Indiana National Guard: 38th Combat Aviation Brigade

38th Combat Aviation Brigade

Falcons
JOIN
38th Combat Aviation Brigade

Falcons
JOIN
38th Combat Aviation Brigade

Falcons
38th Combat Aviation Brigade

Falcons
JOIN
38th Combat Aviation Brigade

Falcons
JOIN

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The 38th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) was organized and federally recognized on Feb. 1, 1959, Indianapolis as the 38th Aviation Company, an element of the 38th Infantry Division. The unit pilots UH-60 Black Hawk and LUH-72 Lakota helicopters capable of a variety of general support missions, air movement, air assault and MEDEVAC.

Unit Nickname: Falcons
Unit Motto: “Above the Best; “Eye of the Cyclone” (original)
Home Station: Shelbyville

About Army Aviation

Already proven as an integral part of combined arms doctrine, the National Guard added aviation companies to its divisions in 1959. During World War II and the Korean War, commanders had realized that direct control of aviation assets to provide direct support to their missions was essential. During the Vietnam war, the role of army aviation greatly expanded with armed helicopters playing an important role in the ability of ground forces to maneuver. In addition to combat and tactical air support, Army aviation conducts intelligence gathering, troop and equipment transport and search and rescue.

Explore Careers in Army Aviation

Mission

Peacetime: The 38th CAB mobilizes, deploys and conducts National Guard Civil Support operations supporting 38th ID and JFHQ-IN in order to provide the state of Indiana the forces, equipment, and aviation capabilities necessary to respond to state emergencies and other-directed missions throughout Indiana and other Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) States.

Wartime: The 38th CAB mobilizes, deploys and conducts aviation operations in support of assigned Headquarters in order to provide freedom of maneuver to U.S. and coalition forces in the deployed theater.

Leadership

Lt. Col. Ben A. Ramos

Commander, 38th Combat Aviation Brigade

Lieutenant Colonel Ben Anthony Ramos is a native of Brownsville, Texas. He earned his bachelor’s from The University of Texas-Pan American, Edinburg Texas and earned an MBA and graduated with honors from the Eller College of Management at The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona.

LTC Ramos previously served as the Operations and Readiness Officer for HQDA G 3/5/7 DAMO-AV. Prior to this position, he served as the Chief of Operations for Army National Guard Aviation at the National Guard Bureau.

Following graduation from Aviation Basic Officer Course and U.S. Army Flight School, LTC Ramos served in various Aviation positions including as a Platoon Leader within the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, and later as the Company Commander within, 2-159th Attack Battalion. He also served as an Assistant S-3 in the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, an Observer Coach Trainer at 2-291st Aviation Regiment, a Brigade S-3, S-8, and a Maintenance Battalion Commander at the Western Army National Guard Aviation Training Site Brigade. His deployments include Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and Atlantic Resolve.

LTC Ramos was a Distinguished Honor Graduate of the Command and General Staff Officer Course Intermediate Level Education (CGSC, ILE) and received Superior Academic Achievement upon graduating from the U.S. Army Force Management Course. He is also a graduate of the U.S. Army Survival, Escape, Resistance, and Evasion Course (SERE-C), the Aviation Maintenance Officer Course and the U.S. Army Space Cadre Course.

LTC Ramos’s military awards include: Meritorious Service Medal with three Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Medal with numeral 3 device, Army Commendation Medal with four Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Achievement Medal with three Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two Campaign Stars, Iraqi Campaign Medal with one Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device, Army Service Ribbon, Army Overseas Service Ribbon with numeral 3 Device, Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal, Combat Action Badge, Senior Army Aviator Badge, Parachutist Badge, Meritorious Unit Commendation with Oak Leaf Cluster, Norwegian Foot March Bronze Award, and the Order of St. Michael Bronze Medal.

