1st Squadron, 108th Cavalry Regiment

A M901 ITV vehicle from the 1st Platoon, 48th Brigade, 108th Armor Regiment, Georgia National Guard, moves through a recently cleared roadblock during the training Exercise COMPANY TEAM DEFENSE. July 17, 1983

The 1st Battalion, 108th Armor mobilized for Desert Storm, but were not deployed in time to be able to participate in the war. After certifying at the National Training Center as combat-ready, they demobilized.

The 1st Battalion, 108th Armor deployed to Bosnia and Herzegovina for Stabilization Force (SFOR) Rotation 9 to provide support operations for Task Force Eagle (United States contingent to United Nations Operations in support of Dayton Peace Accord). The SFOR9 rotation was scheduled from April to October 2001.

The 1st Battalion, 108th Armor mobilized as a component of the 48th Brigade Combat Team in 2004 for combat operations in support of the Global War on Terrorism. It was augmented with an additional Infantry company from Alabama and organized as Task Force (TF) Roughrider. In May 2005 the unit began deploying to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and experienced some of the fiercest combat actions in the campaign. During the first half of the brigade's deployment (Spring 2005 through Spring 2006) to Iraq, the 1-108th spent much of its time conducting cordon and search operations, reconnaissance missions, and raids in Iraq's Triangle of Death region southwest of Baghdad. The unit's focus shifted during the second half of the deployment to a theater security mission primarily consisting of convoy escort and civilian military operations. On 20 April 2006, at Ft. Stewart, members of the 1-108th returned home after a year of combat operations in Iraq.

TF Roughrider suffered seven fatalities while deployed to Iraq:

• SGT Paul A. Saylor (15 August 2005)[1]
• SPC Joshua P. Dingler (15 August 2005)[2]
• SGT Thomas J. Strickland (15 August 2005)[3]
• SGT Michael J. Stokely (16 August 2005)[4]
• SSG George R. Draughn, Jr. (1 September 2005)[5]
• SFC Robert Hollar, Jr. (1 September 2005)[6]
• 1SG Aaron D. Jagger (9 August 2006)[7][8][9]

As a part of the United States Army's ongoing transformation to a lighter, more modular force the 1st Battalion, 108th Armor was re-designated as the 1st Squadron, 108th Cavalry (RSTA) in 2007. The unit traded in its M1 Abrams tanks and its M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicles for up-armored HMMWVs. Most of the squadron's tank crewmen have reclassified to 19D cavalry scouts or 11B infantrymen.[10]

In December 2007, the Georgia National Guard's 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) was alerted that it will be deployed to Afghanistan in the summer of 2009 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF).[11] In January 2009, the 1-108th began training for the expected year-long deployment.[12] The unit was subsequently deployed to Afghanistan in April as Task Force Roughrider.

While deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, the 1-108th participated in training the Afghan Security Forces while conducting Counter Insurgency Operations throughout the country. In March 2010 the unit redeployed from Afghanistan and demobilized at Fort Stewart, GA. TF Roughrider suffered six fatalities while deployed to Afghanistan:

• MAJ Kevin M. Jenrette (4 June 2009)[13]
• SGT Jeffrey W. Jordan (4 June 2009)[14]
• SFC John C. Beale (4 June 2009)[15]
• 1SG John D. Blair (20 June 2009)[16]
• SGT Isaac L. Johnson, Jr. (6 July 2009)[17]
• SGT Raymundo P. Morales (21 July 2009)[18]

[19][20]

• Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, located in Calhoun, Georgia
• Apache Troop (Cavalry), located in Cedartown, Georgia
• Blackfoot Troop (Cavalry), located in Canton, Georgia
• Cobra Troop (Infantry), located in Dalton, Georgia
• Dragon Company (Forward Support), 148th Brigade Support Battalion, located in Calhoun, Georgia (attached)

The squadron has received participation credit for the following campaigns:[21]

War on Terrorism

Campaigns to be determined

World War II

Guadalcanal

New Guinea

Leyte

Luzon