194 LRSD Deactivation

[Buddah]

Last month I went back to Iowa and attended the 194th Deactivation ceremony. A lot of the old timers were not able to make it because of the floods blocking the routes into the DesMoines area and to add insult to injury, the current unit members could not tip a few because they were being placed on flood duty at midnight that night.

The deactivation was out on the DZ after they guys jumped in (and one of the former commanders knocked himself out because of the wind gusting). Like the old joke goes, I think the DZ party was taking wind readings behind the HMMWV.........."12 knots and holding"

The usual entourgage of military speakers were there, to include the first commander, Gen (Ret) John McGowan. I attached a few photos of Gen McGowan, the casing of the colors, changing of the patches, swapping berets for PCs, dismissal and the final Det photo. I apologize for the file attachments, but I am technologically disadvantaged and it was all I knew how.....

We did have a few of the former troops around to toss a few back and tell stories and lies about one another and the things we did back in the day. People ask me why I liked it so much-It's the guys around me and I'm sure the rest of you feel the same. Also made me feel rather ashamed to be a F.A.G (Former Action Guy)...........

[Lower_Jumper]

Thanks for the post. I really hate seeing LRS units deactivated. They are such a valuable resource. I've never understood why they aren't used to their fullest capacity.

One method of survival is to engage an LRS unit in missions other than war. I spent a considerable amount of time working counter drug operations while assigned to my first LRS company. While not working real world operations, we would train for counter drug ops. A few times we had federal agents attached to our teams. We taught them how to conduct reconnaissance and patrolling techniques. We'd reconnoiter cocaine labs and whatnot.

A sad day for the 194th, indeed.

~

[scoutsniperusa]

my 2 cents: their training guys at basic for desert warfare, deactivating LRS units, okay so whats gonna happen when we retire and have another jungle warfare, start LRPs all over again? There are so many ways they could still use LRS units, plus the comradory and brotherhood that keeps a LRS unit together! My LRS unit just recently got reorged from 151 LRS D to 2-152 LRS C, i'm thankful that we haven't got deactivated, I'm sure its because our state CSMG's son is in our unit, thanks to him!

[Buddah]

Lower Jumper-We did the counterdrug mission when I was with the 194th, it's a good mission and I am also an LEO and the LE Agencies can definately use the training to accomplish that mission. My experience during our OIF II deployment was that the LRS community was never really deployed to its capability becaue no one really knew how to use us.

Scout Sniper-It's nice to have that hook (the CSMs son) to help keep the unit around, some states are hanging onto the LRS Units as long as possible.

I look at the deactivation of the LRS units like this: The technology we're using is great but it doesn't match the guy on the ground with binos in one hand, radio mike in the other. The technology cannot get the read what the guy on the ground can and give a full picture of what's out there and it's a lot harder to fool the guy on the ground. Risky business? Yes, but that's the choice we make volunteering for the job and nothing ventured, nothing gained.

I think someone, someplace, sometime is going to realize this and bring the LRS/LRP Units back. Maybe even in our lifetime.

[Brasso]

I agree, and it does not have to be another Vietnam to feel the need for them. They did the same thing with the 11th & 12th SF Reserves, de-activated them and kept the 19th & 20th SF National Guard???

However in Vietnam ONE National Guard unit was deployed there for 12 months D/ABN RGR/151, who came in in 68 and actually took over the IIFV LRPS (D/151/LRP) which then became D/75/RGR on 1 Feb, 69. And there was a 151/LRS/INF DET, that tooh it's lineage from them.

Now you have to think about all these good old boys from the same hometown , etc, coming to the Nam for 12 months, add in the in-process, in country tng, then re-deployment and out process....they were lucky to have spent 8-9 months in the bush. They had 6 KIA's and the last 2 were on 09/04/69 and they were both 1LT's, leads me to believe maybe a chopper crash.

In 1988 I met an SF E-7 who had served with that unit in Vietnam. And after he returned he went SF but never was in Combat with anyone else. You would not believe how many decorations this guy had for Valor...couple SS, BSM, etc. To be honest with you he was a slug who worked in OPs, since he was not physically capable of being on a team.....Now I'm not saying he didn't do some good shit, however they were taken care of each other that's for sure.

That was one of our major weaknesses, awards, since we were attached to any US, ROK or S VN units that were in the IFFV II Corps tactical zone. They lost ALL my records when I transferred in from the 101st, hell I was lucky to get my CIB, 3 years after I ets'd. But another problem was we were admin to the 4th ID and on several occasions they asked for an officers signature as a witness for awards we sent up to them.... we had no officers...except a few good PLT LDRS that would go on a few patrols so they would know what it was like so when they were in the birdog, they could really understand what we needed.

