The Army’s 11th Airborne Division is activating a new organization to improve coordination between commanders and two Alaska-based aviation units.
The 11th Airborne’s new Arctic Aviation Command will provide an Alaska headquarters for the Fort Wainwright-based 1st Battalions of both the 25th and 52nd Aviation Regiments. The 1-25 flies Apache attack helicopters, while the 1-52 operates Chinook transport helicopters.
“It’s going to simplify things for those units, so that they are responding to one commander, as opposed to a local commander and also to a faraway commander,” said John Pennell, a division spokesperson.
Pennell said activation of the Arctic Aviation Command gives the two battalions a local headquarters.
“We have had operational control of the units that are stationed here to support us. But they have also had to report up their chain of command,” he said.
The 1-25 and 1-52 currently have headquarters at Fort Shafter in Hawaii and Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington, respectively.
Pennell said most of the public won’t notice the change, but it’s an important step forward for 11th Airborne deployment readiness.
“It’s part of the continuing transition from U.S. Army Alaska to 11th Airborne Division,” he said. The Army reactivated the 11th Airborne two years ago and deactivated the previous organization, U.S. Army Alaska.
An 11th Airborne news release says the Arctic Aviation Command will give the division dedicated assets that will enhance aviation operations throughout Alaska and wherever it deploys.
Tim Ellis is a reporter at KUAC in Fairbanks.
