U.S.Army CAPSTONE Alignments circa 1989

[Louied]

Though my expertise is the British Army, I recently delved into the U.S.Army in 1989.
Now the Army CAPSTONE program was started in 1979, to align RC units with wartime missions in Europe (NATO), Korea, and SW Asia, along with missions in CONUS & Theatre Defense. I found some interesting stuff recently in the minutes of some Defense Authorization Committees and State Adjutant General's reports, along with articles from various Army Branch magazines (Armor, Field Artillery, Etc)

26 ID European/NATO
28 ID SWA/XVIII Corps
29 ID(L) European/NATO, secondary SWA (not 100% confirmed yet on either)
34/47 ID Replaces 6 ID(L) if it goes to Korea, under I Corps, unknown secondary
35 ID (M) European/NATO
38 ID European/NATO
40 ID(M) Korea, secondary European/NATO or SWA
42 ID European/NATO
49 AD European/NATO
50 AD European/NATO

27 IB(L) RO 10 MtnD(L)
29 IB Corps mission (taken directly from Congressional Testimony)
30 IB(M) European/NATO (taken directly from Congressional Testimony)possibly AFSOUTH (Italy, Greece, Turkey)
30 AB European/NATO
31 AB European/NATO
32 IB(M) European/NATO (Reforger deployments)
33 IB unknown, suuposed to reinforce Inf School at Benning (mid 80's) but "Maneuver and Firepower" states five ARNG brigades were organized as "Rear Battle" brigades
39 IB unknown, but augmented 101 AbnD(AA) in mid 80's also, maybe Rear Battle brigade
41 IB I Corps Rear Battle brigade (taken directly from Congressional Testimony and a former Officer in the Bde)
45 IB III Corps Rear Battle brigade
53 IB Theatre Defense Reinforces 193 IB in Panama
73 IB Theatre Defense"non-NATO mission in Aleutian Islands" Ohio AG report
81 IB(M) RO 9 ID(Mtz)
92 IB Theatre Defense/SOUTHCOM Reserve
116 CB RO 4 ID(M)
155 AB RO 1 CD
163 AB Korea, secondary European/NATO
207 IG(S)Theatre Defense Alaska
218 IB(M) unknown
256 IB(M) RO 5 ID(M)
107 ACR European/NATO
278 ACR SWA, secondary European/NATO

157 IB(M) Unknown
187 IB Theatre Defense Iceland
205 IB(L) RO 6 ID(L)

I have also filed a FOI request and awaiting an answer.

[Adm.Lee]

Hmmm, thanks for this. This kind of thing is one of the cans of worms I can never stay away from, when thinking about T2k.

I will compare it to some other things I have.

[Louied]

Updated........Adm. Lee please let me know what you have.

26 ID European/NATO

28 ID SWA/XVIII Corps "Between 1985 and 1988, the 28th was under Headquarters I Corps, Ft. Lewis, Washington. On October 1, 1988, the Division was placed under control of the XVIII Corps, Ft. Bragg, NC." page 68 in 28th Infantry (Keystone) Division (Mechanized) 125 Years of Service. Turner Publishing.

29 ID(L) European/NATO, secondary SWA (not 100% confirmed yet on either)

34/47 ID Replaces 6 ID(L) if it goes to Korea, under I Corps, unknown secondary

35 ID (M) European/NATO

38 ID European/NATO. Participated in Warfighter 89 (CPX) that simulated a major battle in the Fulda Gap (V Corps area).

40 ID(M) Korea, secondary European/NATO or SWA

42 ID European/NATO

49 AD European/NATO

50 AD European/NATO

27 IB(L) RO 10 MtnD(L)

29 IB Corps mission (taken directly from Congressional Testimony)

30 IB(M) European/NATO (taken directly from Congressional Testimony)possibly AFSOUTH (Italy, Greece, Turkey)

30 AB European/NATO- Reforger 1992 Certain Caravan

31 AB European/NATO- Reforger 1990 Certain Shield (V Corps)

32 IB(M) European/NATO- Reforger 1986 Certain Sentinel (VII Corps)

33 IB unknown, supposed to reinforce Inf School at Benning (mid 80's) but "Maneuver and Firepower" states five ARNG brigades were organized as "Rear Battle" brigades

39 IB unknown, but augmented 101 AbnD(AA) in mid 80's also, maybe Rear Battle brigade

41 IB I Corps Rear Battle brigade (taken directly from Congressional Testimony and a former Officer in the Bde)
"41st Separate Infantry Brigade had a RACO mission in S. Korea for I Corps. 2-218 FA was the direct support battalion for the brigade. So far as I know, we were the only U.S. element which had such a mission for Korea. During Team Spirit, our reps would spend as much time down near Uijongbu as most units did up near the DMZ. Our batteries were expected, like our rifle battalions, to operate semi-autonomous across the Corps rear area. Our brigade H.Q. was supposedly going to be co-located with a ROK division H.Q. for security and comms. Don't know what they were going to do with our Arty battalion H.Q. but we were the brigade's alternate TOC."

