Thousands of North Carolina soldiers with the 82nd Airborne Division have now been directed to prepare for deployment to the Middle East, according to ABC News. The reported move comes as the conflict with Iran continues to affect U.S. military operations in the region.
The deployment would include ground forces and a headquarters element. Final orders are being developed on Tuesday, and troops are expected to leave soon once those orders are issued.
U.S. officials have told Axios’ Barak Ravid that the Headquarters of the 82nd Airborne Division, stationed at Ft. Bragg in North Carolina, has been directed by the Pentagon to deploy to the Middle East together with a Brigade Combat Team consisting of several thousand troops,…
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The 82nd Airborne Division is based at Fort Bragg and works closely with nearby Pope Army Airfield, where aircraft would likely stage before departure.
A brigade of about 3,000 soldiers from the 82nd is constantly on standby as the Immediate Response Force. That unit is designed to deploy anywhere in the world within 18 hours.
The division specializes in quickly seizing contested terrain. It is also a light infantry force, meaning it does not deploy with tanks or other heavy armored vehicles.
A headquarters element would help manage logistics, planning, and command support for the mission.
There has been no official public confirmation yet from the Pentagon or Fort Bragg. Even so, the report suggests one of America’s best-known rapid-response divisions may soon head from North Carolina into a growing conflict zone.
