FORT SILL, Okla. — In the early morning hours of April 11, paratroopers from the 18th Fires Brigade and 82nd Airborne Division boarded a Boeing C-17 Globemaster aircraft from Altus Air Force Base at Pope Army Air Field bound for Fort Sill, Okla., to take part in the first airborne insertion and live fire exercise at Fort Sill since 2005.
During the airborne insertion a High Mobility Rocket Artillery System was air landed at Henry Army Airfield, Okla. and an M777A, 155mm howitzer was successfully airdropped from the back of a C-17 aircraft on to a drop zone at Fort Sill. Following the howitzer paratroopers jumped into the same drop zone where they prepared and fired live artillery rounds from the howitzer at targets on an artillery range at Fort Sill.
As America’s global response force the 82nd Airborne Division and its units have to be ready at a moment’s notice to respond anywhere in the world. The exercise at Fort Sill gave paratroopers from the 18th Fires Brigade an opportunity to jump into an unfamiliar drop zone and exercise their skills as world leading artillerymen.
"The purpose of this exercise was to train on our Global Response Mission,” said Lt. Col. James A. Wanovich, commander, 1st Battalion, 321st Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 18th Fires Brigade. “That is to alert, marshal and deploy within 18 hours anywhere in the world, conduct a parachute assault and provide long range precision fires to the brigade combat teams of the 82nd Airborne Division."
After the training some of the paratroopers had an opportunity to talk to soldiers who are still in Basic Combat Training and Advanced Initial Training at Fort Sill. They spoke about their experiences as paratroopers in the 82nd Airborne Division and motivated them to continue pushing for their goals as new soldiers.
Wanovich said, “Don’t give up”
The 18th Fires Brigade and 82nd Airborne Division have set themselves apart as world-wide leaders in the military community and truly embody what it means to be a paratrooper. With exercises like the Fort Sill airborne live fires exercise and other joint operational exercises the 82nd Airborne Division and its units stay ready to deploy and accomplish any mission requiring the specialized attention of America’s Guard of Honor.
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