The LRS are not strong in their COC, therefore when they send a Laision to be attached to the BDE or higher HQ your supporting...most of the officers do not have the experince or balls to TELL the OPS guys HOW you must be used. I seen that happen in SF and that laision would call the SF BN CDR if he was having problems and that BN CDR would fix it or leave...I shit you not since the majority of the BN CDR"S up till the early 90's had at least one or more tours in the Nam and several other conflicts.

That is the lRS problem....the Grunt Cdr's do not understand OR they have the idea that the LRS are prima Donas and when they work for me they will do this or that.....sad....but true....SF & RGRs experienced all of that, however now that their in USSOCOM, they never have to worry about being misused.

Also being assigned to Intel BN's etc, IMO does not help the situation.

[scoutsniperusa]

However in Vietnam ONE National Guard unit was deployed there for 12 months D/ABN RGR/151, who came in in 68 and actually took over the IIFV LRPS (D/151/LRP) which then became D/75/RGR on 1 Feb, 69. And there was a 151/LRS/INF DET, that tooh it's lineage from them.


In 1988 I met an SF E-7 who had served with that unit in Vietnam. And after he returned he went SF but never was in Combat with anyone else. You would not believe how many decorations this guy had for Valor...couple SS, BSM, etc. To be honest with you he was a slug who worked in OPs, since he was not physically capable of being on a team.....Now I'm not saying he didn't do some good shit, however they were taken care of each other that's for sure.

I've heard all about the great things of 151 LRS D INF DET! The most decorated LRS National Guard unit of Vietnam. I attended the funeral about a year ago of the founder of 151 LRS D Master Sargent Bill Butler, was wondering if he was the SF E-7 you were referring too?

[scoutsniperusa]

here is the web site that tells all about him!

http://armyranger.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=35715

[Buddah]

The LRS are not strong in their COC, therefore when they send a Laision to be attached to the BDE or higher HQ your supporting...most of the officers do not have the experince or balls to TELL the OPS guys HOW you must be used. I seen that happen in SF and that laision would call the SF BN CDR if he was having problems and that BN CDR would fix it or leave...I shit you not since the majority of the BN CDR"S up till the early 90's had at least one or more tours in the Nam and several other conflicts.

That is the lRS problem....the Grunt Cdr's do not understand OR they have the idea that the LRS are prima Donas and when they work for me they will do this or that.....sad....but true....SF & RGRs experienced all of that, however now that their in USSOCOM, they never have to worry about being misused.
.

I'm on board with that all the way. We ran into huge problems with being employed properly with a couple of units we were attached to and any bitching or "educating" that we tried ended in "Roger, STFU and choke it down". The only one who had a handle on us was a Stryker BN. The BN Cmdr and his staff were first rate, spent considerable time in Rgr Rgt and knew how to use us, although, they likely thought we were a bunch of prima donnas tooBeing a new OPS Sgt was an eye opener.....
If LRS does come back on a larger scale again, they probably should fall somewhere under USSOCOM to keep those headaches to a minimum (Wishful thinking, as it is).

[23LRS]

It is definitely a shame when they deactivate us. It seems the Army never learns. When I was on active, there was talk that LRS was going to be part of SOCOM. This of course hasn't happened yet. LRS needs this from a funding aspect as well. During the first gulf war, there wasn't enough money for MRE's when we went to the field so we had to eat paper sack lunches. When we moved to I Corps the funding got better, especially with the JTF 6 missions. The did eventually disband us. Now however, the Ft. Lewis LRS is back, still under 201 MI BDE. Same patch we wore (different company designation). (According to elcidiotnv.) I am STOKED about this! Is this light at the end of the tunnel for LRS?

[LRS Guy]

Damm I hate to hear that! I had heard good things about that unit.

[Skyshark]

heh heh you said fag............

[Mark7667]

That sucks. Donning the beret at the activation of my LRS was a damn proud moment, I can't imagine how depressing it must be to have to do that in reverse.

LRS'll never go to SOCOM. The SR mission is one that is easly done by SF, and the way the Army is setting up LRSC's and Killing the LRSD's would seem to indicate that big Army is going to use LRS specifically as a Corps level asset. Therefore we are doomed to be misused by MI BDEs for the foreseeable future.

[Psycho7]

Legs fucking hate us.

Leg generals have no fucking clue how to deploy us. Those faerie fuckers want their gayassed mech and armor units to get all the glory.

Fuck leg officers and NCO's. NO JUST FUCK LEGS PERIOD DOT END OF MOTHERFUCKING STORY.

[Buddah]

Reverend!

[Garda11B1P]

Legs fucking hate us.

Leg generals have no fucking clue how to deploy us. Those faerie fuckers want their gayassed mech and armor units to get all the glory.

Fuck leg officers and NCO's. NO JUST FUCK LEGS PERIOD DOT END OF MOTHERFUCKING STORY.

Amen to that. When Eco was in Kosovo there was a constant rumor that the camp commander wanted to use us for guard duty and not what we were there for. Good thing that didn't happen it would have been a long six months. (Not that six months is long compared to today’s deployments)