84th Division (United States)

84th Division (United States)

The 84th Training Command ("Railsplitters) is a formation of the United States Army. During World War I and World War II, it was known as the 84th Infantry Division. From 1946 to 1952, the division was a part of the United States Army Reserve as the 84th Airborne Division. In 1959, the division was reorganized and redesignated once more to the 84th Division. The division was headquartered in Milwaukee in command of upwards of 4,100 soldiers divided into eight brigades—including an ROTC brigade—spread throughout seven states.

Changes to the Reserve organizations in 2005–2007 took the divisional designation away from the 84th. The 84th Training Command, Leader Readiness (LR) was the resulting title and the unit was paired with the Army Reserve Readiness Training Center (ARRTC). The flag resided at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin. As a result of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) throughout the Army, the 84th Training Command (LR) was moved to Fort Knox, Kentucky in September 2008. Since the move, the 84th Training Command and ARRTC split, leaving the ARRTC with leader readiness and training support. The 84th Training Command re-designated once again to 84th Training Command Unit Readiness (UR).

In September 2010, the 84th was renamed 84th Training Command and began reorganization. The 84th mission currently supports three training divisions – The 78th Training Division (Ft. Dix, NJ), the 86th Training Division (Ft. McCoy, WI), and the 91st Training Division (Ft. Hunter Liggett, CA). 84th Mission Statement: The 84th Training Command trains and assesses Army Reserve units in ARFORGEN in accordance with USARC and FORSCOM directives in support of operational and functional commands. As directed, the command provides training to joint, combined, and active Army forces.

Tradition has it that the division traces its lineage to the Illinois militia company in which a young Captain Abraham Lincoln served during the Black Hawk War of 1832. The division patch was selected to honor this legacy and the division's origin in Illinois. For this reason, the alternative nickname of "Lincoln County" Division has been used to denote the 84th.