36th Combat Aviation Brigade

Task Force Mustang was a deployment designation associated with the 36th Combat Aviation Brigade, the aviation formation of the 36th Infantry Division in the Texas Army National Guard. It is not a commercial consumer brand or an airline. The brigade belongs to the United States Army National Guard and provides rotary-wing aviation, aviation support, air assault, medical evacuation, cargo movement, reconnaissance, and attack capabilities in support of Army operations. The brigade was notable as the first National Guard combat aviation brigade organized under the Army's reformatting plan. Its structure brought together aviation units from multiple states, allowing the formation to field a broad mix of aircraft and capabilities. During its Iraq deployment, the force included more than 2,700 soldiers drawn from 44 states, including approximately 2,500 personnel from 16 state Army National Guard organizations and more than 200 Individual Ready Reserve soldiers from 36 states. Task Force Mustang had operational experience before its Iraq deployment, including missions in Bosnia and Kosovo and domestic disaster-response support on the United States Gulf Coast after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. These activities reflected the dual role of the National Guard: supporting overseas military operations while remaining available for state and federal emergency response. For Operation Iraqi Freedom, the brigade began moving to the theater in September 2006 after preparatory training at Camp Buehring, Kuwait. Personnel had also completed flight and theater-immersion training at Fort Hood, Texas, and Fort Sill, Oklahoma. The brigade was certified as ready for combat on 30 July 2006 by Lieutenant General Russel L. Honoré, commander of First United States Army. The force became operational in Iraq on 1 November 2006, with its units entering service progressively. The brigade's reported first-eight-month operational totals illustrate the scale of its deployment: approximately 51,000 combat flight hours, nearly 7,300 combat missions, more than 230,000 passengers transported, and over 15 million pounds of cargo moved. It also conducted almost 60 large combat air assaults, supplied medical-evacuation support, and assisted ground forces with AH-64 Apache attack helicopters. Its deployed aviation fleet included approximately 18 AH-64 Apaches, 80 UH-60 Black Hawks, and 12 CH-47 Chinooks, alongside other aviation and support elements. The brigade completed its Iraq tour in the fall of 2007 and was relieved by the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade. It subsequently deployed to Kuwait in April 2013 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Spartan Shield, operating from Camp Buehring. Public reference material does not establish a current commercial identity, corporate ownership structure, or present operational status for the Task Force Mustang designation.

The 36th Combat Aviation Brigade was established as the combat aviation brigade of the 36th Infantry Division and became the first National Guard combat aviation brigade created under the Army's reformatting plan. The brigade drew personnel and aviation resources from several state Army National Guard organizations, giving it a geographically distributed structure and the ability to assemble attack, utility, heavy-lift, medical, and support capabilities for expeditionary missions. Before its Iraq deployment, the formation had supported operations in Bosnia and Kosovo. It also contributed to domestic emergency operations along the United States Gulf Coast following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. These assignments demonstrated the brigade's role across both overseas military operations and domestic disaster response. The brigade prepared for Operation Iraqi Freedom through flight and theater-immersion training at Fort Hood, Texas, and Fort Sill, Oklahoma, followed by training at Camp Buehring, Kuwait. First United States Army certified the formation as ready for combat on 30 July 2006. Task Force Mustang began shipping to Iraq in September 2006, and its units became operational in theater in stages. The final combat aviation brigade unit became operational on 1 November 2006. The Iraq force included brigade headquarters, attack aviation, general-support aviation, aviation support, operational support airlift, and medical evacuation elements. Units were based in Texas, Colorado, Alabama, Kansas, Arkansas, and other states. The deployed aircraft mix included AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, and CH-47 Chinook helicopters, with additional aviation assets such as the C-23 Sherpa used by the Operational Support Airlift Command element. During the first eight months of operations in Iraq, the brigade reported approximately 51,000 combat flight hours and nearly 7,300 combat missions. It transported more than 230,000 passengers and over 15 million pounds of cargo, performed almost 60 large air assaults, supported medical evacuation, and assisted ground forces with Apache attack helicopters. The personnel strength exceeded 2,700 soldiers, including National Guard members from numerous states and Individual Ready Reserve augmentees. The brigade completed its Iraq tour in the fall of 2007 and was replaced by the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade. In April 2013, it deployed to Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as part of Operation Spartan Shield, with Camp Buehring identified as its base. Available reference material does not provide a complete institutional chronology after that deployment or confirm whether Task Force Mustang remains an active designation.

• 2013

  Deployment to Kuwait

  [1]36th Combat Aviation Brigadeen.wikipedia.org

  The brigade deployed to Kuwait in April 2013 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Spartan Shield, based at Camp Buehring.

• 2007

  Relief from Iraq deployment

  [1]36th Combat Aviation Brigadeen.wikipedia.org

  The brigade completed its Iraq tour in the fall of 2007 and was relieved by the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade.

• 2006

  Combat-readiness certification

  [1]36th Combat Aviation Brigadeen.wikipedia.org

  First United States Army certified the brigade as ready for combat on 30 July 2006 after extensive aviation and theater-preparation training.

• 2006

  Deployment to Iraq

  [1]36th Combat Aviation Brigadeen.wikipedia.org

  Task Force Mustang began moving to Iraq in September 2006 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

• 2006

  Full operational status in Iraq

  [1]36th Combat Aviation Brigadeen.wikipedia.org

  The deployed brigade's final listed unit became operational in Iraq on 1 November 2006.

• Formation under the Army reformatting plan

  [1]36th Combat Aviation Brigadeen.wikipedia.org

  The 36th Combat Aviation Brigade became the first National Guard combat aviation brigade organized under the Army's reformatting plan.

A National Guard combat aviation formation positioned to provide multi-state, expeditionary rotary-wing aviation and aviation support for Army combat operations, overseas contingency missions, and domestic disaster response.

• Attack aviation

  AH-64 Apache operations

  Attack aviation provided by AH-64 Apache helicopters supported ground troops and contributed to combat air-assault operations during the Iraq deployment.

• Utility and air assault aviation

  UH-60 Black Hawk operations

  UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters supplied utility transport and air-assault capacity within the brigade's multi-state aviation force.

• Heavy-lift aviation

  CH-47 Chinook operations

  CH-47 Chinook helicopters provided heavy-lift capability for cargo, personnel, and other aviation-support missions.

• Aviation medical support

  Medical evacuation support

  Attached and supporting medical-evacuation aviation elements helped evacuate wounded personnel and support deployed ground forces.

• 2013Operation Spartan Shield

  Kuwait

  The brigade deployed to Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as part of Operation Spartan Shield.

  Outcome. The brigade was based at Camp Buehring; detailed results are not provided in the reference material.

  Source
• 2006Operation Iraqi Freedom

  Iraq · Kuwait

  The brigade deployed to Iraq as Task Force Mustang, conducting combat aviation, air assault, transport, cargo, attack, and medical-evacuation missions.

  Outcome. The brigade completed its tour in the fall of 2007 and was relieved by the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade.

  Source
• 2005Hurricane Katrina and Rita disaster response

  United States Gulf Coast

  Task Force Mustang supported domestic disaster operations on the Gulf Coast after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

  Outcome. The available source identifies the support mission but does not quantify its results.

  Source
• Bosnia and Kosovo deployments

  Bosnia and Herzegovina · Kosovo

  The brigade's predecessor or associated Task Force Mustang formation had previously supported overseas operations in Bosnia and Kosovo.

  Outcome. The reference material confirms the deployments but does not provide detailed mission outcomes.

  Source

1. 136th Combat Aviation Brigadeen.wikipedia.org