102d Military Intelligence Battalion - Knowledge for Battle - Brief Article

Military Intelligence Professional Bulletin, April-June, 2002

The distinctive unit insignia for the 102d Military Intelligence Battalion is a gold-color metal and enamel device consisting of a shield design divided into sections symbolizing weather and terrain. The oriental blue and silver are the traditional colors of the Military Intelligence (Ml) Corps. The black mountains represent the steep mountainous terrain of Korea. The wavy blue water under the gray signifies the unit's deployment overseas. The scarlet sword represents the enemy, and the lightening flash crossing the sword signifies speed and accuracy in seeking, gathering, and disseminating intelligence data. It further denotes the constant vigilance inherent in the mission of Ml. The unit's motto, "Knowledge for Battle," underscores the design on a gold ribbon.

The 102d Military Intelligence Battalion can trace its roots back to the 2d MI Company and the 329th Army Security Agency (ASA) Company. On 18 September 1981, the Army constituted the I 02d Military Intelligence Battalion from these two companies, both of which began during World War II. Today, the 102d Ml Battalion provides intelligence and electronic warfare support to the warriors of the 2d Infantry Division (21D) (Light).

Following the June 1950 invasion of South Korea, the nation once again called on the 102's parent units to provide intelligence support, this time to the soldiers of Eighth Army. The 2d Counterintelligence (CI) Corps Detachment (formerly the 2d Ml Company) participated with distinction in all ten of the Korean War campaigns. Meanwhile, the 329th Communications Reconnaissance Company, heir to the mantle of the 3016th Signal Service Platoon, performed fledgling tactical signals intelligence and reconnaissance operations.

The Army redesignated the 2d Counterintelligence Corps Detachment as the 2d Military Intelligence Detachment, and assigned it to Fort Benning, Georgia, with a force protection mission. The 329th Combat Reconnaissance Company deactivated in 1957 and remained in that status until 1975 when it reactivated as the 329th ASA Company.

Continuing tensions along the heavily fortified border between North Korea and South Korea, and lessons learned in Vietnam validated the requirement to provide intelligence support directly to the division commanders. In 1975, to facilitate this effort, the 329th ASA Company received the mission of providing signals intelligence (SIGINT) and electronic warfare (EW) support to 21D (L). Likewise, on 20 February 1976, the 2d Ml Company deployed to Korea and provided counterintelligence support and intelligence analysis to the 2 ID (L). However, this separation of intelligence collectors did not last long. The Intelligence Operations and Stationing Study (lOSS) showed that intelligence collection assets needed unification under a single command to eliminate redundancy and provide a unity of effort for the division's intelligence collection mission. This resulted in the Army's combining the two companies to form the 1 02d Ml Battalion, organic to the 2d ID. The 102d MI Battalion constituted on 18 September 1981 a nd during the twenty years that followed, underwent a number of significant transformations. These include the addition of a long-range surveillance (LRS) element, the reconfiguration of selected subordinate companies into direct support companies, and the activation of the Analysis and Control Element (ACE). Today the I 02d Ml Battalion continues a proud tradition, providing multidiscipline intelligence collection, EW, and intelligence analysis across the full spectrum of conflict. Poised for the future, but ever mindful of the past, the "Stalkers" of the 1 02d MI Battalion continue to serve the warriors of the 2d Infantry Division (Light).

Currently the 102d Ml Battalion defends Freedom's Frontier on a daily basis while also conducting "Ml Gunnery" twice a year to test their ground surveillance operators, analysis and control teams, and collection and jamming teams on their ability to conduct their missions. We base MI Gunnery on the combat arms gunnery in the sense that they use practice and live tables. The teams receive scores based on how many "hits" they have, whether that is acquiring a target and distinguishing what type of target it is, or acquiring a target and collecting intelligence data.