15th MILITARY INTELLIGENCE BATTALION
COAT OF ARMS
Shield: Azure, above a base rayonne argent, a winged
sphinx couchant of the last and in chief two plates
partially superimposed fesswise the conjoined area
sable.
Crest: None approved.
Motto: VIGILANTIA AD FINEM (VIGILANCE TO
THE END).
Symbolism: Oriental blue and silver gray are the
colors used for military intelligence. The winged
sphinx, all-seeing and continually watchful, refers to
the battalion™s air reconnaissance support mission and
also connotes the unit's motto. The overlapping discs
simulate camera lenses and allude to the stereoscopic
capabilities provided by the organization in its perfor-
mance of reproduction, identification, and packaging of
aerial imagery. The flames are indicative of heat
sensory devices, wisdom, and zeal.
DISTINCTIVE UNIT INSIGNIA
The distinctive unit insignia is the shield and motto of
the coat of arms.
LINEAGE RA (active)
- Constituted 6 January 1966 in the Regular Army as the 15th Military Intelligence Battalion. Activated 25 February 1966 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Inactivated 30 April 1972 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
- Activated 21 April 1978 at Fort Hood, Texas (Detachments A, B, C, and D concurrently consolidated to form Company A; 131st Military Intelligence Company [see ANNEX I] and 156th Army Security Agency Company [see ANNEX 2] reorganized and redesignated as Companies B and C).
- Headquarters and Headquarters Company inactivated 31 May 1981 at Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia (Company C concurrently inactivated at Fort Bliss, Texas). (Company A inactivated 15 April 1982 at Fort Hood, Texas; disbanded 15 September 1983. Company B reorganized and redesignated 16 September 1983 as Company A; Company C concurrently redesignated as Company B.)
- Headquarters and Headquarters Company redesignated 16 October 1985 as Headquarters, Headquarters and Service Company and activated at Fort Hood, Texas (Company B concurrently activated).
ANNEX 1
- Constituted 1 July 1971 in the Regular Army as the
131st Military Intelligence Company and activated in
Vietnam.
ANNEX 2
- Constituted 1 June 1966 in the Regular Army as the
156th Aviation Company and activated in Vietnam.
- Converted and redesignated 5 November 1973 as the
156th Army Security Agency Company
CAMPAIGN PARTICIPATION CREDIT
Southwest Asia
- Defense of Saudi Arabia
- Liberation and Defense of Kuwait
Company A additionally entitled to:
Vietnam
- Consolidation I
- Consolidation II
- Cease-Fire
Company B additionally entitled to:
Vietnam
- Counteroffensive
- Summer-Fall 1969
- Counteroffensive, Phase II
- Winter-Spring 1970
- Counteroffensive, Phase III
- Sanctuary Counteroffensive
- Tet Counteroffensive
- Counteroffensive, Phase VII
- Counteroffensive, Phase IV
- Consolidation I
- Counteroffensive, Phase V
- Consolidation II
- Counteroffensive, Phase VI
- Cease-Fire
- Tet 69/Counteroffensive
DECORATIONS
- Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer
embroidered SOUTHWEST ASIA (15th Military
Intelligence Battalion cited; DA GO 12, 1994)
Company B additionally entitled to:
- Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer
embroidered VIETNAM 1966-1967 (156th Aviation
Company cited; DA GO 17, 1968, as amended by DA
GO 1, 1969)
- Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer
embroidered VIETNAM 1967-1969 (156th Aviation
Company cited; DA GO 2, 1971)
- Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer
embroidered VIETNAM 1971-1972 (156th Aviation
Company cited; DA GO 32, 1973)
- Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm,
Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1970-1971 (156th
Aviation Company cited; DA GO 6, 1974)