249th Engineer Battalion (Prime Power)

249th Engineer Battalion (Prime Power)
249th Engineer Battalion coat of arms
Active	5 May 1943 - 28 November 1945 8 April 1948 - 22 May 1950 9 February 1955 - 15 October 1991 16 November 1994 - Present
Country	United States
Branch	Regular Army Army Reserves
Type	Engineer Battalion
Size	Battalion
Part of	U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Garrison/HQ	Fort Belvoir
Nickname(s)	"Black Lions"
Motto(s)	"Build, Support, Sustain"
Engagements	World War II Desert Storm Operation Provide Comfort Operation Uphold Democracy Operation Joint Endeavor Operation Northern Watch Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Iraqi Freedom
Decorations	Meritorious Unit Commendation Army Superior Unit Award (4) Order of the Day of Belgian Army for actions in the Ardennes
Website	Official 249th Engineer Battalion website
Commanders
Commander	LTC Julie A. Balten
Command Sergeant Major	CSM Faith A. Alexander
Insignia
Distinctive unit insignia

The 249th Engineer Battalion (United States) is a versatile power generation battalion assigned to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that provides commercial-level power to military units and federal relief organizations during full-spectrum operations. Additionally, the commander serves as the Commandant of the U.S. Army Prime Power School, the institution responsible for the development of Army and Navy power generation specialists.

The battalion's motto is "Build, Support, Sustain!".

On order, deploy worldwide to provide prime electrical power and electrical systems expertise in support of military operations and National Response Plan.

The 249th Engineer Battalion also supports other missions:

The 249th Engineer Combat Battalion was constituted on 5 May 1943 at Camp Bowie, Texas. The battalion was organized and under the command of only three captains. The other officers that were supplied to the unit were second lieutenants from the 1943 class of West Point. Shortly after, the battalion participated in two maneuvers in Louisiana, known as the "Louisiana Maneuvers"; there the battalion and its soldiers learned valuable lessons for war.

The 249th sailed from the United States to England in May 1944, after equipping and preparing for combat, the Unit landed on Utah Beach in August 1944 under the 1137th Engineer Combat Group commanded by Colonel George A. Morris. In October through November 1944, the soldiers were specially trained on using the Bailey bridge in Trier, France.

Later that year on 18 December 1944, the Black Lions were ordered to move from the Saar River, where the unit was building a bridge, to the Ardennes, commonly called the Battle of the Bulge. Upon arriving to the front, the 249th was assigned to the 26th Infantry Division, already engaged and in defensive positions along the southeast corner of the Bulge. The battalion was used in an effort to block the German advance by deploying landmines, obstacles and establishing roadblocks.