The 440th Civil Affairs Battalion is the newest battalion in the United States Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne). The battalion follows the long and storied history of the Civil Affairs Regiment within the United States Special Operations Command and the United States Army Reserve.

The battalion regularly deploys its civil affairs teams and companies throughout the Indo-Pacific region in support of various operations and exercises. The 440th has sent teams to Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Timor Leste, Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Tonga, Palau, Samoa, Fiji and Papua New Guinea, as well as supported exercises in Korea, Japan, Hawaii and Guam.

The unit traces its lineage to the 440th Military Government Company which was organized and activated Oct. 1, 1950, in Wenatchee, Washington, as part of the Organized Reserve Corps. The unit was redesignated as the 440th Civil Affairs and Military Government Company Aug. 13, 1956, and later as the 440th Civil Affairs Company Dec. 10, 1959. The unit was inactivated Feb. 29, 1968, until the Headquarters and Headquarters Company was re-designated Jan. 12, 2009. The 440th Civil Affairs Battalion was formally activated and held its first formation Sept. 16, 2012, at Fort Carson, Colorado.

The 440th Civil Affairs Battalion’s four tactical line companies and one headquarters and headquarters company are designed to support a division-level command with civil affairs companies assigned to support brigade combat teams. The unit serves as the critical link to civilian authorities through all phases of combat operations. In addition to being cultural experts, the 440th Civil Affairs Battalion provides subject matter experts in civil-military operations, civil information management, foreign humanitarian assistance, nation assistance, population resource control and support to civil administration. The battalion’s ranks are predominantly composed of reservists, allowing them to use their civilian experiences and expertise in occupations such as medicine, emerging technology, law enforcement, engineering, public health, diplomacy, government, law, banking and public administration.

The 440th Civil Affairs Battalion is assigned to the 364th Civil Affairs Brigade in Clackamas, Oregon and the 351st Civil Affairs Command in Mountain View, California. All of the battalion’s organic units are located at Fort Carson.

The unit motto “Aut viam inveniam aut faciam” is a Latin proverb attributed to the Carthaginian general Hannibal Barca. According to legend it was his response when told by his subordinates that it was impossible to move his war elephants over the Alps in support of his invasion of Rome. It translates to “I will either find a way or make one.”