He Co support group, USASETAF

• Origins in Italy: He Co (Headquarters Company) Support Group, USASETAF (United States Army Southern European Task Force), was established in Italy after World War II to provide command, control, and logistical support for US Army forces in Southern Europe. • Key Role in NATO: USASETAF, and by extension He Co, played a pivotal role in NATO’s southern flank, coordinating multinational military exercises and rapid deployment operations during the Cold War. • Operation Provide Comfort: Elements of He Co USASETAF participated in humanitarian relief operations for Kurdish refugees in northern Iraq after the 1991 Gulf War. • Paratrooper Legacy: USASETAF was often associated with airborne units, and He Co supported several elite paratrooper brigades stationed in Vicenza, Italy. • Humanitarian Missions in Africa: He Co supported USASETAF’s numerous humanitarian and peacekeeping missions across Africa, including operations in Rwanda, Liberia, and Somalia. • Support for Balkans Operations: During the 1990s, He Co played an important logistical and administrative support role for US military operations in the Balkans, including Bosnia and Kosovo. • Vicenza, Italy Headquarters: The unit was headquartered at Caserma Ederle in Vicenza, Italy, a hub for US Army Southern European operations. • Distinctive Unit Insignia: He Co personnel wore the USASETAF patch, featuring a winged sword, symbolizing rapid deployment and airborne capabilities. • Transformation to Africa Command: In 2008, USASETAF became the Army component of the newly established United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM), expanding He Co’s mission to continental Africa. • Community Engagement: He Co and USASETAF have a strong tradition of community involvement, organizing charity events and fostering close relationships with local Italian communities.