648th Maneuver Enhancement The Georgia Army National Guard’s 648th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, authorized an estimated 3,280 Soldiers, formed on Oct. 1, 2007, about the same time as the Army Guard’s 560th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade in Ellenwood. The 648th’s current commander, Col. Andy Hall, took over command from the Brigade’s first commander – Col. Keith Knowlton – on Aug. 8, 2010. The 648th’s senior enlisted leader is Command Sgt. Maj. John Smiley. The MEB’s mission is to provide manned, ready, and fully equipped mission-capable units to combatant and joint task force commanders, with the capabilities of full-spectrum operations and consequence management to support the warfight and homeland defense, as well as to provide defense support to civilian authorities in times of crisis. The MEB’s command and control capacity exceeds that of any other brigade headquarters. MEBs, in general, are uniquely designed for both the warfighting and operational support roles. Their elaborate capabilities are a microcosmic parallel of the National Guard’s dual roles to serve in the operational environment and in a local role in support of state missions, mostly in disaster and humanitarian relief operations. There are just 21 MEBs in the nation – two of which are active duty Army, three are Army Reserve and 16 belong to the Army Guard. Among the major training events conducted by elements of the 648th in 2010 was JTF 781’s collective training at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson 15 | Georgia Department of Defense
Airport with local first responders, and its joint training exercise with civilian and Navy first responders, as well as the Florida Army Guard, at Naval Air Station Jacksonville on Feb. 10. On March 10, the 1st of the 214th conducted its annual training and a live fire exercise at Fort Stewart in Hinesville. June 10 saw a combination of training as the 648th participated in a statewide rehearsal at Jekyll Island in preparation for the 2010 hurricane season, while the 878th engineers conducted their annual training, and Soldiers from the 876th Engineer Company helped the Boy Scouts of America rehabilitate its campgrounds outside Lincolnton. Also on June 10, the 170th MP Battalion conducted its annual training at Fort Gordon. July 10 found the 648th Headquarters Detachment and 348th Brigade Support Battalion conducting annual training at Fort Stewart. Several elements of the 648th MEB deployed, or returned from deployment in 2010. The 877th Engineer Company – assigned to JTF 781 as its search and extraction element for support to civil authorities – departed for Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom on Dec. 10, 2010. Returning from deployment in 2009 was the 190th Military Police Company on Jan. 10; the Mariettabased 248th Medical Company on May 10; and the Swainsboro-based 810th Engineer Company on Sept. 10. The 648th began 2011 by preparing three other units for overseas deployments. These include the brigade Headquarters Company, 170th MP Battalion as well as the 179th Military Police Company.
Col. Andy Hall Commander 648th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade Ga. Army National Guard
648th MEB Units • 878th Engineer Battalion, Augusta • 170th Military Police Battalion, Decatur • 348th Brigade Support Battalion, Cumming • 1st of the 214th Field Artillery Battalion, Elberton • Joint Task Force 781st CERFP (CBRNE Enhanced Response Force Package), Kennesaw
Note: The 1-214th and Joint Task Force 781 were removed from the 648th’s subordinate units list at the end of Fiscal Year 2010 and now are part of the 78th Homeland Response Force.