45 IB III Corps Rear Battle brigade- Reforger 1987 Certain Strike

53 IB Theatre Defense Reinforces 193 IB in Panama

73 IB Theatre Defense"non-NATO mission in Aleutian Islands" Ohio AG report 1989 and
https://www.army.mil/article/191199/ohi ... of_service
From Ohio AG Report: "The 73rd Infantry Brigade's (Separate) federal wartime mission is to conduct operations as a theater defense brigade in a non-NATO island oriented scenario. ... On December 1, 1988 the brigade was reorganized to the Army of Excellence series of tables of organization and equipment."

81 IB(M) RO 9 ID(Mtz)

92 IB Theatre Defense/SOUTHCOM Reserve

116 CB RO 4 ID(M)

155 AB RO 1 CD

163 AB Korea, secondary European/NATO

207 IG(S) Theatre Defense Alaska

218 IB(M) unknown

256 IB(M) RO 5 ID(M)

107 ACR European/NATO

278 ACR SWA, secondary European/NATO

157 IB(M) I Corps

187 IB Theatre Defense Iceland

205 IB(L) RO 6 ID(L)

I have also filed a FOI request and awaiting an answer.

Some Sources:
DOD authorization for appropriations for fiscal year 1993 and the future years defense program : hearings before the Committee on Armed Services, United States Senate, One Hundred Second Congress, second session
Part 6, starting on page 252, gives you all the ARNG FY92 Force Structure Reductions. It gives the rationale for each unit (and there are a ton)
"Reduced Global Threat" ie non-NATO
"Reduced NATO Threat" ie secondary NATO mission
"NATO CAPSTONE" ie European/NATO mission
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id= ... up;seq=258

More about CAPSTONE:
3-1. History and principles

a. The WARTRACE Program dates back to 1973 when the Affil¬
iation Program was approved. The intent of Affiliation was to im¬
prove the training and readiness of RC combat battalions and
brigades by associating them with AA units. Under this program,
AA divisions formed training relationships with ARNG and USAR
units and worked with these units during both AT and IDT. In 1976,
combat support (CS) and combat service support (CSS) units were
added to the program. In 1978, two ARNG divisions were linked
with two AA divisions under the Division Partnership Program to
increase the readiness of ARNG divisions.

b. The success of the Affiliation Program led to an expansion of
the program’s goal in 1979. The goal was to integrate RC units into
war plans. The Affiliation Program, other readiness programs, RC
force modernization programs, and wartime requirements were all
rolled into the CAPSTONE Program. The program's original
objectives—

(1) Clearly defined the role of every unit in the Army (AA and
RC) for either USAREUR wartime or CONUS sustaining base
requirements.

(2) Established both planning and training associations between
RC units and the wartime AA headquarters.

(3) Established a Total Army program for force planning.

(4) Established a Total Army program for POMCUS, moderniza¬
tion, training, and readiness.

(5) Established a basis from which to plan mobilization and
deployment of RC units in wartime.

c. The Army CAPSTONE Program was established by the Chief
of Staff of the Army on 6 December 1979. FORSCOM was desig¬
nated as the coordinating authority for CAPSTONE and published
initial CAPSTONE alignments in August 1980.

d. In 1983, the program was expanded to encompass three war¬
time scenarios - Europe, Pacific, and Southwest Asia. A fourth set
of alignments for CONUS sustaining and training base and the
Theater Defense Brigades was also developed.


Last edited by Louie on Thu Dec 13, 2018 1:10 am, edited 1 time in total.

[mcchordsage]

Looks like we've seen some of the same sources, but you did much more work Louie! I've got some limited additional information on the 157th, which you may already have. It's all taken from this interview with a former officer and commanding general of the brigade: http://usahec.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p16635coll26/id/35

"We now began to formalize CAPSTONE relationships with different organizations. By the time I got to the 157th Headquarters, we began to work with the 1st Infantry Division. We worked with them for a number of years and it was a great experience. Then we began to work with I Corps subsequent to that relationship. All of our subsequent units in the trace would fall in on those things."
-Page 56, circa 1970s

"It was a great time. We left there and went to the 157th Brigade Headquarters, which was in Horsham, Pennsylvania. General Cannon was the Commander at the time. I was surprised to learn he wanted me to come down as the Brigade S3. I was sure that there were quite a few colonels that were longer in the tooth than I and who were quite capable of doing the job, but he seemed to think that he wanted to adopt our training style for the entire brigade’s operation. I said okay and moved on down the line. It was a very exciting time to be in the brigade. We were working with the 1st Infantry Division as our CAPSTONE. We were frequently invited out to participate in their CPXs [command post exercises] and war games."
-Page 57-58, circa 1970s