Command Sgt. Maj. Lucas Turner

Senior Enlisted Advisor, 38th Combat Aviation Brigade

Units

Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) 38th Combat Aviation Brigade, Shelbyville Army Aviation Support Facility (AASF)

638th Area Support Battalion (ASB)

Headquarters and Service Company (HSC), Lafayette
DET 2, 909th Field Feeding Team (FFT), Lafayette
A CO (DISTRO), Lafayette
DET 2, B CO (MAINT), Shelbyville AASF
C CO (SIG), Lafayette

2-238th General Support Aviation Battalion (GSAB)

Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) 2-238 GSAB, Shelbyville, Army Aviation Support Facility (AASF)
DET 2, 915th Field Feeding Team (FFT), Camp Atterbury
C MED, Gary, Army Limited Aviation Support Facility (LAASF)
D MAINT, Gary, Limited Army Aviation Support Facility (LAASF)
E FSC, Shelbyville AASF
F (ATS), Johnson County
DET 1, Co. C/1-376 (LUH-72) Shelbyville AASF
DET 1, HHC/1-137, Shelbyville AASF
C/1-137, Shelbyville AASF
DET 1, Co. D/1-137 Shelbyville AASF
DET 1, Co. E/1-137 Shelbyville AASF

Since 2001, Indiana Army National Guard rotary wing and fixed wing aviation have deployed to:

2001, Kuwait - B CO 1-147th (UH60)
2004, Bosnia - 2-238 GSAB (UH60)
2005, Montana - UH60
2005, Hurricane Katrina - 2-238 GSAB (UH60)
2007, Iraq - MEDEVAC, C-2-238 GSAB (UH60)
2008, Southwest Border - UH60, OH58
2007-2008, Iraq/Kuwait - DET 3, CO D 126th AVN (TAC) (C-23)
2008, Jamaica - MEDEVAC, C-2-238 GSAB (UH60)
2009, Kuwait - 2-238 GSAB (UH60)
2009-2010, Iraq - 38 CAB, C-1-137 (Air Assault) (UH60), F CO 3-238 GSAB
2011-2011, Iraq - DET 3, CO D 126th AVN (TAC) (C-23)
2012, Kuwait - 2013-2014 MEDEVAC, C-2-238 GSAB (UH60)
2014, Kosovo - DET 2 Co B, 638th ASB
2015, Kuwait - C-1-137 (Air Assault)
2022-2023, Southwest Border - C-1-376th Security and Support

March 1,1963 - Reorganized and redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 38th Aviation Battalion, and remained assigned to the 38th ID (organic elements concurrently reorganized from existing units)
Feb.1, 1968: Co. A allotted to the Michigan Army National Guard
Nov. 1,1971: Headquarters’ location changed to Shelbyville
Sept. 1,1978: Co. C allotted to the Arkansas Army National Guard
Sept. 30,1978: Co. A redesignated as Co. B; Co. D allotted to the Missouri Army National Guard; Companies A and E allotted to the Indiana Army National Guard, home area Indiana (less elements in Arkansas, Michigan, and Missouri).

BLAZON: Per pale argent and azure, wings erect conjoined below a saltire within an annulet all counterchanged. CREST: That for the regiments and separate battalions of the Indiana, Missouri, Arkansas, and Michigan Army National Guard placed from dexter to sinister, two above and two underneath, in the order in which the states were admitted to the Union: Indiana: On a wreath of the colors, argent and azure, a demi-lion rampant argent, holding in dexter paw a laurel branch vert. MOTTO: Eye of the Cyclone. SYMBOLISM: Teal blue and white were formerly used for aviation battalions. The wings symbolize flight operations. The annulet is used to allude to an eyelet, an “item” for securing, and a “place” for observing. The saltire cross stands for the state of Indiana which is called “The Crossroads of America.” An “X” has long been used to make a definite location; in this connection the saltire also refers to the battalion’s reconnaissance activities. DISTINCTIVE INSIGNIA The distinctive insignia is the shield and motto of the coat of arms.