STEEL BRIGADE

(A Steel Brigade trooper inspects a Radar Rat.  Area of operations: A G.I. Joe makeshift runway)

CODE NAME:

Various

FILE NAME:

Various

BIRTHPLACE:

Various

SERVICE BRANCH:

Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, or Navy

PRIMARY MILITARY SPECIALTY:

Airborne, Armor, Artillery, Communications, Infantry, Intelligence, Jungle Warfare, Martial Arts, Medic, Pilot, S.E.A.L., or Special Forces

SECONDARY MILITARY SPECIALTY:

Combat Engineer, Computers, Counter Espionage, Drill Instructor, Electronics, Frogman, Gunner’s Mate, Laser Weapons, Machinist, Radar, or Rifle Instructor

FIRST DEPLOYMENT:

1987

EXPECTED ARMAMENT:

Each Steel Brigadier carried either a bayonet rifle, M-203, or XM-16 attack rifle.

AREA OF OPERATIONS:

Any

     Beginning in 1987, G.I. Joe began to incorporate specially recruited and codenamed soldiers into their units.  Their uniforms were similar, but not completely identical.  Some wore the torso BDU's of Airborne and others wore the torso BDU's of Duke as part of their equipment.  All Steel Brigade from 1987 until 1992 wore a silver combat helmet.  G.I. Joe would classify these individuals as either a leader, Corpsman, or loner.  Leaders were always in control of any situation and inspired confidence.  Corspmen were the backbone of any group; quiet, efficient, powerful.  Loners worked alone and valued getting the job done.

     These soldiers were experts with with any combination of a L.A.W. Rocket System, M-11 Submachine Gun, M-16, M-1911 AT Auto Pistol, M-2 Browning Cal. Heavy Machine Gun, M-32 Pulverizer, M-60, M-7 Flamethrower, NATO & Warsaw Pact Small Arms, Reflex Crossbow, U21, XM-76 Grenade Launcher, and/or XMLR-3A Laser Rifle.  They were also martial arts experts of Jujitsu, Karate, Kung-Fu, Tai Kwan Do, Throwing Stars, or Zen Sword.  Each soldier also attended a combination of Airborne School, Desert Training, Emergency Medic School, Flight Warrant Officers School, Jungle Warfare, Military Intelligence School, Ranger School, Recondo School, S.E.A.L. School, and/or Special Forces School.

     The Steel Brigade program apparently worked very well for G.I. Joe because Steel Brigade recruitment was maintained from 1987 until G.I. Joe's decommission in 1994.  In 2004, top secret images of new Steel Brigade troopers, possibly in Tiger Force camouflage, were leaked to the general public.  Despite speculation, no further confirmed information has been released.  In June 2005, the Steel Brigade Commander and Steel Brigade Paratroopers were first dispatched in Minneapolis, MN.

OTHER LINKS:

1989 Steel Brigade

Steel Brigade

YoJoe figure entry