82nd Airborne Division Ready to Respond, Support Project Freedom, Caine Says

May 5, 2026 | By David Vergun, Pentagon News |

When the president or the secretary of war needs immediate, scalable and lethal combat power anywhere in the world, 82nd Airborne Division paratroopers answer the call, Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said today during a Pentagon press briefing. 

Caine said the "All American Division" is the core of the nation's immediate response force and is ready to deploy within hours of notice.  

The paratroopers are capable of accomplishing any mission in any environment, constantly training and ready to jump from Air Force aircraft into ground combat and seize key terrain, just like their predecessors did in Sicily and Normandy, France, during World War II, or to secure or enable the flow of follow-on forces into theater, as in Grenada or Panama. 

However, the division is now more than just a formation used for forcible entries, the chairman noted. For example, just today, it is out there coordinating, integrating and synchronizing land, air, sea and cyber forces using all joint all-domain command and control, he said. 

It uses next-generation, artificial intelligence-enabled tactical networks to augment intelligence and operations, and the division seamlessly synchronizes all of these effects. It is now doing so in support of Project Freedom. 

Launched yesterday at the direction of President Donald J. Trump, Project Freedom is an initiative to restore freedom of navigation for commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The mission supports merchant vessels seeking to freely transit through the essential international trade corridor.  

Caine said the 82nd Airborne Division's relentless focus on technical innovation allows commanders in the field to see, sense and understand the opportunities along with the associated risks, enabling them to make smart decisions. 

"They are going all the way every day, and whenever the nation calls on them, they are there to answer the call. We are grateful for their service and their leadership," he added. 

The 82nd Airborne Division was first activated as an Army infantry division at Camp Gordon, Georgia, in August 1917. It earned the nickname "All American" because in 1918, it comprised soldiers from every state. The unit's shoulder patch reflects this, with a red square containing a blue circle and a white double AA monogram. The division is currently based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.