12-02-2013, 15:03
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#1
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Army Dropping Number of Paratrooper Units
Army Dropping Number of Paratrooper Units
http://www.military.com/daily-news/2...per-units.html
© Copyright 2013 Associated Press
Quote:
The legendary Pathfinders have taken their final jump and the Red Devils aren't too far behind.
The two paratrooper units -- formally known as the 5th Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division and the 508th Infantry Regiment -- are closing out long histories as a result of the U.S. Army's reconfiguration and budget cutting. Among the changes being made is a reduction in the number of parachute positions across the service.
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Quote:
The military is capping parachute positions at 49,000 as part of the 2012 Defense Strategic Guidance, a plan detailing the development of military forces through 2020. The plan calls for some units, including paratrooper units, to change their focus.
Lt. Col. Don Peters ... said 24 units accounting for 2,600 soldiers across the country were removed from jump status. That includes 12 units with the 18th Airborne Corps and the 82nd Airborne at Fort Bragg, N.C., and the Company F (Pathfinder), 4th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 159th Aviation Brigade at Fort Campbell, Ky.
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Quote:
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The Army kept three standing pathfinder companies: Company F (Pathfinder), 5th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 101st Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault); and Company F (Pathfinder), 4th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 159th Aviation Brigade, both at Fort Campbell, Ky.; and Company F (Pathfinder), 2nd Battalion, 82d Aviation Regiment at Fort Bragg, N.C.
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See also this earlier thread: 101st Pathfinders complete last jump
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Airbornelawyer is offline
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12-02-2013, 15:37
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#2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brush Okie
So the question is do we really need large scale airborne units like we did before? We have not had a large scale Airborne assault since WWII. While we had combat jumps as late as Iraq war do we really need the capability to have an entire Corps jump into some place?
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We almost had one during Desert Storm, but the Turks ran callow.
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MR2 is offline
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12-02-2013, 15:56
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#3
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Although the jump itself turned out to be more of an admin than a combat jump, since 10th Group was already on the ground with the Kurds, we had a brigade-sized airborne insertion in 2003 in northern Iraq.
Also don't forget the general rule of three. To have a ready force of a certain size at any one time to deal with a contingency, you generally need a total force three times that, since 1/3 is the ready force, 1/3 is training up to take over as ready force, and 1/3 is winding down from being the ready force. This was why the Reagan Administration built up to a 15-carrier navy, so that there would be five carriers on station at any one time (typically two in the Pacific, one in the Indian Ocean/Persian Gulf area, one in the Med and one in the Atlantic). With the shrinking Navy, you now have fewer carriers on station and their deployments have to be lengthened.
The same principle generally applies to the 82nd and other ground forces, as well as air forces. You can't keep a peacetime contingency force permanently at go-to-war readiness. You really can't even do it on a full mobilization wartime status, where you still have a portion of your force in reserve.
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Airbornelawyer is offline
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12-02-2013, 17:19
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#4
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Not everything
Not everything is near the coast.
Sometimes that big hammer in the tool box is needed.
When you need to put 4,000 bad ass MoFo's on the ground like yesterday and another 3,000 tomorrow you better call the 82nd.
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Pete is offline
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12-02-2013, 17:27
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#5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brush Okie
So I take it you believe there is a possibility we need large air drop capability?
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I do.
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The two most powerful warriors are patience and time - Leo Tolstoy
It's Never Crowded Along the Extra Mile - Wayne Dyer
WOKE = Willfully Overlooking Known Evil
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MR2 is offline
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12-02-2013, 20:31
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#6
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Not to mention, how many will it take to re-take D.C?!?!
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Ambush Master is offline
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12-04-2013, 10:11
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#7
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Guess it's time for another "Knollwood Maneuver"...
How A Small NC Airport Saved The Airborne
http://ncelitemilitary.com/articles/2013/12/01/1291919
And so it goes...
Richard
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Richard is offline
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12-04-2013, 10:27
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#8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard
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Nice find Richard, very interesting read. Thanks, I are more smarter now, I think.
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