On behalf of Soldiers and Families of the 1st Armored Division Artillery, I would like to welcome you and your family to our team – the "Iron Steel" unit. You are joining a unit that is disciplined, filled with esprit de corps, lives the Army values, believes in themselves and their leaders and consistently performs its missions to a higher standard. This unit affords many opportunities and challenges to develop yourself and your career and I know you will find your assignment in the DIVARTY to be both professionally and personally rewarding.
The unit, located in new facilities on East Fort Bliss, is currently focused on RESET (build) operations, training, and preparing for combat. In the coming months, the unit will build on our foundation, receiving more Soldiers and more equipment. We will steadily improve upon our unique capabilities as a vital member of the 1st Armored Division's combined arms team.
Fort Bliss is one of the Army's premier power projection platforms. You are fortunate to be assigned to such a dynamic post that is at the forefront of the Army's transformation. The heart of the growing Fort Bliss community, Freedom Crossing, is unique for a military installation. In addition to shops and restaurants, Freedom Crossing also features a 10-screen, stadium seating, first-run movie theatre called the Grand Theatre. At Freedom Crossing, you will also find shaded patios, an outdoor fireplace, an interactive fountain, and a covered children's play area
If you have not been contacted by a sponsor, please let us know. Your chain of command and/or your sponsor will assist you in any way we can. The Fort Bliss website is an excellent source of information about the Fort Bliss and El Paso communities. The 1AD DIVARTY also has a unit Facebook page, which will provide you useful information. I look forward to working for and with you. Again, welcome to Fort Bliss and the 1 AD DIVARTY.
Unit HistoryHeadquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Armored Division Artillery was first constituted on July 15, 1940, in the Regular Army as the Artillery Section, Headquarters, 1st Armored Division, and activated at Fort Knox, Kentucky. The unit was redesignated on November 15, 1940, as the Artillery Section, Division Headquarters, 1st Armored Division.
The unit was reorganized and redesignated on March 1, 1942, as Headquarters, Division Artillery Command, Headquarters, 1st Armored Division. During World War II, the Division Artillery Command fought in North Africa and Italy, earning six campaign streamers. The unit was consolidated on July 20, 1944, with the Service Company, 1st Armored Division (less Military Police Platoon) (which had been first constituted on January 1, 1942, in the Regular Army and activated January 8, 1942, at Fort Knox, Kentucky), and consolidated unit was reorganized and redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, Division Artillery, 1st Armored Division. The unit was inactivated on April 18, 1946, at the New York Port of Embarkation, New York.
On March 7, 1951, it was reactivated at Fort Hood (known as Fort Cavazos since April 2023), Texas. The unit was reorganized and redesignated on July 1, 1955, as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Armored Division Artillery before being inactivated again on December 23, 1957, at Fort Polk (known as Fort Johnson since April 2023), Louisiana.
On February 3, 1962, the unit was once again reactivated at Fort Hood, Texas. In May 1971, the unit was inactivated at Fort Hood, Texas, and reactivated in Zindorf in place of former elements of the 4th Armored Division Artillery. On November 9, 1990, the Division Artillery was notified to deploy to Saudi Arabia. As part of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, the 1st Armored Division Artillery added two additional battle streamers for service in Southwest Asia.
In December 1995, the Division Artillery deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina, as part of Task Force Eagle, in support of Operation Joint Endeavor. In 1997, the Division Artillery deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina for Operation Joint Guard and Operation Joint Forge. In 1998, the Division Artillery planned and executed Rolling Steel, the first large scale Maneuver Rights Exercise in Germany since 1993. The year 1999 saw elements of the Division Artillery deploy to peacekeeping operations with Operation Allied Force in Albania and Operation Joint Guardian in Kosovo.
In the late 2000s, the 1st Armored Division's DIVARTY was inactivated. This was a product of the transformation of the 1st Armored Division to the new modular force structure. As a part of the transformation, assets that had previously been held at division level, but habitually attached to the division's brigades during operations were made organic to those brigades, including field artillery support. The 2nd Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery was inactivated and reactivated as part of the reorganized and redesignated 1st Brigade Combat Team. The 4th Battalion, 27th Field Artillery was similarly reassigned to the reorganized and redesignated 2nd Brigade Combat Team. The 1st Battalion, 94th Field Artillery was inactivated, reorganized, and reactivated as part of the 17th Fires Brigade at Fort Lewis, Washington.