Sky Soldiers Make Snap Jump Into Hohenfels

Photo By Lt. Col. John Hall | Paratroopers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade, laden with combat equipment, board the aircraft for a combat equipment jump in Germany to complete their readiness exercise.  

HOHENFELS, BY, GERMANY

04.18.2018

Story by Maj. Chris Bradley 

173rd Airborne Brigade

HOHENFELS, Germany – On Apr. 17, 103 Sky Soldiers received a short notice alert to return to their base and prepare to jump into Germany and secure an airfield, all within 18 hours.

The exercise tested the company’s readiness to rapidly perform their current mission as the 173rd Airborne Brigade’s designated Army Contingency Response Force for Europe, and required the paratroopers to alert, assemble and deploy from Vicenza to Hohenfels in 18 hours.

“To achieve a no-notice activation it takes a lot synchronization and prior training, planning, and rehearsal,” said Army Maj. Quyen Dang, a Plans Officer in the 173rd Airborne. “It’s like an orchestra all playing in harmony and synchronized to be in tune. But it takes months to years of practice and rehearsal to be in tune.”

For more information about the 173rd Airborne Brigade and, visit www.skysoldiers.army.mil or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/173rdabnbde.

The readiness exercise requires Paratroopers to be ready within hours to return to their base and prepare, day or night, workday or holiday for a no-notice mission.

“The condensed timeline of an Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise (EDRE) means that we must have well-rehearsed mechanisms for quickly sharing information, socializing requirements, and making decisions with all of our partners throughout the European theater,” said Army Capt. Anthony Formica, a Plans Officer for the 173rd Airborne Brigade. “EDREs give us a clear picture of the current strengths in those relationships, as well as where we can look to streamline efficiencies.”

To no one’s surprise, the Paratroopers of Legion Company, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vicenza, Italy, completed this EDRE with flying colors.

“Having that ready force is a great responsibility,” said Army Staff Sgt. Bryan McMahon, Platoon Sergeant for 1st Platoon, Legion Company. “From our perspective, yes it’s stressful, but you can’t ask for a greater responsibility or more of a privilege to serve your country.”

The Paratroopers were alerted to their mission late in the day on April 16, and were required to immediately report and start preparing. They packed their equipment and assembled all their people before moving to the deployment airfield at Aviano Airbase to finish preparation for their airborne exercise and subsequent mission.

“The process is planned during the time between alert and actually deploying,” said McMahon. “We’ll get an actual operations order, using all the normal things that go into a normal mission set, just on a more abbreviated timeline. It focuses on readiness and making sure that we maximize our time.”

Just like in a real mission, after flying to Germany, jumping into the training area and seizing the drop zone, the Paratroopers reassembled and moved to their objective, securing a helicopter staging area approximately one and a half kilometers from where they landed.

”We knew the assault was going to be challenging,” said McMahon. “Speed and lethality were really going to be our best defense on the objective. I was what we call the ‘fighting platoon sergeant,’ making sure the squad leaders were driving their men, and to be at any friction points that may occur. Recognizing that friction point is my responsibility to show my young squad leaders that we can do this.”

The Legion company soldiers, as well as the rest of their battalion and others from the 173rd Airborne Brigade are participating in the Joint Warfighter Assessment at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center. By conducting the EDRE into Hohenfels on the 17th, Legion not only tested their ability to rapidly deploy, but also experienced a realistic start to their exercise.

Whether in Vicenza, Hohenfels or anywhere in Europe, Sky Soldiers remain committed to tough realistic training. Short notice drills like the EDRE ensure that these Paratroopers remain the tip of the spear for our nation.

The 173rd Airborne Brigade is U.S. Army Europe’s Contingency Response Force, capable of projecting forces to conduct the full range of military operations across the United States European, Central and African Command areas of responsibility.

• Date Taken: 04.18.2018
• Date Posted: 04.18.2018 15:10
• Story ID: 273554
• Location: HOHENFELS, BY, DE