Army, Air National Guard conduct joint combat airdrop

Photo By Spc. Donald Williams | Soldiers with the Texas Army National Guard 1st Battalion (Airborne), 143rd Infantry Regiment parachute onto the Teton Drop Zone at Camp Guernsey, Wyo., during the Golden Coyote Training Exercise, June 13, 2014. The exercise provides relevant training opportunities to Soldiers from 15 states and four foreign nations in support of overseas contingency operations and homeland defense. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Donald E. Williams)  

GUERNSEY, WY, UNITED STATES

06.13.2014

Story by Spc. Donald Williams 

129th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

CAMP GUERNSEY, Wyo. – National Guard Soldiers and Airmen teamed up to perform a combat airdrop training mission at Camp Guernsey, Wyo., June 13, 2014.

This event was coordinated between the Texas Army National Guard 1st Battalion (Airborne), 143rd Infantry Regiment and Wyoming Air National Guard 153rd Air Wing as part of the 2014 Golden Coyote training exercise.

“We have so many paratroopers that it’s not feasible for us to jump out of anything but Air Force aircraft,” said Maj. Wade Aubin a drop zone safety officer for the 143rd. “Golden Coyote was the first time we [partnered with] the 153rd Air Wing out of Cheyenne and they have been great to work with.”

The airdrop was a historic event as it was the first airborne mission conducted during Golden Coyote.

“We’re the first Army National Guard infantry battalion to perform an airfield seizure on Camp Guernsey,” said Aubin.

Units complete an airfield seizure in order to gain control of a landing zone to conduct further missions from that area.

The mission for the 143rd was to perform an airdrop, then move to a temporary headquarters to gain accountability before marching to and clearing a helicopter-landing zone.

“There is a constant steady learning process; its not one of those things that you stop learning about,” said Aubin. “The more you do it; the better you do it.”

“It demonstrates the capabilities of the National Guard to the rest of the military,” said Shane Whitworth an operations non-commissioned officer in the Wyoming National Guard.

This jump was one of four airborne missions that took place during Golden Coyote. The first mission was a large-scale airfield assault, the second combat airdrop was a smaller support mission, and the third drop will be a daytime exercise that will help them prepare for their culminating night mission.

The four jumps helped the unit complete their training requirements; while the first three helped the unit prepare for the last mission, which is training for a possible high-risk mission.

One aspect to making the jump a success is ensuring equipment is ready for each soldier for every jump. Soldiers help each other strap on their parachutes and gear before a rigger checks it for safety and a jumpmaster does a final check on the gear’s readiness before the airdrop.

“We make sure everything is done by the books, we double-check and triple-check because we have lives in our hands,” said Spc. Regina Ruizmoreno a parachute rigger for the TXARNG 294th Quartermaster Company.

Although Ruizmoreno has completed approximately 20 jumps, anticipation and nerves are still a big part of the experience.

“Once we get up and start getting ready, that’s when I get nervous and the adrenalin starts pumping,” said Ruizmoreno.“Once I’m out and my chute opens its just relaxing, it’s beautiful, but it’s only for a split second, then you have to realize you’re about to land.”

• Date Taken: 06.13.2014
• Date Posted: 06.20.2014 18:30
• Story ID: 133891
• Location: GUERNSEY, WY, US