82nd Airborne Division is in the Middle East
Thousands of US Army paratroopers arrive in Middle East as buildup intensifies
By Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart, Reuters
Thousands of soldiers from the U.S. Army’s elite 82nd Airborne Division have started arriving in the Middle East, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Monday, as President Donald Trump weighs his next steps in the war against Iran.
Reuters first reported on March 18 that Trump’s administration was considering deploying thousands of additional U.S. troops to the Middle East, a move that would expand options to include the deployment of forces ?inside Iranian territory.
The paratroopers, based out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, add to the thousands of additional sailors, Marines and Special Operations forces sent to the region. Over the weekend, about 2,500 Marines arrived in the Middle East.
The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, did not say specifically where the soldiers were deploying to, but the move was expected.
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The soldiers could be used for several purposes in the Iran war, including an attempt to seize Kharg Island, the hub for 90% of Iran’s oil exports.Earlier this month, Reuters reported there had been discussions within the Trump administration about an operation to take the island. Such a move would be highly risky, since Iran can reach the island with missiles and drones.
Reuters has previously reported the administration has discussed using ground forces inside Iran to extract highly enriched uranium, though that option could mean U.S. troops deeper inside Iran for potentially longer periods of time, trying to dig out material that is deep underground.
This in addition to USS Boxer with it’s embarked Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) and escort arriving shortly to join USS Tripoli, already on-station. Kharg Island is such an obvious target symbolically, strategically and tactically it’s just a matter of time until comes under US control one way or another.
On a lighter note Military Times saw fit to attach a pic of flight ops conducted onboard USS Abe Lincoln to the article.
Ahh, the army’s speedbump has arrived!
All respect to the storied 82nd, but without a substantial amount of other mobility assets (take your pick of strategic or theater airlift, a combat aviation brigade, or a whole lot of trucks), the 82nd isn’t doing a whole lot right now. But it provides future options, and future options are always nice to have. Let’s call them flexible response options and sound like I am back at Carlisle trying to keep up with the smart students.
I use to fly into a little airport right there across the highway from War College. Lovely area except in winter.
I’ll be praying for those guys every day. An invasion of Kharg Island would be nightmare. Iran would throw everything they have at it and turn it into a hellscape just to prevent us from having it. They might have to add a new verse to the Marine Corps Song if that one goes off without a hitch. Although if Iran destroys it themselves then we can just leave.
There were also discussions of trying to grab up all the enriched nuclear material and then leaving. To me that sounds like mission impossible type stuff.
How about a cuff title “Kharg” to be worn on the lower left sleeve a’la the “Kreta” cuff title? And a ribbon bar!
Exemplar:
It’s a bluff. Not power enough for a major operation. And if they needed to make an airborne assault, there’s an entire airborne brigade combat team in Vichenza Italy that was already close to theater. In fact, that’s the whole point of having the 173rd in Italy.
Given the way the EU is reacting to Iran, they’d probably balk at allowing the 173rd to take off from an “Italian” base and fly through their airspace.
Italy has already balked.
https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/italy-refuses-us-aircraft-use-sicily-base-middle-east-operations-source-says-2026-03-31/
and then:
Suitably mad:
https://torontosun.com/news/world/iran-war-updates-march-31
If they “no longer poses a real threat” than why do we need the allies?
Because “our allies” use a hell of a lot more of the oil transiting Hormuz than we do.
The EU was caught of guard, and they’re just now catching on that implementing zero-net policies and shutting down nuclear plants and stop using coal wasn’t such a good idea, and that paying an average of $7 to $7.50 in U.S. dollars for a gallon of gas sucks.
Let the EU bail themselves out.
With the destruction of the Iranian refineries and the interruption of transport, it will be several months before that country starts producing again.
This is my shocked face.
Not enough for most operations or invasion for sure. Is it enough to take Kharg Island (Why do I feel like we are in a pirate cartoon)? No idea what forces the Iranians have there or how hard they will work to defend it. They have no naval, rotary or fixed wing assets left in operation so it would be a BM/ Drone fight for support.
Without violating OPSEC, is there any concrete word on what brigade?
Also:
“When we were needed, we were there. “
Found this:
Thank you.
Wait, “a” battalion? No, that in fact does not sound like they mean business.
Still, God preserve those brave, obnoxious, stone-ignorant young men.(Same to the Marines, of course.)
