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NOVO SELO TRAINING AREA, Bulgaria – Paratroopers assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division participated in Swift Response 19, a multinational U.S. Army Europe-directed exercise orchestrated by the Global Response Force, in Bulgaria, June 11 through 24, 2019.
Swift Response 19 was a military crisis response training event for multinational airborne forces from around the world, which demonstrated the division's ability to strategically employ with the GRF, validated the U.S. Army European Command's ability to send high-readiness forces into a selected region and strengthened airborne interoperability with NATO counterparts.
“This has been an invaluable opportunity to train with our NATO allies in a challenging environment,” said Col. Jason Curl, the commander of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Abn. Div. “It has validated our readiness and ability to project combat power anywhere in the world. I am extremely proud of the hard work and professionalism of all of the Italian, Canadian, and American paratroopers in Combined Task Force Falcon."
The 82nd Abn. Div. led the GRF training, which evaluated the abilities of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team and other multinational ground forces. Over 5,000 participants from eight allied nations were involved in the exercise. Approximately 1,495 of those participants were paratroopers.
Members of the All American Division, Canadian Armed Forces and Italian Armed Forces traveled aboard an aircraft from Ramstein, Germany and descended onto Cheshnegirovo Airfield during the early morning on June 18.
The division, in conjunction with NATO allies, simulated a counter offensive air assault and conducted a combined arms live-fire exercise to strengthen interoperability.
Paratroopers performed the air assault exercise under the cloak of darkness on June 20 at the Novo Selo Training Area. After being inserted into an open field, they bounded and bounced toward a mock village while taking simulated fire. The Bulgarian Land Forces portrayed the opposing force with the high ground.
Paratroopers from 2nd BCT successfully maneuvered the terrain, as well as cleared single and multistory buildings.
Swift Response 19 concluded with the combined arms live-fire exercise on June 22 through 25, with a different company participating each day. Three companies from 2nd BCT and soldiers from the Canadian Armed Forces were flown to the objective, and provided close air support, by the 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division.
The companies used tactical movements to get engineers into place for a breach and the others into a trench with bunkers occupied by fictitious enemy forces.
Staff Sgt. Joseph Bragg, a mortarman assigned to the 2nd BCT, 82nd Abn. Div., whose team provided support by fire, said the training was as close to an actual combat situation as it can get.
“We came here to build a strong bond with our allies, but we also got to practice our fighting against them, which prepares us for enemy tactics. It's helped me personally evaluate my team's performance as a mortar section and to develop younger soldiers,” said Bragg. “This is the best training you're going to get.”
| Date Taken: | 06.25.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 06.25.2019 06:41 |
| Story ID: | 328993 |
| Location: | NOVO SELO, BG |
| Web Views: | 402 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, 82nd Airborne Division Drops in on Swift Response 19, by SGT Justin Stafford, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
