82nd Airborne

The "82nd Infantry Division" was activated at Camp Gordon, Georgia, on August 25, 1917, as a division of primarily draftee soldiers who served with distinction in World War I. Since members of the Division came from all 48 states, the unit was given the nickname "All Americans," hence its famed "AA" shoulder patch. On August 15, 1942, in the early days of World War II, it was redesignated the "82nd Airborne Division," parachuting into combat more than any other division. Today's 82nd Airborne is a more flexible and modular fighting force than ever in its long, distinguished history. On any given day, a third of the "All American" division is on a wartime training cycle, a third on support cycle, and the rest of the division is at its highest state of readiness--mission cycle--poised to respond to all contingencies and ready to deploy anywhere on the planet. Comprised of four brigade combat teams, the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, and 82nd Sustainment Brigade, this division is the largest parachute force in the western world. Many of these All Americans have received Medal of Honor citations and fame over the years, but awards and fame are the farthest things from the mind of the division's thousands of unnamed paratroopers. Also known as "America's Guard of Honor," the 82nd Airborne plans, coordinates, and executes rapid, combined arms, and forced-entry operations alone or as part of a joint task force across the depth and width of the battlefield. Most recently, the division has been conducting sustained combat operations throughout Iraq and the CENTCOM area of operations, and has been deployed to both Afghanistan and Iraq. ""82nd Airborne" covers all aspects of the All American division's history, organization, training, and weapons, the evolution of its organization, and its combat history, past and present, through the current global war on terrorism.