8th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment
Aviation Intermediate Maintenance (AVIM) Battalion
"Troubleshooters"
The mission of the 8th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, is to deploy support assets worldwide, and provide aviation intermediate maintenance, backup aviation unit maintenance, and aircraft repair parts supply support to the aircraft of the 101st Airborne Division.
The 8-101st Aviation Intermediate Maintenance (AVIM) Battalion is organic to the DISCOM. It provides aviation intermediate maintenance and backup AVUM to Divisional and attached units' aircraft, systems and subsystems, including aircraft armament, avionics and aircraft survivability equipment. Additionally it sustains: Class IX (Air) repair part supply support, operational readiness floats of helicopters and selected aircraft peculiar items, technical information and quality assurance/assistance, repairable management (RM) service for selected items, recovery and evacuation aircraft, oversight of ESRA operations.
The history of the 8th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment dates back to 25 August 1943 at Camp Swift, TX. The unit was initially activated as 5th Quartermaster Troop Transport Battalion.
The Battalion joined the 101st Airborne Division on 1 Jul 68 when it was redesigned as Headquarters & Headquarters Company, 5th Transportation Battalion and activated in Vietnam. The Battalion participated in numerous conflicts and operations from its base camp in Phu Bai. Later, the unit was honored with the Meritorious Unit Commendation, First Oak Leaf Cluster, for its service and support of those combat operations. The Battalion was relieved from its assignment in Vietnam and returned to Fort Campbell on 19 January 1972. The Battalion was inactivated and redesignated on 19 September 1986 as the 222nd Aviation Maintenance and Supply Battalion
On 16 October 1987, the Battalion was inactivated and activated as the 8th Battalion 101st Aviation Regiment, assigned to the 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, KY. Advance elements of the 8th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment began deploying from Fort Campbell on 18 August 1990 to quickly establish forward operations in Saudi Arabia in support of Operation Desert Shield. The Battalion rapidly became fully operational providing Intermediate Aviation support, allowing the 101st Airborne Division to establish the contingency force required for its next "Rendezvous with Destiny". The Battalion continued to support operations in TAA Campbell with 607 personnel. The Battalion's long awaited return to Fort Campbell became reality on 11 April 1991.
The 8th Battalion soldiers continued to support the enormous task of redeployment from operations conducted in Southwest Asia. By September 1991, the Division was readied as the Army's premier rapid deployment Division, largely in part thanks to the efforts of the soldiers assigned the "Troubleshooter" Battalion.
Following redeployment from Southwest Asia the battalion went on to support every major deployment and exercise the 101st Airborne Division has had aircraft take part in. From Somalia to Honduras, to taking part in SEDREs and every Combat Training Center rotation the Division has attended.
The elements of 8th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment make up the largest Aviation Battalion in the U.S. Army.
50th Air Ambulance Company
The 50th Medical Company (Air Ambulance AA) is a separate company in the DISCOM under the command and control of the DISCOM commander. The unit receives operational guidance from the Chief, Divisional Medical Operation Center (DMOC). The unit is equipped with UH-60 medevac aircraft with the primary mission of evacuating casualties from a forward collection point to a definite care facility. The unit also provides transportation for medical teams, deliver of blood products, biological, and medical supplies, as well as air crash rescue of downed aircrews. 50th Med is attached to the 8-101 AVN Bn for administrative and logistical support.