"By now, our CAPSTONE relationship had been shifted to I Corps in Fort Lewis, Washington. I Corps had a requirement that every headquarters participate in its annual war fighter exercise, Cascade Peak."
-Page 62, circa 1986

"The 157th was selected as an organization where they felt we could make some changes in terms of readiness. We had been assigned to report directly to the First United States Army. We were essentially OPCON to them."
-Page 65, circa 1988

"Desert Shield/Desert Storm [DD/DS] was a great campaign and over quickly so the 157th did not get called. A fair amount of its equipment went and a fair number of its soldiers went to back fill active duty activities. In the meantime, we continued on with our relationship with our CAPSTONE Headquarters. I can’t say enough about I Corps."
-Page 71, circa 1991

"There was another separate infantry brigade, it was a light brigade. We were the Heavy MECH [mechanized] brigade and the largest brigade in the Army Reserve. There was another brigade in Massachusetts, the 187th, which was a light brigade with a Joint Command Headquarters. It was really a terrific outfit commanded by BG Tom Stones and later Pete Clegg. They were perhaps the finest light infantry guys I had ever seen. We had an opportunity to help them out with modest support in Gaugetown, Canada during a couple of times in exercises."
-Page 74, just because the 187th fascinates me.

[Louied]

Mcchord

Thank you, there seems to be nothing out there in the 157th.

[mcchordsage]

Not much on them or the 187th. For a long time there was just a lot of uncertain speculation that they'd be sent to Iceland, but since those days I've seen a lot of confirming sources (including them training there in the 80s).

The other bit of info I finally ferreted out where it came from is on the 218th. Something told me they were involved with the 24th when it was at Fort Stewart (https://books.google.com/books?id=6TdEAQAAIAAJ&lpg=PA381&ots=uLk-kh83g_&dq=%22218th%20Infantry%20Brigade%22%2024th%20Infan try%20Division&pg=PA381#v=onepage&q=%22218th%20Infantry%20Brigade%22&f=false) even though the 48th Infantry Brigade was also supposed to be a roundout unit to them. It isn't a good, documentary source, and it doesn't say CAPSTONE anywhere but it sounds something like a CAPSTONE arrangement.

[Louied]

A couple of more gems I found......

The Army National Guard: Meeting The Needs of The National Strategy. Appendix gives you every ARNG Major Unit Colonel Command and above) in existence in 1992 (just before the draw-down)

https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a274443.pdf

Beyond 10 in 10: Command and Control of Follow-on U.S. Divisions to AFCENT

https://archive.org/details/DTIC_ADA215859

[mcchordsage]

Interesting! First one I've seen before but didn't have it saved.

There were definitely some changes between CAPSTONE and Roundout units. 218th for example definitely became a 1st ID roundout brigade, but before '91 nothing makes a mention of the 1st ID connection. Brigade: A History has all the Roundout units with their years and some other interesting bits about the Pentomic brigades I used for my Twilight 1964 stuff. Posting the link just for reference.

https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/combat-studies-institute/csi-books/Brigade-AHistory.pdf

[Louied]

218 IB only became RO to 1 ID when they lost their Fwd Bde in FRG during the post-Cold War drawdown. Around the same time 1Cav & 24 ID both got their third Bdes back with the drawdown of 9 ID, 194 AB, and 197 IB. AC units were in a massive state of flux at the time. If I was a betting man, prior to the Wall coming down, I would have to say that 218 was most likely CAPSTONED to XVIII Corps along with 28 ID, 39 IB, & 278 ACR.

[mcchordsage]

Probably! Seems that the Corps level separate brigades with rear area or other missions got lost in the shuffle.

[shrike6]

Nice list fellows I had a list of capstone missions for most NG FA Bdes but I'm moving and its on my desktop. I'll have to dig it up for you when I get settled again.

[Louied]

Shrike,

Thank you, that would be great ! I tried using back issues the FA’s magazine to figure the FA Bdes out by I’m not 100 % on them. I’ll post what I have tonight.

[Louied]

Shrike,

This is what I have for the ARNG/USAR FA Bdes (all info was gleaned from various editions of the monthly Field Artilery Bulletin)

I Corps
Korea Scenario - 1 AC, 5 ARNG FA Bdes
NATO Scenario - 1 USAR, 5 ARNG Bdes (I have identified six !......57th, 115th, 135th, 153rd, 147th, 169th)
(also 57th FA Bde was the habitual support for 40 ID(M))

III Corps
3 AC (75th, 212th, & 214th), 3 ARNG (45h, 142nd, & 631st)

V Corps
2 AC (41st & 42nd), 3 ARNG (103rd, 197th, & 209th)

VII Corps
3 AC (17th, 72nd, & 210th), unknown ARNG /USAR Bdes

XVIII Corps
1 AC (18th), 3 ARNG (113th, 118th, & 227th)

This leaves me with 3 USAR (428th, 434th, & 478th) and 3 ARNG (138th, 196th, & 151st) Bdes which I havent't been able to track down to Corps.

