221st Cavalry Regiment

In support of their federal mission, soldiers of the squadron train as members of M2A3 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle crews, as reconnaissance platoons, and M1A1 Abrams main battle tank crews. Additionally, the squadron has a 120-mm M120 heavy mortar platoon, a fire support platoon, a medical platoon, a signal section, a sniper squad, and a unit ministry team.[2]

When training in a traditional National Guard status, the squadron will typically complete Bradley Fighting Vehicle gunnery tables, or dismounted reconnaissance training, and tank gunnery tables, lanes. The squadron has also conducted successful training cycles providing training and validation to prepare other Nevada Army National Guard units for deployment to the middle east. Additionally, the squadron incorporates elements of stability operations, support operations, and counterinsurgency operations into larger training events.

The 221st Artillery, a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System, was composed of 1st Gun Battalion, 2nd Gun Battalion, and 3rd Gun Detachment. This would be the first designation of the unit as the 221st.

With the increasing cold war tensions and impending conflict in Southeast Asia, the Regiment was reorganized as an Automatic weapons regiment on June 1, 1962. After the reorganization the regiment would maintain the same structure of 2 battalions and 1 detachment until November 1965 where the outbreak of the Vietnam war would see the consolidation of the regiment to 1st Automatic weapons battalion and the 3rd Detachment.[4]

With the ongoing force structure changes of the Vietnam war, the regiment would mount up in December 1967 as 3rd Squadron, 116th Armored Cavalry Regiment with Headquarters in Reno, NV. By May 1974 the unit was relocated back to Las Vegas as the 3rd Squadron 163rd Armored Cavalry Regiment.[4]

With the Vietnam war over, and the Army looking to add armor force restructure, the Regiment was reorganized and renamed as the 221st Armor Regiment on April 1, 1980. The new regiment would consist of the 1st Battalion, 221st Armor and was assigned as an element of the 40th Infantry Division. In 1989 the Combat Arms Regimental System was withdrawn and the unit was reorganized under the newly formed U.S. Army Regimental System.[4]

1-221 CAV OPFOR M1A1 KVT

In 1995 the armored Battalion was realigned as a round out Squadron of the 11th ACR where they would fight alongside their active duty counterparts in NTC rotations. In 2007 the Cavalry Squadron would trade in its Abrams tanks for scout variant Bradley Fighting vehicles and reorganize as a Armored Reconnaissance squadron. In 2016 the squadron would leave the 11th ACR and realign as the reconnaissance squadron for the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team, a National Guard Brigade out of Boise, ID.[4]

K Troop (Kilo) 1-221 CAV mobilization, Apr 2009

[6][7]

In DEC 2008 the Squadron was alerted for mobilization and deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Pre mobilization training was conducted in January at Camp Roberts CA. The squadron mobilized in April and conducted post mobilization training at Camp Atterbury Indiana. In May 2009 the Squadron deployed to Afghanistan.

The Squadron provided 12 Security Force Platoons (SECFOR) to the US Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRT), while the Squadron HQ and remainder of troopers was assigned as the Coalition force responsible for Laghman Province battlespace. In this AOR the occupied FOB Mehtar Lam, with combat outposts at Xio Haq and Nagil.

The Squadron conducted combat operations throughout Afghanistan until April 2010, when it redeployed and demobilized. Ultimately 752 Wildhorse troopers deployed, with 48 earning the Purple Heart for combat wounds. No troopers were lost.

In November 2021, the Squadron's tank company, Delta "Die Hard" was activated in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (Spartan Shield) based out of Kuwait.[8]

In May 2020, Soldiers from the squadron were mobilized as part of the state's COVID-19 response. These Soldiers supported local hospitals, food banks, homeless shelters and eventually vaccination sites as part of the Nevada COVID response Joint Task Force.[9]

In the wake of the January 6th United States Capitol attack, the squadron would be activated to service for Operation Capitol Response in support of the 59th Presidential Inauguration in Washington D.C.