TRADING PLACES: Signal battalion gains Alpha Company as 440th Tactical Installation and Networking – Enhanced Company packs up for Arizona

By 2nd Lt. William Marsh

422nd Expeditionary Battalion

STEAD, Nev. – Sunday marked a bittersweet day for the 422nd Expeditionary Signal Battalion as the battalion gained Alpha Company from the Arizona Army Guard but concurrently saw its 440th Tactical Installation and Networking-Enhanced Company deactivated within Nevada for its near-future transfer and re-activation in the Grand Canyon State.

The Nevada activation ceremony of Alpha Company took place at the Nevada Army Guard’s newly-acquired Camp Washoe, the site where the company will be based. The facility was formerly the Naval Operational Center at 4601 Cocoa Ave.

For the first time in battalion history, the 422nd’s Alpha, Bravo and Charlie companies are now based in Nevada. Alpha Company has positions for 93 Soldiers; the 440th has positions for 153 Soldiers. The vast majority of Nevada 440th Soldiers laterally transferred into Alpha Company and will not follow the 440th to Arizona.

Battalion commander Maj. Jason Rapp and Command Sgt. Maj. Julio Guerrero presided over the ceremony and ensured proper etiquette was provided to the 440th Company guidon that will be forwarded to Arizona for the company’s reactivation in Arizona.

Capt. Brian Grevenkamp, commander of Alpha Company, said the unit will continue its renowned professionalism at its new location and continue to add to the company’s storied history.

The history of both the incoming and outgoing companies was reviewed during the ceremony. The 440th TIN-E Signal Company can trace its ties to the 422nd Signal Battalion for several decades.

In 1999, the 440th was established in Las Vegas area to install and maintain special-purpose cable and fiber optic and wire systems to provide continuous, secure communications for both military and civilian customers.

The 440th was subsequently transferred to an Integrated Theater Signal Battalion in August 2006. The 440th returned to Nevada for a brief stint in 2022 before moving to Arizona.

With its new consolidated structure, the 422nd now has the capability to expand its mission to support local communities and the Army’s ongoing tactical network modernization, Rapp said.

“Every unit in the 422nd remains dedicated to supporting the warfighter at all levels of command by providing assured network communication in environments both at home and abroad,” Rapp said.