HHC 1st AVN BRD

• Origins: Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Aviation Brigade (HHC 1st AVN BRD) was originally constituted on 1 February 1966 in the Regular Army as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Aviation Brigade and activated in Vietnam soon thereafter. • Vietnam War: The 1st Aviation Brigade was the largest aviation brigade in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, at one point commanding over 4,000 aircraft and 27,000 personnel. • Distinctive Unit Insignia: The unit's insignia features a winged sword, symbolizing the brigade’s role as the “cutting edge” of Army aviation. • Call Sign “Blue Max”: The brigade was known by the radio call sign “Blue Max,” a name that became legendary among Army aviators in Vietnam. • Major Operations: The 1st Aviation Brigade participated in nearly every major operation in Vietnam, including the Tet Offensive and the Cambodian Incursion. • Transformation: After Vietnam, the brigade was inactivated in 1973, but reactivated in 1977 at Fort Rucker, Alabama, where it became the Army’s primary aviation training command. • Training Mission: Today, HHC 1st AVN BRD is responsible for training thousands of Army aviators annually, including pilots, crew chiefs, and support personnel. • Women in Aviation: The brigade played a key role in integrating women into Army aviation, with some of the first female helicopter pilots graduating under its command. • Global Reach: While headquartered at Fort Novosel (formerly Fort Rucker), the brigade’s influence stretches worldwide, as its graduates serve in every Army aviation unit. • Honors and Awards: The 1st Aviation Brigade has received numerous commendations, including campaign streamers for Vietnam, and continues its legacy of excellence in Army Aviation.