News>U.S., Canadian forces participate in airborne exercise
Photos
Soldiers with the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, and Airmen from the 824th Base Defense Group work together in collecting and setting up a detainee control point during Joint Operations Access Exercise 12-01 in Fort Bragg, N.C., Feb. 12, 2012. During the exercise, Army and Air Force members jumped together and provided security along with helping to evacuate American citizens out of a hostile environment. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Stephanie Mancha)
Airmen with the 824th Base Defense Squadron along with Soldiers attached to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, practice parachute landing training before their jump during Joint Operations Access Exercise 12-01 in Pope Army Airfield, N.C., Feb. 12, 2012. This training provides airborne members with safety awareness during their static line jumps. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Stephanie Mancha)
Approximately 1,000 U.S. and Canadian coalition forces survey the drop zone before their jump during Joint Operations Access Exercise 12-01 in Fort Bragg, N.C., Feb. 12, 2012. JOAX tests the ability of airborne units to jump into a hostile environment and conduct combat operations at night. The coaltion units included the U.S. Air Force 93rd Air Ground Operations Wing, U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division and Canadian 3rd Royal Canadian Regiment (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Stephanie Mancha)
Airborne members of the U.S. Army and Air Force as well as the Canadian 3rd Royal Canadian Regiment are dropped off by a C-130 Hercules onto a drop zone during Joint Operations Access Exercise 12-01 in Fort Bragg, N.C., Feb. 12, 2012. The members then met at their rally point to continue on with their mission. The objective of JOAX was to ensure airborne units’ training is current and they are able to perform a full spectrum of operation skills during a parachute assault. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Stephanie Mancha)
A U.S. Army Soldier provides rear security for a building search during Joint Operations Access Exercise 12-01 in Fort Bragg, N.C., Feb. 12, 2012. The JOAX is a combined effort between the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force and Canadian armed forces to complete a night airborne operation with follow-on missions, which replicate possible real world scenarios. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Stephanie Mancha)
Army Pfc. Deshawn Townes, of the 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, watches detainees during Joint Operations Access Exercise 12-01 in Fort Bragg, N.C., Feb. 12, 2012. The unit was part of the forward operating team that secured the building and searched the occupants after their jump out of the C-130 Hercules. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Stephanie Mancha)
by Airman 1st Class Nicholas Benroth
23rd Wing Public Affairs
2/16/2012 - FORT BRAGG, N.C. (AFNS) -- U.S. and Canadian service members conducted Joint Operations Access Exercise 12-01 here Feb. 10-13.
Airmen with the 93rd Air Ground Operations Wing joined forces with airborne units from the Army's 82nd Airborne Division and Canada's Company M, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Royal Canadian Regiment for the exercise.
The Joint Operations Access Exercise gave the airborne forces the opportunity to test their Global Response Force readiness and ability to conduct operations with coalition partners.
"The objective of JOAX is to ensure airborne units are current and able to perform a full spectrum of operation skills during a parachute assault," said Air Force Tech. Sgt. David Edwards, an 820th Combat Operations Squadron squad leader. "Each group has their own objective they are assigned to, and ours was to jump in with our coalition partners and provide security along with helping with the evacuation of civilian noncombatants out of the hostile environment."
The exercise consisted of multiple nighttime combat equipment jumps; assaulting and cleaning a flight landing strip; an air assault; a ground assault convoy; and evacuation of civilian noncombatants.
Paratroopers have strategic capabilities such as establishing an airhead for landing other units or the ability to enter the battle from different locations, which allows paratroopers to evade fortifications that are in place to prevent attack from a specific direction. These are just some of the capabilities that have ensured airborne forces are still a part of the military within units like the 82nd Airborne Division.
Within the first 20 minutes of the exercise, approximately 500 airborne members landed on the ground and gathered at their rally points to begin their respective missions, including seizing the landing strip, providing perimeter security and performing follow-on objectives.
By the end of the exercise, approximately 1,000 airborne forces had jumped onto the battlefield and had secured key positions like the landing strip.
"We had a total of 19 airborne members from the 820th Base Defense Group who jumped during the exercise, and each one played a key role in performing the mission we were tasked with," Edwards said. "Our group was made up of more than just security forces members. We had an intelligence analyst, a communications specialist, a close precision-engagement team and a physician assistance who jumped in with us, and all of them can perform the duty of a fire team member as well."
The 93rd AGOW is a multifaceted group made up of 12 different career fields that can provide support depending on the mission at hand.
"When we are supporting a joint role like the one during the JOAX, we add another element to what can be provided," said Air Force Maj. James Meier, the 824th Base Defense Squadron commander. "We may have a guy with us who can help pull intelligence, or another who can provide medical support to the injured as well as provide security if needed. That's just how we are built."
The group also had 40 additional airborne members who were taxied onto the landing strip by a C-17 Globemaster III in order to provide further support to the mission following the initial wave of troops.
"Having their support provides a different capability than what our units usually have," said Army Capt. Robert Gregory, of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. "It was great having the 93rd AGOW fighting right beside us."
Canadian military members said the exercise also provided valuable training to the Canadian paratroopers, who are normally not able to conduct battalion- or brigade-sized training events.
"This will be the second year that we have sent our guys here to participate in the JOAX," said Royal Canadian Regiment Sgt. Jared Baillie, a 3rd RCR paratrooper, "We have about 150 members participating in the exercise this year, which will really help with any future joint operations."
The joint exercise is scheduled to be held three times a year to ensure each rotation of personnel are proficient and trained in the event a situation like this occurs and an assault like this is needed.
