Photo By Spc. Hannah Stewart | U.S. Army Paratroopers assigned to the 37th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 2nd Brigade...... read more read more
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FORT JOHNSON, Louisiana — Through the scorching sun and the dense Louisiana humidity, the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, successfully completed the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) Rotation 23-10.
More than 4,000 Paratroopers with the 2nd BCT, also known as the Falcon Brigade, spent the last few weeks participating in the rotation, validating their preparedness for potential upcoming missions.
“JRTC is what I, and many, consider a premiere training center in the world for military forces," said Col. Todd Burroughs, commander of 2nd BCT. “We come down to JRTC to become better as organizations. It actually trains brigades and brigade combat teams on maneuver, not many places do that.”
JRTC is a constantly evolving training center. It’s intended to challenge Soldiers and Paratroopers on all levels by simulating the most true to life, challenging and painstaking battlefield conditions.
The 2nd BCT conducted an airborne operation during their Joint Forcible Entry into the “Box” with the intent to seize key terrain and mock cities. 1st Battalion, 509th Infantry Regiment, nicknamed Geronimo, is the opposing force, and considers the box to be home turf.
“It was hot. It was rainy. It was windy. It was humid, and then it was cold,” stated Burroughs. “Geronimo is a tremendous foe, and then the mission itself. We had Paratroopers who walked from one end of the box, all the way to the other end of the box, over the course of nine days. That’s a long way under arduous conditions.”
The training completed at JRTC is a vital resource and requires discipline. It develops Paratroopers on an individual level which subsequently improves the brigade as a whole.
“Our Paratroopers have been awesome. They have been motivated whether it’s been raining or whether it’s been 95 degrees and 95 percent humidity.” said Burroughs. “They’ve maintained a tenacious fighting spirit. In the end, we’re here to win.”
The 2nd BCT Paratroopers did what was asked of them. They fought and they fought hard, maintaining a great attitude and learning together along the way.
“Count on your teammates,” stated Burroughs. “I can’t say enough about the Paratroopers in this brigade and what they do. To be able to count on them, I hope they’re able to count on me.”
It was the reliable, tenacious, and determined spirit of Falcon Paratroopers, such as 2nd Lt. Kenneth White, a platoon leader assigned to 2nd BCT, who were in the heat of it, working with their fellow Paratroopers towards a common goal.
“We adapt. That’s what Paratroopers do,” began White. “A lot of the Paratroopers are getting to learn and practice the basic soldier skills. We’re loving it. We’re digging in and making the best of the situation and learning all the skills that we can.”
The Falcon Brigade’s JRTC rotation consisted of six phases: emergency deployment readiness exercise, Reception, Staging, Onward Movement, and Integration, known as RSOI, force-on-force, combined arms live fire, reverse-RSOI and redeployment. These phases simulate a real world deployment in the support of the Nation’s security.
“JRTC is an opportunity for us to continue to hone those skills, so that we can be the violent Paratroopers we need to be, when we need to be.” concluded White.
| Date Taken: | 10.18.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 10.19.2023 14:25 |
| Story ID: | 456054 |
| Location: | FORT JOHNSON, LA, US |
| Web Views: | 156 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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