2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 11th Airborne Division | |
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Active | 2005 – present |
Country | United States of America |
Branch | United States Army |
Type | Airborne infantry |
Part of | 11th Airborne Division |
Garrison/HQ | Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Anchorage, Alaska |
Nickname(s) | Spartans |
Motto(s) | "Sparta Lives" |
Engagements | Operation Iraqi Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Joint Guardian |
Commanders | |
Current commander | COL James Howell |
Insignia | |
Brigade headquarters' beret flash | |
Brigade headquarters' airborne background trimming |
The 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 11th Airborne Division is an airborne infantry brigade combat team (BCT) of the United States Army. The unit is stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska and is the only airborne brigade combat team in the Pacific Theater. It is also the newest airborne Infantry BCT and one of only five in the United States Army; the others are the three Infantry BCTs of the 82nd Airborne Division and the 173rd Airborne Brigade.
Prior to its redesignation, the 4th Infantry BCT(A), 25th Infantry Division's (25th ID) higher headquarters was United States Army Alaska—redesignated 11th Airborne Division on 6 June 2022—not the 25th Infantry Division which is headquartered in Hawaii. The brigade, along with 1st Stryker BCT, 25th ID, which is also stationed in Alaska, shared in the history of the 25th ID, but was not subordinate to the division; the chain of command went directly from United States Army Alaska to United States Army Pacific. On 6 June 2022, the 1st Stryker BCT and 4th Infantry BCT(A), 25th ID were transferred to the reactivated 11th Airborne Division as part of the US Army's new arctic strategy and to help boost morale among units stationed in Alaska.[1][2] These two brigades have been redesignated 1st Infantry BCT and 2nd Infantry BCT(A) respectively.