US Paratroopers Join Africa Operations
Matthew Cox wrote an article on Military.com talking about how US paratroopers are joining multinational airborne operations in Africa. There were roughly 200 paratroopers who were given the opportunity to train with the Gabonese and French paratroopers in Central Accord 2016. The Central Accord is a training exercise that is located on the west coast of Africa.
According to Army Col. J. Patrick Work, who is the commander of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team and 82nd Airborne Division, says that the exercise as a ‘unique training opportunity for his paratroopers.’
They went from Fort Bragg in North Carolina to Gabon, Africa by flying two Air Force C-17 Globe-master aircraft. During the travel there, they were able to focus on in flight parachute rigging as well as pre-mission planning.
Once the team arrived in Gabon, Africa, there were over 100 paratroopers that worked on an assault training exercise. Afterwards, the team was able to work with the Gabonese and French paratroopers.
Here is what Work has to say about the experience at the June 20th round table discussion directed towards many defense reporters.
Central Accord was an excellent opportunity for our paratroopers to collaborate with the partners that we were working with.
Work also goes in-depth to talk more about the exercise training.
It takes a lot of preparation; it takes small unit leaders coming up with their own sort of planning process and working through the friction associated with the language, the different equipment, the requirements that ensure we do it safely -- that's a pretty extraordinary feat. And it happened with a number of small unit leaders just taking initiative and solving problems.
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