Planning, training makes for safe airborne training

Photo By 1st Sgt. Lisa Rodriguez Presley | Paratroopers with the 1st Battalion, 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment practice parachute landing falls, a controlled fall where the Soldier shapes their body so they roll through their impact on the ground, during training March 18 at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany. Parachute landing falls are designed to reduce the chance of injury to a Soldier after they parachute from an aircraft. The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the Army’s Contingency Response Force in Europe, providing ready forces to deploy anywhere in the U.S. European, Africa and Central Commands areas of responsibility in less than 18 hours.  

GRAFENWOEHR, BY, GERMANY

03.18.2015

Story by Sgt. David Nye 

204th Public Affairs Detachment

GRAFENWOEHR, Germany - “The process of getting ready for this day, believe me, it takes a few days,” said Staff Sgt. Alaster M. Anderson, a jumpmaster with 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade.

He spoke as assembled paratroopers of 1st Battalion, rigged in parachutes, waited to climb into UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters from the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade to conduct airborne operations March 18 here.

Paratroopers waiting their turn to jump appreciated the hard work leaders like Anderson put into planning and executing safe jumps.

“They get a lot done before we even get there,” said Pfc. Justin Millard, an infantryman with Able Company, 2nd Bn., 503rd Inf. Regt. “So when we get there, we can get our stuff on in 15 to 20 minutes.”

The training is part of the brigade’s mission to maintain airborne proficiency so it can reinforce allies in Europe if the need arises.

“We have to partner in a quick, timely fashion,” said Sgt. Maj. Mark A. Cashman, the operations sergeant major for 1st Bn.

Paratroopers don’t routinely jump from UH-60 helicopters, but practicing exits from different aircraft means the unit can be more flexible if it has to deploy.

“We have to be ready to ride any aircraft the Army uses,” said Cashman.

Safety is paramount when Soldiers jump, regardless of aircraft used.

“Jumpmasters control the jumpers to make sure they know what to do, because we all know jumping out of an aircraft is a dangerous activity,” said Anderson, who led the training to refresh the jumpers on how to safely jump from a helicopter.

All personnel scheduled for the jump were graduates of the U.S. Army’s Airborne School, a three-week course at Fort Benning, Ga.

“They start on the ground, then work their way to the tower, and finally they jump,” said Anderson. “They learn to trust their equipment. By the time you jump outside an aircraft, you trust your equipment.”

The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the Army’s Contingency Response Force in Europe, providing ready forces to deploy anywhere in the U.S. European, Africa and Central Commands areas of responsibility in less than 18 hours.

• Date Taken: 03.18.2015
• Date Posted: 03.23.2015 10:21
• Story ID: 157766
• Location: GRAFENWOEHR, BY, DE