Operation Bright Star Begins

Photo By Staff Sgt. Helen Searcy | Paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne jump from a C-17 Globemaster III during a training exercise as part of Operation Bright Star 2009, Oct. 12. The U.S. is part of an 11-country coalition participating in the biannual event spearheaded by Egypt and the U.S. Central Command and Third Army/US Army Central.  

ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT

10.13.2009

Courtesy Story

U.S. Army Central   

ALEXANDRIA, Egypt -- Military units from around the world formed a common front in a multi-national military exercise held near the Egyptian coastal town of Alexandria, Oct. 12.

Operation Bright Star began nearly 30 years ago as a friendly training exercise to better relations between Egypt, and the United States, and has matured into an 11 nation combined exercise, a major joining together of traditional military tactics with modern military technology.

"Bright Star has always been about partnership, it started back in 1981. As a matter of fact, I was a part of Bright Star back in '81, the very first one, which really started out as a biennial exercise between the U.S. and Egypt," said Maj. Gen. Peter M. Vangjel, deputy commanding general of Third Army/US Army Central. "But it has grown substantially since then, and we have almost a dozen coalition partners that are here participating in one way, shape, form or fashion. Whether or not they come from the sea, jumping from airplanes, or soldiers on the ground- it's all about partnership."

Yesterday's Bright Star operation included a strategic airborne jump of more than 300 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division partnering with Egyptian, German, Kuwait, and Pakistani paratroopers, while more than 1,000 Marines from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit at Al Amein Beach by amphibious landing with their Bright Star counterparts.

More non-traditional training is scheduled in the coming days and will include a combined computer aided command post exercise introducing partnering soldiers to each others' equipment and updated tactics thereby developing a better coalition contingency environment.

Operation Bright Star is essential to international team building and will positively affect world and regional military response.

• Date Taken: 10.13.2009
• Date Posted: 10.14.2009 11:04
• Story ID: 40106
• Location: ALEXANDRIA, EG