The 138th Field Artillery Brigade ("Bluegrass Brigade") has served the state of Kentucky for almost seventy years, ever since its inception in September of 1953. The 138th Field Artillery Brigade was originally created as the XXIII Corps Artillery and was first organized and Federally recognized in Lexington, Kentucky two months later on 22 November 1853. Several years later in 1959, the unit changed its name and designation to the 138th Artillery Group. It kept that designation for over a dozen years, before its designation changed again, this time to the 138th Field Artillery Group. In 1978 it was given its current designation as the 138th Field Artillery Brigade.
In 2003 the Brigade was ordered into Federal service for the first time, but was released from it a month later and returned to the control of the state of Kentucky. The unit would take on its current name and designation of the 138th Fires Brigade in 2006. A year later, in 2007, they were again activated into Federal service for a year before being released back into state control. However, in 2012 the Brigade entered again into Federal service.
As of 2022, it is under the control of the Kentucky Army National Guard and is headquartered at Lexington, Kentucky.
Related Items
138th Field Artillery Brigade Patch (SSI)
138th Field Artillery Brigade Unit Crest (DUI)