Nevada Army Guard 321st Signal Company Activated to Support 17th Sustainment Brigade

Why It Matters

The new signal company strengthens the brigade’s command‑and‑control network and enhances the Nevada Guard’s cyber‑resilience, directly supporting sustainment missions. Co‑locating the unit improves training efficiency and inter‑formation coordination.

Key Takeaways

• 321st Signal Company activated Dec 6, 2025.
• Supports 17th Sustainment Brigade's communications.
• Enhances Nevada Guard cyber and EW capabilities.
• Reunites signal unit with Nevada after relocations.
• Provides joint training, equipment alignment with brigade S‑6.

Pulse Analysis

The activation of the 321st Signal Company marks a strategic boost to the 17th Sustainment Brigade’s communications architecture. Modern signal units deliver secure, high‑bandwidth data links, satellite connectivity, and radio networks that enable real‑time logistics coordination and rapid decision‑making in contested environments. By integrating upper‑tactical internet services and hardened electronic‑warfare defenses, the Nevada Guard positions the brigade to sustain operations across dispersed theaters while maintaining resilient command‑and‑control.

Historically, the 321st traces its roots to a Nevada‑based signal company that supported training and overseas deployments, including Operation Iraqi Freedom. After a series of relocations to Guam and Indiana, the decision to re‑establish the unit in Nevada reunites the signal capability with its parent brigade, eliminating distance‑training challenges and fostering tighter doctrinal alignment. This co‑location also honors the legacy of the original 321st, reinforcing institutional memory and esprit de corps within the state’s National Guard.

Looking ahead, the company’s focus on cybersecurity integration and electronic‑warfare mitigation aligns with the Department of Defense’s emphasis on resilient networks. Close collaboration with the brigade’s S‑6 staff will streamline equipment standardization, joint exercises, and rapid fielding of emerging technologies. As the National Guard increasingly supports domestic response and overseas missions, the 321st Signal Company will serve as a model for adaptable, state‑based signal units capable of scaling to meet evolving threat landscapes.

Nevada Army Guard 321st Signal Company activated to support 17th Sustainment Brigade

By Sgt. Adrianne Lopez · January 23, 2026

LAS VEGAS — The Nevada Army National Guard activated the 321st Signal Company during an uncasing ceremony in December, formally establishing a new signal unit assigned to the 17th Sustainment Brigade.

The uncasing of the company’s colors on Dec. 6, 2025, marked the unit’s entry into active service and the assumption of command by Capt. Howard Kemple Jr., with 1st Sgt. Justin Strong serving as the unit’s senior enlisted leader. The activation expands the brigade’s organic communications capability and strengthens signal support across the Nevada Army National Guard.

Signal companies provide communications networks that enable commanders to coordinate missions, logistics and sustainment. For sustainment brigades, reliable communications support timely decision‑making and effective mission execution.

Kemple said the activation presents an opportunity to build the unit’s capabilities from the ground up.

“The first sergeant and I have the opportunity to train, mentor and develop the Soldiers within the 321st Signal Company to be proficient at supporting the brigade with upper tactical internet communications and extending the unit’s radio communications in a deployed environment,” Kemple said.

Having the unit based in Nevada allows leaders and Soldiers to train together more deliberately and strengthen signal capabilities alongside the brigade, Kemple said.

“Now we can focus on executing and refining communication plans, integrating cybersecurity defenses, practicing mitigation of electronic warfare measures, and hardening our signal operations,” Kemple said.

Additionally, the activation strengthens signal capabilities across the Nevada Army National Guard, said Col. Fernando Gomez, chief of space, signal and cyber for the Nevada National Guard.

“The 321st enhances not only the brigade but the entire Nevada Army National Guard signal community,” Gomez said. “It gives us more options to support one another and builds a stronger, more connected team across the board.”

The unit also creates opportunities for closer coordination across formations, Gomez said.

“I also believe this is an opportunity to build tighter coordination with the brigade S‑6, especially around equipment, training alignment and sharing strengths across formations,” he said. “Our aim should be to grow a signal environment that is resilient, flexible and integrated, because that is what today’s challenges demand.”

Although newly designated in Nevada, the 321st Signal Company’s formation reflects years of organizational movement tied to the brigade’s signal support mission. When the brigade was established in 2010, its assigned signal company was stationed in Barrigada, Guam. Over the following years, the unit was reorganized and later relocated to Indiana, where it continued providing signal support while training alongside the brigade from a distance.

In 2023, leaders from the Nevada and Indiana Army National Guards agreed to relocate the brigade’s signal company to Nevada, allowing both organizations to operate from the same state and strengthen collaboration.

Leaders selected the 321st Signal Company name to recognize a signal unit that previously served in the Nevada Army National Guard from 1981 to 2007. The original 321st provided communications support during training and overseas operations, including a deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and became a familiar part of Nevada’s signal history. The newly activated 321st Signal Company carries the designation in recognition of that legacy.

The 321st Signal Company officially entered Nevada’s force structure in October 2024, with federal recognition finalized in June 2025. The uncasing ceremony marked the beginning of the unit’s role in building a more integrated, flexible and resilient signal environment while supporting the 17th Sustainment Brigade and the broader Nevada Army National Guard.