The Brigadiers were charter members of Drum Corps Associates and were based in Syracuse, New York.

After World War II, the group was reorganized as an all-age drum and bugle corps and began field competition in 1947.

The Brigadiers competed in the American Legion National Championships from 1947 until 1964, making finals in every year.

In October 1990, several alumni of the Syracuse Brigadiers met to discuss resurrecting the corps.

The 2002 show earned the corps what was at the time the highest recorded score in DCA history, 98.6.