What is the difference between the 101st and the 82nd airborne?

Peace through blinding force

Yep.
101st has a heavy concentration of jump-qualified guys but they're no-longer a paratroop unit - fast ropes from choppers is their thing now.

Shock and Awe

The text answers are:
The 101st Airborne Division â€” the "Screaming Eagles"â€” is a U.S. Army modular infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for action during the Normandy Landings and in the Battle of the Bulge. During the Vietnam War, the 101st Airborne Division was redesignated first an airmobile division, then later as an air assault division. For historical reasons, it retains the "Airborne" tab identifier, yet does not conduct parachute operations at a division level. Many modern members of the 101st are graduates of the U.S. Army Air Assault School, and wear the Air Assault Badge, but it is not prerequisite for assignment to the division.
The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, has a mission to provide forcible entry capability through heliborne 'air assault' operations. Capable of inserting a 4,000 soldier combined arms task force, 150-kilometers into enemy terrain in one lift, and possessing 281 helicopters, including three battalions of Apache attack helicopters, the division was one of the most versatile in the Army. For this reason, the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) was said to be the division most in demand by combatant commanders.

The 'Deuce'
The 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army is an elite modular airborne infantry division and was constituted in the National Army as the 82nd Division on March 5, 1917, and was organized on March 25, 1917, at Camp Gordon, Georgia. Since members of the division came from all 48 states, the unit was given the nickname â€œAll-American.â€ This is the basis for its famed â€œAAâ€ shoulder patch. The 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, provided the ability to begin executing a strategic airborne forcible entry into any area of the world within 18 hours of notification. Their primary mission was airfield and seaport seizure. Once on the ground, they provided the secured terrain and facilities to rapidly receive additional combat forces. The Division is the nation's strategic offensive force, maintaining the highest state of combat readiness.

Those are the main differences in name, missions and histories. One is primarily heliborne and can move large amounts of its division around (the reason why it has two aviation brigades) and the other is airborne and jump capable (but still uses helicopters alot too).

As a soldier in either you should have more esprit de corps, but once on the ground your job (MOS) will be the same as anyone else in the Army. All the planes and helicopters are are methods of travel to and employment there.

11B, US Army

82nd Airborne is based out of Fort Bragg, NC. They are a Airborne - Parachute Division

101st Airborne is based out of Fort Campbell, KY. They are a Air Assault Helicopter Dvision.

Declare Yourself

The 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army is an elite modular airborne infantry division and was constituted in the National Army as the 82nd Division on March 5, 1917, and was organized on March 25, 1917, at Camp Gordon, Georgia. Since members of the division came from all 48 states, the unit was given the nickname â€œAll-American.â€ This is the basis for its famed â€œAAâ€ shoulder patch.
The 101st Airborne Division â€” the "Screaming Eagles"â€” is a U.S. Army modular infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for action during the Normandy Landings and in the Battle of the Bulge. During the Vietnam War, the 101st Airborne Division was redesignated first an airmobile division, then later as an air assault division. For historical reasons, it retains the "Airborne" tab identifier, yet does not conduct parachute operations at a division level.

John de Witt

101 hasn't been a parachute outfit for a long, long time now. They are indeed air assault, heli-borne, and you'll see lots of rotary-wing aircraft if you're in that part of KY/TN.

namsaev

Different divisions. Same jobs. There is no real difference. But don't try telling someone from the 82nd or 101st that. OK, you can try --but you'll probably get the crap beat out of you.

Army Recruiter

101st Airborne is a Air Assault unit. The jump out of helicopters. 82nd Airborne jumps out of airplanes. So if you want to be airborne 82 would be the best option. We have other airborne units.

how_would_I_know

bugkill

I have served in both the 82nd and 101st and the differences are strictly related to the fact that the 82nd is a division sized airborne force and the 101st is a division sized air assault force. The 101st has an airborne unit (Pathfinders) and the 82nd also can conduct air assault operations after a parachute assault (did it myself). The bottom line is that the 82nd can deploy anywhere in the world in 18 hours. No other force in our armed forces has that capability to bring that much firepower into a fight, not even special operations forces.

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