BAUMHOLDER, Germany (Aug. 24, 2015) -- Paratroopers, assigned to the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, or Devil Brigade, and six NATO nations arrived to conduct a massive airborne combined joint forcible entry operation on Hohenfels and Grafenwoehr training areas in Germany, Aug. 17 through Sept. 8.
Operation Swift Response 15 is a multinational training exercise, part of U.S. European Command's joint exercise program designed to enhance interoperability with NATO nations. The operation provides participants with the opportunity to integrate multiple allied nations' high-readiness forces to train as a cohesive and interoperable team and demonstrate the global reach of the Global Response Force and high readiness of multinational forces.
The exercise includes the largest airborne operation in Europe since World War II and will help prepare participating forces to operate successfully in a multinational, integrated task force.
The training will test the Devil Brigade paratroopers and allied forces by evaluating their execution of strategic outload in conjunction with allies through the use of an intermediate staging base, airborne joint forcible entry, and follow-on missions.
The 1st Brigade Combat Team will take the lead in providing the jumpmaster teams, drop zone safety officer team and more than 2,500 parachutes.
More than 4,800 service members are participating in the exercise from 11 different NATO nations. That includes more than 2,800 U.S. Army Soldiers, 165 Air Force members, and 45 support forces.
"I think it's a great day for 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. We're working with our NATO allies on this important exercise, fighting side-by-side, and doing our part to deter aggression. I'm proud to be here, and I'm proud of our paratroopers. Airborne," said Maj. Joshua Gaspard, brigade executive officer.
The allied troops deploying to 1st Brigade Combat Team's area of responsibility to train and participate in the exercise are from Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
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