FORT BRAGG, N.C. - Operation Toy Drop is a multinational airborne operation and collective training exercise. The event was hosted by U.S. Army Civil Affairs & Psychological Operations Command (Airborne) and the Army Reserve.
Indonesia, one of the seven nations that participated in this year’s event, had participated in Operation Toy Drop twice in the past. For 2nd Lt. Dwinanda Noryanzha, assigned to the 330th Para Raider Airborne Battalion of West Java, he and his unit were here for the first time.
“I like it very much here, because we have different weather,” said Noryanzha. “Indonesia is in the rainy season."
During Operation Toy Drop, Noryanzha has had the opportunity to learn about cultures from around the world as he worked alongside several other nations including Canada, Colombia, Germany, Italy, Latvia and the Netherlands.
“We have differences in culture, of course,” he said. “Spending time here, we can study them all.”
In addition to learning about different cultures, Noryanzha liked the airborne operations training he received.
“We enjoy it, it’s great,” said Noryanzha. “We learn these different procedures for jumping from U.S. planes. We don’t have any C-17 jumpmasters, but here our jumpmaster can learn the procedure of how to jump from them.”
Noryanzha also added that he and his unit experienced their very first jump out of a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. Because that jump occurred under an Italian jumpmaster, he has received Italian airborne wings. He said that receiving partner nation jump wings was an honor because when he returns to Indonesia wearing them, it will be motivation for other Soldiers in his unit to travel outside of Indonesia, since he was the first one.
Noryanzha understood the honor associated with receiving foreign jump wings and looked forward to Operation Toy Drop, where he pinned U.S. Soldiers with Indonesian jump wings after their descent.
“The very best thing is that I have jumped with other countries,” said Noryanzha about Operation Toy Drop.
Noryanzha said he enjoyed his time in the United States and the overall experience he has had while here.
“It’s really nice, American people are really good people, they are so polite,” said Noryanzha.
“And a very special thing we have never experienced in Indonesia, was that we never jumped and there was a Santa Claus on the ground,” he added with a smile.
Santa came out during the various events associated with Operation Toy Drop as a way to bring some holiday spirit to the paratroopers, community members, and service members from allied nations.
| Date Taken: | 12.05.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 12.08.2015 14:18 |
| Story ID: | 183852 |
| Location: | FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 365 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Indonesian paratrooper gets more than just training, by SGT Nicole Paese, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