Strike Hold
That Battalion (2/504th PIR ?) numbers are anywhere from 650 to 750 troopers. The remainder of the Task Force (3,350 or so) are made up by those “elements of his staff” which constitute a security force for the CG and will “Stay in the rear with the gear”. / s
Since the Div CO is there, I suspect the rest of the task force is made up of supporting units, including an artillery battalion, signal unit, medical unit, and other elements of the division base. I once did an airborne op to Norway. It included a reinforced infantry battalion plus a brigade HQ and numerous supporting units, which took more C-130’s to drop than the infantry battalion. Watching all those C-130’s in trail was quite a sight.
One of my tasks as the liaison officer to the Norwegian army and OIC for the jump was to find a 105mm howitzer that drifted off the DZ and ended up in the adjacent woods. After we found it, I got the Norwegians to pull it out with an M-113, cuz we had to knock down some trees to get it out.
Getting closer and closer to NDSM reactivation date.
Just remember when that does happen, I called it. /s
The Brotherhood of the NDSM is awaiting it’s revival. Mine is on my duped polyester/cotton white jumper in the walk in closet.
Bring it!
Do I get the skull on mine, as I am responsible for a few enemy KIA’s as the officer who planned and sent out the patrols that did the deeds?
Slow weekend downtown.
Just spit balling here but they might be moving to secure Bab-el-Mandeb. After the war started the Saudis diverted massive amounts of oil to their Southern port, Yanbu down their central pipeline. This lets out into the Indian and the Med and has allowed them to keep about 30% of the Northern amount of oil flowing.
Now the Houthis are active in that area again trying to close the Southern end. The 82nd is great at non-conventional warfare and would be well suited to wipe them out for good. Not a tear would be shed.
They have guerrilla warfare experience, as they usually provide the guerilla force and the occupying force for the Special Forces School FTX for the students. I had a platoon of 82nd snuffies for my Cherokee Trail experience in the battle to free Pineland.
The troops are one item of consideration. The single most critical support for them would be a metric ton of AAA support. Without the ability to place an “air shield” over the location they are targets for the iranian drones and missiles, not occupiers. I seriously doubt the navy is going to station a squadron of destroyers / frigates between the mainland and Kharg as an air defense for the island.
Reminds me of the old days of Vulcan ADA guns. The gun “could” fire 3000 rounds per minute but the pcombat load was 2250 rounds. Which weighed, all by itself 25,000lbs. So one truck load roughly equaled less than a minute of firing time at max output.
A destroyer carries a lot of rounds but it would be a magnet for whatever was available too close to shore.
I spent a total of nine years in Vulcan ADA outfits, (1/3 ADA, 6/56 ADA, and 4/61 ADA) and I can rightfully say that the annual gunneries that were done up at Todendorf (Germany) was the highlight of that time. Watching/listening to that piece of equipment sending rounds down-range was awesome. I can’t even imagine being the aiming point when it was used in the ground-to-ground mode.
UK’s First Sea Lord admits Royal Navy not ready for war:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/uk-send-more-troops-gulf-153341338.html
The Brits really don’t even qualify for the taxi squad nowadays.
-Paratroopers Prayer 1944-
Almighty God, we kneel to Thee and ask to be the instrument of Thy fury in smiting the evil forces that have visited death, misery, and debasement on the people of the earth.
Be with us, God, when we leap from our planes into the dark abyss and descend in parachutes into the midst of enemy fire.
Give us iron will and stark courage as we spring from the harnesses of our parachutes to seize arms for battle.
The legions of evil are many, Father; grace our arms to meet and defeat them in Thy name and in the name of the freedom and dignity of man.
Let our enemies who have lived by the sword turn from their violence lest they perish by the sword.
Help us to serve Thee gallantly and to be humble in victory.
By Lt. James Morton – 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment
^^^That’s a good one.
Here’s another Paratrooper Prayer, written in 1938 –
“I’m asking You, God, to give me what You have left.
Give me those things which others never ask of You.
I don’t ask You for rest, or tranquility.
Not that of the spirit, the body, or the mind.
I don’t ask You for wealth, success, or even health.
All those things are asked of You so much Lord,
that you can’t have any left to give.
Give me instead Lord what You have left.
Give me what others don’t want.
I want uncertainty and doubt.
I want torment and battle.
And I ask that You give them to me now and forever Lord,
so I can be sure to always have them,
because I won’t always have the strength to ask again.
But give me also the courage, the energy,
and the spirit to face them.
I ask You these things, Lord,
because I can’t ask them of myself.
Lord give me what you have left and what others do not want
But give me also courage, strength, and faith.”
– Andre Zirnheld