172nd Infantry Brigade (United States)

172nd Infantry Brigade (United States)

The 172nd Infantry Brigade is an infantry brigade of the United States Army headquartered at Grafenwöhr, Germany. An active duty separate brigade, it is part of V Corps and is one of five active-duty, separate, combat brigades in the U.S. Army.

First activated in 1917, the brigade was deployed to France during World War I and used to reinforce front-line units. The brigade's actions in France during that time are not completely clear. It would later be converted to a reconnaissance unit that was deployed during World War II and saw several months of combat in the European Theater. The brigade has served a tour of duty in Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2005 until 2006. Its infamous 16-month deployment was one of the longest deployments for a unit serving in that campaign. Most recently the brigade served an 11 month tour in Afghanistan from 2011 until 2012.

The unit has been activated and deactivated numerous times, and has also seen several redesignations. The 172nd was one of the first brigade combat teams before it was deactivated in 2006. Reactivated in 2008 from another reflagged unit, it immediately prepared for another tour of duty in Iraq.

The unit will deactivate by October 2013.