U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan celebrated the activation of the 11th Airborne Division in Alaska. The reflagging ceremonies were held at Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage. Both ceremonies marked the U.S. Army Alaska’s re-designation as the 11th Airborne Division.
Army Secretary Christine Wormuth told Sen. Dan Sullivan in May:
“One of the things we found in addition, that we think is contributing, potentially, to some of what we’re seeing in Alaska, is that some of the soldiers there don’t feel like they have a sense of identity or purpose around why they’re stationed there. We are looking at reflagging the U.S. Army Alaska headquarters as the 11th Airborne Division, which is a division that was dis-established but has a very storied lineage and we’re thinking of essentially re-naming U.S. Army Alaska 11th Airborne Division. It would become an operational headquarters. The two brigades that are there. We’re not adding or subtracting force structure, it’s really sort of more of a new sense of common identity for the soldiers up there.”
The 11th Airborne Division originally operated between 1943 and 1965, first activated during World War II in the Pacific Theater for the liberation of the Philippines and the occupation of Japan. The Alaska-based 25th Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team, based at Ft. Wainwright, and 4th Brigade Combat Team, based at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, will be re-designated as the 1st and 2nd Brigade Combat Teams of the 11th Airborne Division.
In making the announcement originally on May 5, Sec. Wormuth’s announcement constitutes the nation’s third airborne division and second paratrooper division. She made the announcement during a line of questioning from Sen. Sullivan in a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, which included testimony from General James McConville, chief of staff of the Army.
