The 38th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) was organized and federally recognized on Feb. 1, 1959, Indianapolis as the 38th Aviation Company, an element of the 38th Infantry Division. The unit pilots UH-60 Black Hawk and LUH-72 Lakota helicopters capable of a variety of general support missions, air movement, air assault and MEDEVAC.
Unit Nickname: Falcons
Unit Motto: “Above the Best; “Eye of the Cyclone” (original)
Home Station: Shelbyville
About Army Aviation
Already proven as an integral part of combined arms doctrine, the National Guard added aviation companies to its divisions in 1959. During World War II and the Korean War, commanders had realized that direct control of aviation assets to provide direct support to their missions was essential. During the Vietnam war, the role of army aviation greatly expanded with armed helicopters playing an important role in the ability of ground forces to maneuver. In addition to combat and tactical air support, Army aviation conducts intelligence gathering, troop and equipment transport and search and rescue.
Read More Dzwonchyk, Wayne M. “Aviation,” U.S. Army Center of Military History |
Mission
Peacetime: The 38th CAB mobilizes, deploys and conducts National Guard Civil Support operations supporting 38th ID and JFHQ-IN in order to provide the state of Indiana the forces, equipment, and aviation capabilities necessary to respond to state emergencies and other-directed missions throughout Indiana and other Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) States.
Wartime: The 38th CAB mobilizes, deploys and conducts aviation operations in support of assigned Headquarters in order to provide freedom of maneuver to U.S. and coalition forces in the deployed theater.
Leadership
Units
Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) 38th Combat Aviation Brigade, Shelbyville Army Aviation Support Facility (AASF)
638th Area Support Battalion (ASB)
- Headquarters and Service Company (HSC), Lafayette
- DET 2, 909th Field Feeding Team (FFT), Lafayette
- A CO (DISTRO), Lafayette
- DET 2, B CO (MAINT), Shelbyville AASF
- C CO (SIG), Lafayette
2-238th General Support Aviation Battalion (GSAB)
- Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) 2-238 GSAB, Shelbyville, Army Aviation Support Facility (AASF)
- DET 2, 915th Field Feeding Team (FFT), Camp Atterbury
- C MED, Gary, Army Limited Aviation Support Facility (LAASF)
- D MAINT, Gary, Limited Army Aviation Support Facility (LAASF)
- E FSC, Shelbyville AASF
- F (ATS), Johnson County
- DET 1, Co. C/1-376 (LUH-72) Shelbyville AASF
- DET 1, HHC/1-137, Shelbyville AASF
- C/1-137, Shelbyville AASF
- DET 1, Co. D/1-137 Shelbyville AASF
- DET 1, Co. E/1-137 Shelbyville AASF
Since 2001, Indiana Army National Guard rotary wing and fixed wing aviation have deployed to:
- 2001, Kuwait - B CO 1-147th (UH60)
- 2004, Bosnia - 2-238 GSAB (UH60)
- 2005, Montana - UH60
- 2005, Hurricane Katrina - 2-238 GSAB (UH60)
- 2007, Iraq - MEDEVAC, C-2-238 GSAB (UH60)
- 2008, Southwest Border - UH60, OH58
- 2007-2008, Iraq/Kuwait - DET 3, CO D 126th AVN (TAC) (C-23)
- 2008, Jamaica - MEDEVAC, C-2-238 GSAB (UH60)
- 2009, Kuwait - 2-238 GSAB (UH60)
- 2009-2010, Iraq - 38 CAB, C-1-137 (Air Assault) (UH60), F CO 3-238 GSAB
- 2011-2011, Iraq - DET 3, CO D 126th AVN (TAC) (C-23)
- 2012, Kuwait - 2013-2014 MEDEVAC, C-2-238 GSAB (UH60)
- 2014, Kosovo - DET 2 Co B, 638th ASB
- 2015, Kuwait - C-1-137 (Air Assault)
- 2022-2023, Southwest Border - C-1-376th Security and Support
- March 1,1963 - Reorganized and redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 38th Aviation Battalion, and remained assigned to the 38th ID (organic elements concurrently reorganized from existing units)
- Feb.1, 1968: Co. A allotted to the Michigan Army National Guard
- Nov. 1,1971: Headquarters’ location changed to Shelbyville
- Sept. 1,1978: Co. C allotted to the Arkansas Army National Guard
- Sept. 30,1978: Co. A redesignated as Co. B; Co. D allotted to the Missouri Army National Guard; Companies A and E allotted to the Indiana Army National Guard, home area Indiana (less elements in Arkansas, Michigan, and Missouri).
BLAZON: Per pale argent and azure, wings erect conjoined below a saltire within an annulet all counterchanged. CREST: That for the regiments and separate battalions of the Indiana, Missouri, Arkansas, and Michigan Army National Guard placed from dexter to sinister, two above and two underneath, in the order in which the states were admitted to the Union: Indiana: On a wreath of the colors, argent and azure, a demi-lion rampant argent, holding in dexter paw a laurel branch vert. MOTTO: Eye of the Cyclone. SYMBOLISM: Teal blue and white were formerly used for aviation battalions. The wings symbolize flight operations. The annulet is used to allude to an eyelet, an “item” for securing, and a “place” for observing. The saltire cross stands for the state of Indiana which is called “The Crossroads of America.” An “X” has long been used to make a definite location; in this connection the saltire also refers to the battalion’s reconnaissance activities. DISTINCTIVE INSIGNIA The distinctive insignia is the shield and motto of the coat of arms.
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