, an NBC Recon platoon, and a Military Police platoon.  The 1st STB also gained the former C Company, 13th Signal Battalion and the A Company, 312th Military Intelligence Battalion Company.

The battalion deployed along with the 1st Brigade Combat Team for duty with the 1st Cavalry Division in Iraq in 2006 and returned in January 2008 after 15 months in the Baghdad area.

The1st BSTB trains and on order deploys C4ISR assets; receives, integrates and C2's attachments to enable 1BCT full spectrum operations worldwide.

Distinctive Unit Insignia

Description:  A Silver color metal and enamel device 1 1/8 inches (2.86 cm) in width, consisting of a shield blazoned:  Teal, a centurion in armor, on his head a helmet with a plume of feathers Silver Gray, holding in dexter hand a shield Gules fimbriated of the second thereon a pale couped between in chief an arrow wavy point to sinister and in base two lightning flashes chevronwise reversed all of the last, in sinister a spear, all within an orle Silver Gray.  Attached below a Red scroll inscribed with “VIRES PER FEROCITE” in Silver.

Symbolism:   Teal is the color associated with Branch Immaterial.  The centurion was a professional officer of the ancient Roman army that commanded 100 or fewer men (leader of a hundred).  The image symbolizes the battalion’s label as the “Centurion” unit.  The centurion holds a shield prepared for combat, displaying the three components that comprise the battalion; the color red denotes the engineer mission, the lightning flashes suggest the signal and intelligence missions.  The pale signifies military strength; it is cropped to allude to the numerical designation of the brigade “1.”  The wavy arrow represents the battalion’s readiness to deploy to any locality to perform its mission.  The orle refers to the continuing courage of the service members attached to the unit.

Background:   The distinctive unit insignia was approved on 25 October 2005.   

Coat of Arms

Blazon 

Shield:   Argent, a centurion in armor, on his head a helmet with a plume of feathers Proper, holding in dexter hand a shield Gules fimbriated Silver Gray thereon a pale couped between in chief an arrow wavy point to sinister and in base two lightning flashes chevronwise reversed all of the like, in the sinister a spear, all within an orle Teal.  

Crest:   None.  

Motto:   VIRES PER FEROCITE (Strength Through Courage).  

Symbolism:

Shield:   The centurion was a professional officer of the ancient Roman army that commanded 100 or fewer men (leader of a hundred).  The image symbolizes the battalion’s label as the “Centurion” unit.  The centurion holds a shield prepared for combat, displaying the three components that comprise the battalion; the color red denotes the engineer mission, the lightning flashes suggest the signal and intelligence missions.  The pale signifies military strength; it is cropped to allude to the numerical designation of the brigade “1.”  The wavy arrow represents the battalion’s readiness to deploy to any locality to perform its mission.  The orle refers to the continuing courage of the service members attached to the unit.  

Crest:   None.  

Background:   The coat of arms was approved on 25 October 2005.