10th Mountain Division?

Question

Is the 10th an elite group of soldiers? and by elite i mean do you have to go through any extra training to become part of the division, like how you'd have to go through airborne school to become part of the 101st or 82nd? does the 10th have any of its own training requirements?

Answer 1

10th Mountain doesn't have any special requirements - nor does it have any mountains!  I spent 4 years there (I picked it at MEPS) and never climbed a mountain.  We had snowshoes and cross country skis in the supply room, but never used them!  82nd is an airborne unit and 101 is an air assault unit.  10th also has an air assault school but not everyone goes.

As far as the 10th Mountain down at Polk... it is my understanding that they are part of the newly formed 3rd Brigade that is supposed to be moving up to Drum upon completion of housing and barracks.  But that is what I have heard - I left in 2003 and went into the reserves.

Answer 2

No. My husband was with the 10th mountain division straight out of OSUT in 1994. They are a light infantry unit.

As a side note, you dont' have to go to airborne school to be part of the 101st. The 101st doesn't even conduct airborne operations anymore. They are air assault, which they will send you to if you get stationed at Campbell. Otherwise, it isn't necessary.

Editing to add-

In basis, you'll be asked to fill out your dreamsheet. You will list your preference of 3 stateside duty stations and 3 overseas duty stations. You aren't guaranteed your first choice (or any of them) since the needs of the Army will always come first, however, I'd guess a good 9 out of 10 people I know have gotten at least one of the duty stations they listed as a first duty station. Fort Drum was my husband's number 1 pick and that's what he got.

Answer 3

The US Army is very unique, I knew of a soldier of my home town that I became to know who was wit 10th Mtn Div.  They consider themselves 'elite', if the soldiers are actually part of the mountain platoon. (or whatever its called).  You cannot be supported arms and be attached to earn that title.  I'm a Marine of Force Recon and I can tell you that mountain climbing is one of the things that I with I didn't have to do!  I feel safer by my sea-side services, I am amphibious not inland mountain-borne!  Have me climb a mountains is like asking a Marine to stop celebrating November 10th!  It will not happen!

82nd Airborne are a good group of men.  I have greatfully served with them during our invasion of Iraq in 2003.  I was with 'Task Force Tarawa' at that time.  It was a dirty predicament in Nasiriyah, but we prevailed at the end.  G-d Bless the 82nd Airborne!

Answer 4

There is no extra special training in the 10th mountain. If you are in the process of enlisting you should ask your career counselor about being stationed at either Fort Drum, NY or Fort Polk, LA if the 10th Mountain is what you want. You have a much better chance of going to 10th mountain at Drum. At Polk you may or may not.

Answer 5

My husband served with them until '06. They are superbly trained and have great equipment. As far as special training goes it's nothing out of the ordinary, but because they are high speed and have extra funding you train on the best and deploy with it too.

Answer 6

they train a lot , because they deploy a lot

its not so much elite as it is fundimentals

Answer 7

You don't have to go through an extra qualification school like airborne soldiers do, but when you get to your unit, their training will focus on a lot of mountaineering topics that soldiers in other divisions would not.  There are however the Army Mountain Warfare School and the Army Northern Warfare Training Center that will provide you with more advanced training if your unit agrees to send you

Answer 8

You do not go through any special training, if u get assigned to them then u get assigned to them. Fort Drum is just an hour down the road from me.

Answer 9

Yeah, freeze your *** at Drum or sweat it out at Polk.

By the way, Airborne schoool is about as hard as falling out of a plane.  The 82nd is not elite.

Answer 10

My son was in the 10th twice while in Iraq, the Unit is stationed at Ft. Drum, N.Y. No you don't go through any special training, they have their own!