528th Support Battalion (Special Operations) (Airborne)

The Brigade haD the capability of providing technical control to multiple Special Forces group support battalions in the planning and execution of ARSOF combat service support and combat health support. The 528th Sustainment Brigade (Special Operations) (Airborne) was capable of deploying 3 Army Support Operations Teams in support of 3 ARSOF-based Special Operations Task Forces or a SOF-based JTF. The Support Operations Team would initially be colocated with the group support battalion or a Ranger support operations detachment and provided ARSOF with an in-theater presence providing centralized and integrated material management of property, equipment maintenance, logistical automation and repair parts and supplies.

"Sentinels"

The 528th Sustainment Brigade (Special Operations) (Airborne) is responsible for providing logistical, medical and signal support for Army Special Operations Forces (ARSOF) worldwide in support of contingency missions and warfighting commanders.

As of 10 December 2009, the 528th Sustainment Brigade (Special Operations) (Airborne), headquartered at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, sets the operational level logistics conditions to enable Army Special Operation Forces (ARSOF) operations worldwide using 3 ARSOF Support Operations Teams (ASPOs), 3 Special Operations Resuscitation Teams (SORT), 5 ARSOF Liaison Elements (ALE), 2 Medical Level II teams and the 112th Signal Battalion (Special Operations) (Airborne). Together the units of the Brigade ensured that US Army Special Operations Forces were equipped to perform their missions.

ARSOF Liaison Elements Soldiers were embedded in Army regional theaters' staff. They planned and coordinated with theater Army, Special Operations Command and Army Special Operations Command to ensure support during operations and training. As a theater Army staff member, these officers and non-commissioned officers' knowledge of theater-specific requirements and capabilities assisted units in coordination with the theater.

The medical section provided Level II medical support as USASOC asset managed by the brigade surgeon and constitutes the nucleus of the capability of receiving a conventional Army Forward Surgical Team. The medical section was robust enough to provide combat health support on an area basis for approximately 450 personnel. The support included unit-level medical support and health services, logistics, emergency medical and resuscitative treatment for all classes of patients; emergency dental treatment, physical therapy and preventive medicine support, while maintaining Standard Army Management Information Systems and providing veterinary support.

In their respective fields, signal and support soldiers provide oversight of material distribution management, synchronization, and integrated material management of property accountability, maintenance management and logistics automation for deployed ARSOF. Communications expertise allows ARSOF to "shoot, move and communicate" on a continuous basis. Soldiers assigned to ARSOF units were taught to operate and maintain a vast array of unique equipment not normally used by their conventional counterparts. To meet the needs of ARSOF, the 528th Sustainment Brigade (Special Operations) (Airborne) developed logistical and signal packages that were rapidly deployable on a moment’s notice. Soldiers assigned to these units were airborne qualified.

Effective 2 February 2009, the Sustainment Brigade (Special Operations) (Airborne) (Provisional) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina was reflagged as the 528th Sustainment Brigade (Airborne), which was activated later in 2009. Soldiers began wearing a new distinctive unit insignia, beret flash, and airborne wing backing on all uniforms. A new shoulder sleeve insignia and brigade colors were approved. As part of the reflagging, the Brigade assumed the lineage of the 528th Support Battalion (Special Operations) (Airborne), which had been first activated on 15 December 1942. That unit had a long history, seeing service in World War II, Vietnam, and during the Gulf War. The Brigade was to continue to serve as the only organic sustainment and support unit within the US Army Special Operations Command.