302nd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade

It is a brigade of 2,600 soldiers housed at a variety of locations throughout New England. The 302nd MEB's aim is to facilitate freedom of movement for combat forces across a designated area of terrain. It combines and coordinates military police, coordinating airspace management operations for UAV, fire support and close air support missions as well. Units include engineering battalions, a unit that handles chemical, biological and nuclear weapons, and a support battalion that does many jobs, such as handling transportation, supplies and ammunition.[4]

The brigade is a tenant of Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee, Massachusetts.[5] Its operations center and one of its units, the 382nd military police, which moved from the Fort Devens military base in 2008, occupy a new nearly $31-million building with a variety of units from different branches of the military.

This unit is one of 21 combat support brigades (maneuver enhancement) the Army plans to create, with none in the active Army, 18 in the Army National Guard, and 3 in the Army Reserve.[6]

The organization is one of five types of multifunctional support brigades that have been be established under the transformation to the modular force. The others are the sustainment brigade, battlefield surveillance brigade, combat aviation brigade, and fires brigade.

A maneuver enhancement brigade's (MEB) mission is to provide maneuver support to a force commander, normally at the division level. The MEB groups together a number of previously dispersed functions in order to achieve this goal. The MEB generally contains a signal and main support battalion. This force is then augmented by combat engineer, military police, air and missile defense, chemical defence. Depending on the mission it may be assigned explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), civil affairs or a tactical combat force. They are tailored with the capabilities required for each operation. More than one maneuver enhancement brigade may be assigned to a division or corps.

As of 2018 the following units are subordinated to the 302nd Combat Support Brigade (Maneuver Enhancement):[7]

• 368th Engineer Battalion
• 382nd Military Police Battalion
• 479th Chemical Battalion

• Shoulder sleeve insignia

On a vertical rectangular embroidered item coming to a 90-degree angular point at base, divided vertically, red and green, surmounted in the middle a blue pale throughout edged yellow, displaying a yellow double head fasces; all within a 1/8 inch (.32 cm) yellow border. Overall dimensions are 2 1/4 inches (5.72 cm) in width and 3 inches (7.62 cm) in height.

• Symbolism

Red suggests the unit’s engineer duties. The dark blue pale denotes the chemical capabilities of the brigade. The double head fasces and the green color symbolize the unit’s key element of the military police capabilities and underscore their readiness to implement military duties.

• Background

The unit insignia was originally approved for the 302nd Combat Support Brigade (Maneuver Enhancement) effective 16 September 2008. It was amended to correct the unit designation to the 302nd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade.[8]

• U.S. Army Reserve
  • Full listings of Reserve units
• Army Reserve