149th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade

This is the official webpage of the 149th MEB.

Constituted Jan. 21, 1839 in the Kentucky Militia as the Louisville Legion and organized at Louisville. The unit mustered into federal service May 17, 1846 as the first Kentucky Volunteer Infantry Regiment and mustered out of federal service May 17, 1847 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Four years after coming out of the federal service, the unit reorganized June 30, 1851 in the Kentucky Volunteer Militia in Louisville as the Louisville Legion. The Kentucky State Guard re-designated as the Kentucky National Guard in 1912, and the unit mustered into federal service once again at Ft. Thomas in February 1917.

After, the unit reorganized and changed to fit the evolving needs of the Kentucky National Guard. On November 1, 1980 the unit converted and re-designated as the Headquarters Company of the 149th Armored Brigade. The unit’s campaign participation includes Mexican War, Monterey, Civil War, Shiloh, Murfreesborough, Chickamauga, Atlanta, Mississippi 1862, Tennessee 1863, War with Spain, Puerto Rico, World War I, Streamer without inscription, World War II, New Guinea, Leyte, Luzon, GWOT, OIF and OEF. The unit headquarters is currently located in Richmond.

Follow the 149th MEB on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/149MEB/

149th MEB News

Senior enlisted advisor visits Kentucky soldiers
December 13, 2022 — The National Guard Senior Enlisted Advisor visited Kentucky to meet Soldiers and answer questions in Lexington, Frankfort, and Louisville, Ky. on Dec. 4, 2022. Senior Enlisted Advisor (SEA) Tony Whitehead visited Soldiers with the 138th Field Artillery Brigade (FAB); 63rd Theater Aviation Brigade (TAB); Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment (HHD), 75th Troop Command (TC); the 223rd Military Police Company; and the 202nd Army Band before the holiday season to take questions about the senior enlisted advisor to the Chief, National Guard Bureau position... MORE

Command Sgt. Maj. David Page (left) introduces Army Spc. Garner Offutt (center) to Senior Enlisted Advisor Tony Whitehead (right) as the Kentucky National Guard's Soldier of the Year for 2023 in Lexington, Ky. on Dec. 3, 2023. Whitehead is visiting Kentucky National Guard soldiers and airmen before the holidays. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Andrew Dickson)

Soldiers compete in Kentucky Best Warrior
November 14, 2022 — This year’s format included some of the new technology that was implemented this year. Moving targets were used during the weapons skills portion and night vision goggles were implemented for a portion of the competition... MORE

These Soldiers are representing their units and brigades in an intense gauntlet to find out who will advance onto the Regional Best Warrior Competition.

Medical doctor direct commissions into the Kentucky National Guard
October 18, 2022 — A new medical doctor direct commissioned into the Kentucky Army National Guard in a ceremony at Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort, Ky. on Oct. 18, 2022. Capt. Sara Powell took the oath of the commissioned officer with her husband, parents, and daughter watching. Powell will be the new brigade surgeon for the 149th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade in Richmond, Ky... MORE

Army Capt. Sara Powell takes the oath of commissioned officers from Chief Warrant Officer Tim Collins at the Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort, Ky. on Oct. 18, 2022. Powell is the medical facility director at St. Joseph Hospital in Mt. Sterling, Ky. and has commissioned to be the 149th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade surgeon. (U.S. Army photo by Andy Dickson)

Military Police head for deployment
September 7, 2022 — The detachment from the 438th MP Co. will be heading to Kosovo for a year-long mission to provide Military Police Liaison Officer Support to Operation Joint Guardian and will join up with their fellow 438th MP’s who deployed to Kosovo... MORE

This detachment from the 438th MP Co. will be heading to Kosovo for a year-long mission to provide Military Police Liaison Officer Support to Operation Joint Guardian and will join up with their fellow 438th MP’s who are also deployed to Kosovo.

Kentucky Engineer Soldier takes advantage of flood recovery resources available to aid in cleanup.
September 1, 2022 — Sgt. Ronnie Banks is a maintenance section leader with the 207th Engineer Company and a full-time technician as a production controller at FMS 6, which flooded when the North Fork Kentucky River rose to over 43 feet on July 28... MORE

The Armory sits on the North Fork Kentucky River, whose waters rose to over 43 feet.

Kentucky National Guard Soldier helps neighbors during flooding
August 29, 2022 — One of those Soldiers was Staff Sgt. David Hall, a wheeled vehicle mechanic for the 207th Engineers. Hall watched rushing flood waters rise and destroy the first story of his house from a hill behind his home which sits about 20 yards from Troublesome Creek... MORE

Hall watched rushing flood waters rise and destroy the first story of his house from a hill behind his home which sits about 20 yards from Troublesome Creek.

A Kentucky Soldier’s story of resilience
August 25, 2022 — Due to the flooding that hit Thomassy's family’s home in July, she lost everything, forcing her and her husband and children to live in a camper that was provided by her grandfather and is sitting in her neighbor’s front yard. But despite all that, and even not having uniforms to wear since hers were washed away in the flood waters, she only took a week off before returning to work, showing her dedication and selfless service... MORE

Army Sgt. Kathleen Thomassy-Mills poses with her family. Their home was destroyed in the flooding in Eastern Kentucky July 28, 2022. (

Soldier uses local ties to help bring community back from flooding
August 12, 2022 — For Army Staff Sgt. Matthew Dyal from 577th Engineer Company, 149th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, he was eager to answer that call for help. He has been working at several point of distribution (POD) sites, making sure residents receive water and supplies. He has been wearing multiple hats while in charge of a very large POD at Letcher County Central High School in Whitesburg... MORE

The Soldiers are part of a point of distribution site at Letcher County Central High School.

Guardsmen aid in water shortage
July 5, 2022 — The Soldiers with the 2061st Multi-Role Bridge Company as well as the 206th Engineer Battalion, 201st Engineer Battalion, and 103rd Chemical Battalion have been working with Kentucky Emergency Management on efficient ways to source water from local rivers due to the recent low levels from Old Town Lake, which is the town’s water source... MORE

Soldiers from within the 149th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade began transporting water from the Trade Water River to Old City Lake, near Marion. Army Palletized Load System (PLS) vehicles transported non-potable storage tanks daily with the goal of moving up to 80,000 gallons of water to the reservoir to minimize decreasing lake concerns. In addition, bottled water was also distributed at the Old Marion Armory to town residents.

My Sapper School Experience
May 18, 2022 — Sapper Leader Course is the premier leadership school for the Engineer Regiment. The 28-day training is broken up into two, two-week phases. The first phase -- General Subjects focuses heavily on Engineering tasks from expedient demolitions, engagement area development, obstacle emplacement, obstacle breaching, along with mobility and counter-mobility operations. Additionally, there are physical fitness events, mountaineering, air operations, and land navigation blocks of instruction during this phase... MORE

A SAPPER Soldier is responsible for tasks such as building and repairing roads and bridges, laying and clearing mines.

149TH MEB Organization

149th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (Richmond)

https://www.facebook.com/149MEB

149th Brigade Support Battalion (Bowling Green)

198th Military Police Battalion (Louisville)
https://www.facebook.com/198thMP

103rd Chemical Battalion (Burlington)

201st Engineer Battalion (Ashland)

206th Engineer Battalion (Owensboro)
https://www.facebook.com/206thENBN

149th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade

149th MEB News

149TH MEB Organization

149th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (Richmond)

Kentucky National Guard Links