Originally constituted as the 1st Combat Support Brigade in January, 2006, the 1st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (MEB) was activated September 16, 2007 at Fort Polk, Louisiana; it did not receive its new designation until February, 2008.
The MEB is composed of a broad array of specialized sub-units and employs a headquarters staff to execute protective, sustainment, and movement-and-maneuver tasks, with a goal of improving movement capabilities and enhancing rear-area security for commanders at division level and higher. From May 2009 to May 2010, the Brigade served as the tactical command element for Bagram Airfield as part of Operation Enduring Freedom; it also supported a French infantry battalion and the Provincial Reconstruction Teams in Parwan Province, earning a Meritorious Unit Commendation in the process.
After returning from Afghanistan, the MEB was committed to U.S. Northern Command to serve as the CBRNE (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive) Consequence Management Response Force in cases of terrorist attacks and other manmade or natural disasters and emergencies. The U.S. Army Center of Military History gave the MEB the Special Designation, now its nickname, of “Guardian Brigade” in February, 2015, just six months before its inactivation on August 17, 2015.
The sword in the unit’s CSIB stands for the honor, power, and wisdom of the warrior, as well as its combat-ready support. A diamond in the sword’s hilt represents invincibility, while the two sections of the shield are references to the brigade’s dual mission: protection of both the operational and tactical freedoms of action of any supported forces. The brigade’s unit crest,
or Distinctive Unit Insignia, features its motto, “Enhancing the Warrior Spirit.”
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1st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade Patch (SSI)
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