10th Army Air & Missile Defense Command
| 10th Army Air & Missile Defense Command | |
|---|---|
|
Shoulder sleeve insignia | |
| Active | 17 October 2011 – Present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Type | Air defense |
| Part of | United States Army Europe |
| Garrison/HQ | Kaiserslautern, Germany |
| Motto(s) | Missile Away, Target Destroyed |
| Engagements | World War II |
| Commanders | |
| Commander | COL Janell E. Eickhoff |
| Command Sergeant Major | CSM Stephen A. Burnley |
| Insignia | |
| Distinctive unit insignia |
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The 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command (AAMDC) is a theater level Army air and missile defense organization and directly subordinated to United States Army Europe. On order, 10th AAMDC deploys worldwide to conduct joint and combined/coalition air missile defense ops for US European Command. 10th AAMDC serves as the United States Army in Europe's executive agent for all theater air and missile defense ops and air missile defense force management.
Lineage and history
The command's lineage dates from the 10th Coast Artllery (Harbor Defense), Fort Adams, Rhode Island. The flashes symbolize the speed and efficiency of the unit while "X" suggests the numerical designation of the unit. The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 10th Artillery Group on 10 November 1969. It was amended to correct the description on 1 December 1969. It was redesignated for the 10th Air Defense Artillery Group on 5 April 1972. It was redesignated for the 10th Air Defense Artillery Brigade on 2 June 1983. The insignia was redesignated for the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command with the description updated effective 17 October 2011.
- 1 July 1924 - Constituted as the 10th Coast Artillery at Fort Adams, Rhode Island
- 10 April 1944 - Inactivated at Camp Forrest, Tennessee
- 31 May 1944 - Disbanded
- 28 June 1950 - Reconstituted in the Regular Army
- 20 March 1958 - Redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 10th Artillery Group
- 25 January 1959 - Inactivated in Korea
- 1 July 1961 - Activated in Germany
- 15 March 1972 - Reorganized and redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 10th Air Defense Artillery Group
- 16 July 1983 - Reorganized and redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 10th Air Defense Artillery Brigade
- 15 July 1992 - Inactivated in Germany
- 4 October 2011 - Redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command
- 17 October 2011 - Activated as 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command
When the command was activated in 2011, the lineage and numbering selected were those of the 10th Artillery Group. However, the previous designation was the 357 A&MDD. It was:
- 17 June 1944 - Established in the US Army as 357th Coast Artillery Transport Detachment.
- 10 October 2007 - Redesignated 357th Air & Missile Defense Detachment.
- 16 April 2008 - Activated in Kaiserslautern Germany.
- 17 October 2011 - Activated 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command in Germany
Subordinate units
- Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command
- 5th Battalion 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment
- Headquarters and Headquarters Battery 5-7 ADA Regt
- A Battery, 5-7 ADA
- B Battery, 5-7 ADA
- C Battery, 5-7 ADA
- D Battery, 5-7 ADA
- Service Company, 5-7 ADA
- 11th Missile Defense Detachment (located Romania)
- 13th Missile Defense Detachment (located Turkey)
Heraldry
Shoulder sleeve insignia: Upon a yellow vertical rectangle arched at top and bottom, 2 inches (5.08 cm) in width and 3 inches (7.62 cm) in height overall, two scarlet arrowheads at top and bottom centered vertically with points opposed at center between two blue triangular stylized wings; all within a 1/8 inch (.32 cm) yellow border. Scarlet and yellow are the colors associated with Air Defense Artillery. The blue stylized wings suggest the sky and flight in reference to the air defense function and the arrowheads denote accuracy and aerial warfare. The X-shape formed by the wings refer to the Roman numeral ten, the unit’s numerical designation. The shoulder sleeve insignia was originally approved for the 10th Air Defense Artillery Brigade on 5 January 1984. It was redesignated for the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command with the description updated effective 17 October 2011.
Insignia: A gold color metal and enamel device 1 3/16 inches (3.02 cm) in height overall consisting of a blue cloud bank supporting two gold crossed lightning flashes, surmounted by a red diamond shape with a gold border and bearing a gold swooping hawk with wings displayed between two gold stars, in base in front of the diamond’s lower point a gold wall with three merlons charged at center with a blue anchor extending above and below a gold scroll inscribed "PRIMA" in red letters. The two stars symbolize the unit’s participation in World War II and the Korean War. The Philippine Presidential Unit Citation and the two Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citations are represented by the three merlons of the wall. The swooping gold hawk refers to the firepower of the unit. The battlement with the anchor alludes to the unit’s overseas service and its historical background. The flashes symbolize the speed and efficiency of the unit while "X" suggests the numerical designation of the unit. The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 10th Artillery Group on 10 November 1969. It was amended to correct the description on 1 December 1969. It was redesignated for the 10th Air Defense Artillery Group on 5 April 1972. It was redesignated for the 10th Air Defense Artillery Brigade on 2 June 1983. The insignia was redesignated for the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command with the description updated effective 17 October 2011.
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Army Center of Military History document "10th Army Air & Missile Defense Command Lineage".