6th Communications Battalion
Encyclopedia
6th Communication Battalion (6th Comm) is a communications
Military communications
Historically, the first military communications had the form of sending/receiving simple signals . Respectively, the first distinctive tactics of military communications were called Signals, while units specializing in those tactics received the Signal Corps name...
battalion in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
. It is part of 4th Marine Logistics Group
4th Marine Logistics Group
The 4th Marine Logistics Group is a logistics unit of the United States Marine Corps and is headquartered at New Orleans, Louisiana.-Mission:...
(4th MLG) Marine Forces Reserve. The unit is headquartered out of Floyd Bennett Field
Floyd Bennett Field
Floyd Bennett Field is New York City's first municipal airport. While no longer used as an operational commercial, military or general aviation airfield, the New York Police Department still flies its helicopters from its heliport base there...
, Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York and out of the Armed Forces Reserve Center, Amityville
Amityville, New York
Amityville is a village in the town of Babylon in Suffolk County, New York, in the United States. The population was 9,441 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, New York. The unit specializes in communications and is trained to provide radio, data, wire/switching, and satellite services to support Marine Expeditionary Forces (MEFs). 6th Communication Battalion also serves the surrounding New York community by running the Toys for Tots
Toys for Tots
Toys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve which donates toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas. The program was founded in 1947 by reservist Major William L...
program in the New York City and Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
area, attending parades and memorial services, and providing support for various other community activities that may arise.
Mission
The mission of 6th Comm is to:- "Provide communication support to Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group (MHG) or to a designated Joint Task Force (JTF) command element when directed. Additionally, to provide Ground Mobile ForcesGround Mobile ForcesGround Mobile Forces is the term given to the tactical SATCOM portion of the Joint Service program called TRI-TAC developed in the mid-1970s. The Tri-Service Tactical signal system is a tactical command, control, and communications program. It is a joint service effort to develop and field...
Satellite support to 4th Marine Logistic Group in the conduct of its Marine Logistics Command (MLC) mission, as directed."
Early years
6th Communication Battalion was activated on 15 May 1957 at Fort Schuyler, Bronx, New York, as the 1st Communication Support Battalion and were redesignated on 1 July 1962 as the 6th Communication Battalion. The battalion was called to active duty in March 1970 for service in the U.S. postal strike of 1970U.S. postal strike of 1970
The U.S. postal strike of 1970 was a groundbreaking two-week strike by federal postal workers in March 1970. President Richard Nixon called out the United States armed forces and the National Guard in an attempt to distribute the mail and break the strike....
.
1990s to present
The battalion participated in support of Operation Desert Storm in Southwest Asia from December 1990 to April 1991. They relocated during July 1997 to Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn, New York. The entire battalion was mobilized in 2003 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. They participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom from March to June 2003. After returning to New York, the unit was demobilized in September 2003. Elements of the battalion again mobilized and deployed in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom from June 2004 to the present.Unit awards
A unit citation or commendation is an award bestowed upon an organization for the action cited. Members of the unit who participated in said actions are allowed to wear on their uniforms the awarded unit citation. 6th Comm has been presented with the following awards:| Ribbon | Unit Award |
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Presidential Unit Citation Presidential Unit Citation (US) The Presidential Unit Citation, originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and allies for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy on or after 7 December 1941... |
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Meritorious Unit Commendation Meritorious Unit Commendation The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions.... |
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National Defense Service Medal National Defense Service Medal The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower... with one Bronze Star |
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Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal The Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal is a United States armed forces military award created by George W. Bush on March 12, 2003 by Executive Order 13289. It recognizes those military service members who have deployed overseas in direct service to the War on Terror from September 11,... |
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Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal is a military award of the United States military which was created by Executive Order 13289 of President George W. Bush on March 12, 2003... |
See also
- List of United States Marine Corps battalions
- Organization of the United States Marine CorpsOrganization of the United States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is organized within the Department of the Navy, which is led by the Secretary of the Navy . The most senior Marine officer is the Commandant of the Marine Corps, responsible for organizing, recruiting, training, and equipping the Marine Corps so that it is ready for...