The 2nd Battalion (Airborne) 503rd Infantry Regiment was reactivated on 16 December 2001 as a parachute infantry battalion and assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade stationed at Vicenza, Italy.
The battalion was organized as a Stryker infantry battalion and assigned to the 172nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team at Fort Richardson Alaska. The battalion served a sixteen-month tour of duty in Iraq from August 2005 to December 2006. For its gallantry in Iraq the 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry received a Valorous Unit Award.
On 16 October 1989 the 1st Battalion was reactivated as a parachute infantry battalion and assigned to the 6th Infantry Division with station at Fort Richardson, Alaska On 16 April 1998 the 1st Battalion was reassigned to the 172nd Infantry Brigade.