Hard drop over Kandahar Air Field

Photo By Sgt. Maj. Shelia Fourman | Soldiers assigned to the 824th Quartermaster Company, 136th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 1st Armored Division Resolute Support Sustainment Brigade, run to recover a G-14 cargo parachute after a hard drop over Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan June 15.  

AFGHANISTAN

06.16.2017

Story by Sgt. Christopher Schmiett 

1st Armored Division, Division Sustainment Brigade

“We helped an Air Force unit out here with their primary mission of training, advising, and assisting the local Afghan National Army,” said Army Spc. Logan Mullins, a parachute rigger, with the 824th QM Co., and a native of Charlotte, North Carolina. “What they are preparing them to do, is to set them up for success in the future when it comes to cargo drops to supply their troops. This morning we aided them in their primary mission by packing up a G-14 cargo parachutes and then rigging them up to supply drops. In the afternoon we went out to Mustang Ramp and we had three successful drops.”
The drop was the first of its kind at KAF.
“It was pretty significant because this was the first ever cargo drop on KAF,” said Mullins. “It was definitely a big milestone for the Army, Air Force and Kandahar in general. By doing this today we were able to prepare the Afghan National Army, so eventually when the U.S. leave Afghanistan, we will be able to set them up for success, and they can supply their troops in future conflicts.”
The parachute riggers are responsible for ensuring the proper packing and execution of the parachute’s functions.
The planning and coordination for this type of training event took several weeks, as well as coordination with the Army, Air Force, British Royal Air Force and the Afghan National Army.
“Most of the planning comes from the Air Force,” said Army Sgt. Alvaro Morales, a parachute rigger, with the 824th QM Co., and a native of Charlotte, North Carolina. “We provide all of the support we can with the parachute, the proper packing of the parachute, the proper rigging of the loads, the proper installation of the parachute to the load, and then just making sure that the load is in consistency with the type of aircraft, velocity, and altitude.”
“We were just part of the first one two days ago,” said Morales. “It was a small door bundle with a small parachute on it. It was the first one of its kind. It involved Afghani and British Royal Air Force.”
With the mission a success, the team collected all of the parachutes and cargo and headed to off to their next mission.
“I am very proud of Morales,’ said Mullins “He made sure that we were on top of our game, and definitely made sure that we knew what we were doing and how to do it. He set us up for success. I am also very proud of the other two junior Soldiers, Spc. Braeden Wood and Spc. Jordan Meadows (both with the 824th QM Co.), because this is the first time they have done anything like this. This was a big moment for them, so I am glad that their first time having a live drop was the first live drop here in Kandahar. I am proud of the Soldiers, proud of my unit, and I am definitely thankful for the experience and opportunity to do something like this.”

• Date Taken: 06.16.2017
• Date Posted: 06.18.2017 09:33
• Story ID: 238362
• Location: AF
• Hometown: CHARLOTTE, NC, US
• Hometown: EL PASO, TX, US
• Hometown: FORT BLISS, TX, US