 During his stint in the 160th SOAR, Brown took part in numerous contingency operations in the 1980s and early 1990s.In 1983, Brown participated in the invasion of Grenada where his unit became the first aviation unit to use night vision goggles in combat.In the late 1980s, he led the 160th as it was assigned to Operation Prime Chance in the Persian Gulf amidst the Iran–Iraq War.