58 AS aircrew drop 7th POG airborne soldiers

Photo By Senior Airman Kayla Christenson | An airborne soldier runs to jump out of a C-17 Globemaster III for a training exercise in the skies over the Mineral Wealth, Texas, drop zone, Aug 6, 2021. The C-17 made four passes around the drop zone, each time eight to twelve soldiers parachuted to the drop zone. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kayla Christenson)  

ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, OK, UNITED STATES

08.06.2021

Story by Airman 1st Class Kayla Christenson 

97th Air Mobility Wing

A sea of camouflage shows all different walks of life. Men and women feeling nervous and excited, some leaning more towards nervous, and they are all there to do one thing: jump out of a flying metal object 1,000 feet in the sky.

Airmen from the 58th Airlift Squadron teamed up with soldiers from the 7th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne) at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas, to complete airborne training qualifications, Texas, Aug 6, 2021.

One C-17 Globemaster III flew to NAS JRB Fort Worth to pick up approximately 60 soldiers, then flew to the drop zone in Mineral Wealth, Texas where 45 soldiers safely jumped out of the C-17 to the landing zone.

“The airborne soldiers complete this training annually to maintain proficiency and refresh any jumpmasters,” said Command Sergeant Major Billy Lambert, 7th POG(A) command sergeant major.

The airborne solders were not the only ones to benefit from the training, as 58th AS aircrew members also completed proficiencies and qualifications to prepare for future real-world scenarios.

“We need to maintain proficiency in personnel airdrops,” said Capt. Ryan Schieber, 58th Airlift Squadron training officer. “Additionally, our loadmasters have qualifications for dropping jumpers, so we completed that.”

Among the soldiers were jumpmasters, who Specialist Shaun Ortega called “masters of the air.” Ortega, a 7th POG(A) psychological operations specialist, said working side by side with the Air Force enables his childhood dream come true.

“I am doing airborne qualifications because I want to become a jumpmaster,” said Ortega. “I think it's really cool that we keep up the tradition that's been going on since World War II. It has always been my dream since I was a kid.”

• Date Taken: 08.06.2021
• Date Posted: 09.16.2021 11:39
• Story ID: 403266
• Location: ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, OK, US