4th Fires Brigade (United States)
The 4th Fires Brigade, also known as the "Iron Gunners" was the former 4th Infantry Division Artillery, and was the fire support brigade for the 4th Infantry Division of the United States Army (also referred to as DIVARTY, for "Divisional Artillery"). On 16 April 2007 the 4th Fires Brigade, (formerly 4th Infantry Division's DIVARTY) reflagged as the 41st Fires Brigade. They are based out of Fort Hood, Texas and their assets included the M270A1 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS).
The unit was reorganized in December 2004 to assign its subordinate units to the Division's four maneuver brigades, giving each of those brigades their own organic artillery for close fire support. Only the 2d Battalion, 20th Field Artillery Regiment remains part of the Fires Brigade directly. Other units can be absorbed as fire support elements as needed for the mission. Assets which had previously been located at the Corps level were now assigned to the Fires Brigade to allow it, and the 4th Infantry Division, to operate more independently. The new brigade commander, Col. Allen Batschelet, was author of the April 2002 study Effects-based operations: A New Operational Model? while a Lt. Colonel. Effects-based operations are defined by the US military in the study as "a process for obtaining a desired strategic outcome or effect on the enemy through the synergistic and cumulative application of the full range of military and non-military capabilities at all levels of conflict," rather than simply focus on causing casualties or physical destruction through offensive fire. The new mission for the Fires Brigade reflected this emerging philosophy of operations.
Read more about 4th Fires Brigade (United States): Mission, History
Famous quotes containing the words fires and/or brigade:
“The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no doubt, of the frequent fires in Maine, of which we hear so much on smoky days in Massachusetts.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“[John] Brough’s majority is “glorious to behold.” It is worth a big victory in the field. It is decisive as to the disposition of the people to prosecute the war to the end. My regiment and brigade were both unanimous for Brough [the Union party candidate for governor of Ohio].”
—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)