[Adm.Lee]

So, a long time ago, I said I'd look at this, I only recently re-found the thread.

I'm without my notes at the moment, I'm kind of flagging it for when I can get there. My ideas are based more on what *I* think ought to happen, mixed with how the war went and how the game materials broke things up.

[Adm.Lee]

A short summary would seem to be that just about each of the 6 active-duty corps would end up with 1-2 NG divisions, an armor or mech brigade, an infantry brigade, and up to 6 artillery brigades? That takes them each to at least 5 divisions, 3 maneuver brigades, and 6 artillery brigades: quite a lot for one commander?

I surmise that in a full-war scenario, the US might activate another handful of corps HQs, and more or less split the assets. (I'm ignoring the training divisions or raising more formations.) There are more corps in the USAVG and other in-game sources, but I question their IDs and deployments.

[Yamaguchi]

I was a member of the OH National Guard 73 (SEP) Infantry Brigade from 1988 through 2002. The Capstone mission mentioned above (Aleutian Islands) really was the mission. At that time the Brigade was an extreme cold weather unit. We would go to the field in the winter and practice freezing. Eventually (1990s at some point), the Brigade converted to the 73 Mech Bde and became the third brigade of the 28 Mech Division (PA National Guard). That didn't last long and they eventually converted to the 37 Armored Brigade which is their current configuration. This Brigade lineage goes back to the 37 Infantry Division from WW II.

[Adm.Lee]

Thanks for that, Yamaguchi, I will revise my idea of deployments.

[CJHusVar]

I was a member of the OH National Guard 73 (SEP) Infantry Brigade from 1988 through 2002. The Capstone mission mentioned above (Aleutian Islands) really was the mission. At that time the Brigade was an extreme cold weather unit. We would go to the field in the winter and practice freezing. Eventually (1990s at some point), the Brigade converted to the 73 Mech Bde and became the third brigade of the 28 Mech Division (PA National Guard). That didn't last long and they eventually converted to the 37 Armored Brigade which is their current configuration. This Brigade lineage goes back to the 37 Infantry Division from WW II.

Yamaguchi, what unit were you with in the 73rd IB? I served those same years with the 1-136FA, the the 1-134FA when we converted to a divisional brigade.

[Louied]

Nice list fellows I had a list of capstone missions for most NG FA Bdes but I'm moving and its on my desktop. I'll have to dig it up for you when I get settled again.

Shrike,

Did you get a chance to dig for it yet ? I have hit a roadblock.

[Yamaguchi]

Yamaguchi, what unit were you with in the 73rd IB? I served those same years with the 1-136FA, the the 1-134FA when we converted to a divisional brigade.

I was in the 237 FSB, the medical company 1988-2002, worked my way up from private to commander. After that I spent another 4 years (somehow forgot about that) as that battalion S-3. Which battery were you in? If the HQ, we most likely drilled at the same armory for some of that time.

[shrike6]

Shrike,

Did you get a chance to dig for it yet ? I have hit a roadblock.

Sorry to get back to you so late. Try to put back together my data.

Heres a piece for you. https://ibb.co/BwfF8cdhttps://ibb.co/BwfF8cd This is from 1987 showing a relationship between XVII airborne Corps and 113th, 227th and 118th FABs

[Louied]

From Carl Vuono Papers....page 7 of TAA-92 Force Program Decision Briefing

[shrike6]

From Carl Vuono Papers....page 7 of TAA-92 Force Program Decision Briefing

Nice!

[Louied]

Nice!
I’ll post the link to the page tonight. Whole thing is 55 pages

[Louied]

Here is the whole report

https://emu.usahec.org/alma/multimedia/514836/20184784MNBT989110553F025463I001.pdf

[Louied]

From what looks like 1983 (no 29 or 35 ID)

REPORT REGARDING NATIONAL MILITARY STRATEGY

https://emu.usahec.org/alma/multimedia/514857/20184784MNBT989110553F025458I004.pdf

[shrike6]

You know Louied I just noticed that is the first time in any official documents I've seen where Berlin Bde is listed as 199 IB. Makes me wonder if there were plans to do it and it just never happened.

[chico20854]

Slightly off topic, but here (https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1032&context=newport-papers) is the corresponding US Navy force planning documents.