1st Battalion, 108th Aviation Regiment

Mission: On orders, alert, mobilize and deploy to wartime theater of operations and conduct air assault and air movement operations as an integrated member of a combat aviation brigade. Or order, conduct domestic operations in support of both federal and state agencies.

Command Leadership and Unit Structure

The 1st Battalion, 108th commander is Lt. Col. Joshua Urban.

The senior noncommissioned officer is Command Sgt. Gerald Gibson.

The unit is composed of the following:

• 1st Battalion, 108th Aviation Regiment
• Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Topeka and Salina
• Company A, Topeka
• Company B, Salina
• Company D, Topeka and Salina
• Company E, Topeka and Salina
• 1st Battalion, 111th Aviation Regiment
• Detachment 5, Company D, Topeka
• Detachment 6, Company E, Topeka
• Company G, Topeka and Salina

Recent Unit Highlights

The battalion completed multiple command post exercises throughout the year in preparation for its Joint Readiness Training Center rotation. The exercises played a critical role in the battalion’s crawl, walk, run strategy, and helped incrementally build readiness throughout the training year. The 1-108th focused on proficiency in conducting operations in an austere and contested environment. The battalion worked closely with the Mission Command Training Support Program in Fort Leavenworth during each exercise to develop commanders and staff. The Mission Command Training Support Program provided training on full-spectrum operations to ensure the 1-108th could be successful in any environment or mission.

Company G, 1st Battalion, 111th Aviation Regiment, concentrated its training in combat-capable crew development, flight paramedic training, medevac training with local units and water bucket training for continued wildfire support. In March, in conjunction with the KSARNG, Company G hosted a national-level National Guard Bureau Flight Paramedic Recertification Training course. The unit provided flight paramedics for the planning and execution of the intensive 14-day course. Company G also supplied medical equipment and aircraft to support course training scenarios.

In June, Company G, 1-111th Aviation conducted “Medevac 101” training events with the Air National Guard 184th Wing Security Forces explosive ordnance disposal team at the Kansas Regional Training Center and with the Army Reserve 469th Ground Ambulance Company at Fort Riley. This training bolstered capabilities in aeromedical evacuations between ground units and Company G.

The 1-108th completed a combat training center rotation at the Joint Readiness Training Center in Fort Polk, Louisiana, July 5 - Aug. 4. The 1-108th served as the headquarters for Task Force Talon, consisting of 10 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters from Kansas, three HH-60M medevac helicopters from Alabama and three CH-47F Chinook helicopters from Nebraska. Task Force Talon supported the 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team as they trained to conduct large-scale operations on a battlefield against a near-peer threat with multidomain capabilities.