Division Ready Brigade (DRB)

The Army has had division ready brigades for years. Their focus is on sending an
entire brigade to respond to a brigade-size situation, typically combat.
The division normally task-organizes for deployment into brigade-sized elements.
A combat arms brigade of three ground maneuver battalions serves as the base for
each brigade task force (TF). It is complemented with appropriate combat, CS, and
CSS units (brigade slice). These brigade TFs are designated division ready brigades
(DRBs), according to their stage of readiness and sequence in a deployment
schedule (i.e., DRB 1, DRB 2, DRB 3).
The Armored and Mechanized Infantry Brigades are postured to deploy as part of a
division alert force. This sequence is developed around the deployment of an initial
ready company (IRC) in 18 hours, a division ready force (DRF) in 48 hours, and a
division ready brigade (DRB) in 72 hours.
Soldiers from the 3d Infantry Division's Immediate Ready Company can deploy
within 22 hours, and the brigade combat team within 72 hours.
The 82nd Airborne Division is undisputedly, the largest parachute force in the
world, noted for their swiftness to literally jump into action. The Division has one
battalion permanently on 18 hours standby, ready to be deployed anywhere in the
world. And if necessary, the rest of the division's Ready Brigade will join them
within a day. As the only air assault division in the world, the 101st Airborne
Division (Air Assault) has unique intelligence needs that pose several challenges to
the Intelligence battlefield functional area. Like the sister division, the 82d Airborne
Division, the mission of the 101st requires that a Division Ready Brigade be
"wheels up" for deployment anywhere in the world within 18 hours.
Rapid deployment is the foundation for a ready 10th Mountain Division (Light
Infantry. Ninety-six hours after notification, the division is expected to deploy by
air, sea and land, worldwide. In order to ensure readiness for rapid deployment, the
division designates subordinate units that will deploy first. At any given time, one
of the division's two infantry brigades is designated as the First Infantry Brigade to
Deploy (FIBTD), with one battalion task force within the brigade designated first to
deploy. The deployment readiness of the brigade centers on the philosophy that it
will deploy with the personnel and equipment on-hand at the time of notification.
A Brigade becomes eligible to be a Division Ready Brigade, which normally
happens when a brigade proves its fighting capabilities at the National Training
Center [NTC].
Units assigned with the critical Division Ready Brigade (DRB) mission complete a
thorough train-up and execute a detailed, deliberate hand-off from the unit being
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relieved. It is essential that key leaders in both deploying and "pusher" units
complete a terrain walk of all home station deployment nodes. For both missions,
an assumption brief will be given to the Division Commander at the D-120 and D30 marks. These briefs will address training, readiness, and deployability issues.
Within 30 days of assuming the mission, a Corps level Emergency Deployment
Readiness Exercise will be executed to validate deployment readiness.
The division normally task-organizes for deployment (and training) into brigadesized elements. A combat arms brigade of three ground maneuver battalions serves
as the base for each brigade TF. It is complemented with appropriate combat, CS,
and CSS units (brigade slice). These brigade TFs are designated division ready
brigades (DRBs), according to their stage of readiness and sequence in a
deployment schedule (for example, DRB1, DRB2, DRB3).
The DRB 1 is the first brigade TF to deploy. It is postured to meet the division's
initial deployment timelines. Units following the DRB 1 (in the precrisis plan) are
in a lesser deployment posture. This allows greater flexibility for unit training and
related support activities.
The division ready brigades' ground maneuver battalions form the division ready
force (DRF). These battalions also maintain various stages of readiness, depending
on where they fall in the planned deployment sequence. One battalion taskorganized with combat, CS, and CSS forms the DRF 1 battalion. It is the first unit
in the DRB 1 to deploy. The DRF 1 designates one of its companies as the initial
ready company (IRC). The IRC is the first unit to respond to division crisis
requirements.
Combat, CS, and CSS elements not task-organized with a DRB or DRF are
organized into separate support packages (SUPPACs) according to the division
plan. These elements are also task-organized to initially provide an advance party
and operational elements. The advance party prepares for the reception of follow-on
forces. Initial operational elements provide the necessary support to sustain
operations of the DRB 1. The advance parties also establish a support base for the
arrival of the remainder of the division. This organization facilitates the division's
ability to rapidly tailor and deploy SUPPACs for a separate brigade operation if the
entire division does not deploy.