since its activation on 18 August 1967, with an effective date of 14 March 1968. Mission The TOE Mission of the 44th Medical Brigade specified the provision of army level medical support within a field army and the command of all non-divisional medical units in the field army. The role of the brigade at Fort Meade included training for the accomplishment of the TOE mission as well as coordinating and providing support for 22 Continental Army Command or higher headquarters contingency plans and 8 Fort George G. Meade contingency plans. Two units were included on the United States Strike Command Troop List. 44th Medical Brigade personnel and equipment were involved in 18 permanent or extended mission commitments, the majority of which are at Fort George G. Meade. In addition, ROTC and reserve summer camps at Indiantown Gap Military Reservation, Pennsylvania, Camp Pickett, Virginia, and Camp Drum, New York, were heavily supported. Organization On 16 December 1970, First U.S. Army General Order number 450 directed two actions. First, Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 18th Medical Brigade was inactivated and second, Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 44th Medical Brigade was reorganized and assigned to First Army. Personnel and equipment requirements of the 44th Medical Brigade were filled from assets made available by the inactivation of the 18th Medical Brigade. Mission, organization, structure, and MTOE of the two brigades remained the same. The net effect of General Order 450 was the redesignation of the 18th Medical Brigade as the 44th Medical Brigade. Preservation of the 44th's distinguished history was the decisive factor in the inactivation of the 18th Medical Brigade and its replacement by the 44th Medical Brigade, previously operating in the Republic of Vietnam. The following units were attached to the 44th Medical Brigade upon its activation: Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 44th Medical Brigade 10th Evacuation Hospital 28th General Hospital 157th Medical Laboratory 212th Medical Detachment (Helicopter Ambulance) 249th Medical Detachment (Supply) 591st Medical Company (Ambulance) 630th Medical Detachment (Maintenance) 702d Medical Company (Clearing) The following attached units were inactivated on the dates indicated: 157th Medical Laboratory - Inactivated - 28 December 1970 28th General Hospital - Inactivated - 28 December 1970 Personnel Officer strength as of 31 December 1970 was 40: Medical Service Corps - 25 Army Nurse Corps - 1 Warrant Officers - 14 Aviation - 11 Medical Service Corps - 1 Quartermaster Corps - 1 Corps of Engineers - 1 Officer