NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The U.S. Army Reserve plans to inactivate two Combat Aviation Brigades.
According to Maj. Jeffrey Windmueller, this means all the Army Reserve helicopter units are going away, including the Fort Eustis-based 59th Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment.
Watch:Future of TRADOC at Ft. Eustis uncertain amid conflicting reports on potential relocationMaj. Windmueller is the chief of public affairs for the Army Reserve Aviation Command in Fort Knox — where the 244th Expeditionary Combat Brigade (ECAB) is located.
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244th ECAB, one of the two brigades planned to shut down, is comprised of four Aviation Regiments, including the 159th.Between 450 and 500 reservists and civilians at Fort Eustis are expected to be impacted by the shutdown.
The unit's current end date is expected to be September 15, 2026. Letters have already been sent to the impacted units.
An Army presentation about the Army’s 2026 Fiscal Year budget says the shutdown is happening to “optimize force structure."
Watch: Army provides update on TRADOC merger with Army Futures Command
Once the shutdown is in effect, the Reserve will only have fixed-wing aircraft, Windmueller said. The helicopters of the impacted units will either be given to National Guard units or sold for private use.
