Photo by Sgt. Raul Chapa Lt. Col. Davis May and Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Scott case the 206th MI Battalion colors. On Oct. 5, Col. Darryl Reyes, commander, 116th Military Intelligence (MI) Group hosted the re-designation ceremony of the 116th MI Group and the 206th MI Battalion. The 116th MI Group was re-designated as the 706th MI Group and the 206th MI Battalion as the 707th MI Battalion. The redesignation ceremony was conducted with all traditions and honor being observed, and the officiating officers for the ceremony were Col. Reyes, Lt. Col. Thomas Melrose, 116th MI Group Adjutant, and Lt. Col. David May, commander, 206th MI Bn.

“The deactivation, activation and re-designation of the 116th MI Group/206th MI Battalion to the 706th MI Group/707th MI Battalion are part of the Army-wide effort to better posture the Army to structure, operate and train its forces every day to best meet the demands of today’s threat environment. Today you witnessed the furling of the 116th and 206th unit colors for the last time. These flags served as symbols of unity, strength, sacrifice, history and accomplishments of their unit members. These flags may be retired and cased, but their accomplishments, their history, and their legacy live on. In their place proudly stand the 706th and 707th units’ colors,” Reyes said.

The 116th MI Group was originally activated on May 31, 1946 in Washington, D.C. as the 116th Counterintelligence Corps (CIC) Detachment, with a primary mission to provide counterintelligence support to the Military District of Washington. Through the years there have been several re-designation and location changes, but on Feb. 4 1999, the 116th Military Intelligence Group was redesignated Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 116th Military Intelligence Group and on June 14, 2000, activated at Fort Gordon, Ga., and assigned to the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command.

The 206th MI Battalion, a subordinate battalion of the 116th MI Group, constituted March 15, 1968 in the Regular Army as the 18th MI Battalion and activated overseas. The battalion was reorganized and re-designated on Oct. 16, 1986 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 18th MI Battalion. The battalion inactivated on July 16, 1995. The unit was again re-designated on Feb. 13, 1996 as the 206th MI Battalion and activated on 8 June 2000 at Fort Gordon, Ga.

This re-designation ceremony begins a new chapter for the 706th MI Group and the 707th MI Battalion as the U.S. Army transforms itself to meet the needs of the 21st century. While the unit name may change, “the mission will remain: to provide timely, accurate and predictive Signals Intelligence directly to war fighting units in direct contact with the enemy…. and to senior military leaders, and the Commanding Generals for U.S. Central Command, U.S. Special Operations Command, US European Command, and U.S. Africa Command,” Reyes said.