The Postwar Cactus Division - In Reserve

After VE Day and VJ Day on August 14, 1945, World War II was officially over. The 103d Infantry Division (Cactus) was deactivated on September 22, 1945. The Division remained inactive until reactivated as a Reserve Division on May 7, 1947 with its headquarters located in Des Moines, Iowa.

The 103d Infantry Division remained a Reserve Infantry Division until December 31, 1965 when it was re-designated the 103d Support Brigade.

The 103d Support Brigade was re-designated the 103d Corps Support Command on September 30, 1977 in order to provide combat service support to an  Army corps and other forces as deemed necessary.

Despite the numerous command and name changes, the cactus patch remained unchanged.

On September 15th, 1993 the 103rd Corps Support Command was inactivated.  Out of the inactivation came two new reserve units: the 19th Theater Army Area Command (CONUS) and 3d Corps Support Command (CONUS).

On February 14th, 2006 the 103rd was re-designated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 103rd Sustainment Command.

The 103rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command activated as a reserve command, effective September 16, 2006. The 103rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command (ESC) is one of seven general officer ESC's in the Army Reserve and its soldiers support diverse missions, many are logistical in nature.  It is comprised of almost 75 Army Reserve units and has command and control of more than 6,000 Army Reservists throughout the Midwestern United States to include Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Illinois. The 103rd ESC completed reorganization on the 16th of September, 2007 and assumed Command and Control of all subordinate units on October 1st of that same year.

The 103d Expeditionary Sustainment Command (ESC) is providing trained and ready Sustainment forces in support of global contingency operations.  On order, the 103rd ESC is prepared to deploy as an ESC to command and control all assigned, attached, and operationally controlled units in order to provide sustainment planning, guidance, and support to forces in an area of operations. Once again, the 103d is deployed into a combat zone in support of forces in Iraq.