Breaking language barriers in the open skies

By Staff Sgt. Philip SteinerSeptember 22, 2016

French paratroopers from the 35e RAP perform an airborne operation with Sky Soldiers
1 / 18 Show Caption + Hide Caption – French paratroopers from the 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment, 11th Parachute Brigade perform an airborne operation with Sky Soldiers from 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion and 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Artillery Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade a... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
French paratroopers from the 35e RAP perform an airborne operation with Sky Soldiers
2 / 18 Show Caption + Hide Caption – French paratroopers from the 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment, 11th Parachute Brigade perform an airborne operation with Sky Soldiers from 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion and 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Artillery Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade a... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
French paratroopers from the 35e RAP perform an airborne operation with Sky Soldiers
3 / 18 Show Caption + Hide Caption – French paratroopers from the 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment, 11th Parachute Brigade perform an airborne operation with Sky Soldiers from 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion and 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Artillery Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade a... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
French paratroopers from the 35e RAP perform an airborne operation with Sky Soldiers
4 / 18 Show Caption + Hide Caption – French paratroopers from the 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment, 11th Parachute Brigade perform an airborne operation with Sky Soldiers from 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion and 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Artillery Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade a... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
French paratroopers from the 35e RAP perform an airborne operation with Sky Soldiers
5 / 18 Show Caption + Hide Caption – French paratroopers from the 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment, 11th Parachute Brigade perform an airborne operation with Sky Soldiers from 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion and 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Artillery Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade a... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
French paratroopers from the 35e RAP perform an airborne operation with Sky Soldiers
6 / 18 Show Caption + Hide Caption – French paratroopers from the 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment, 11th Parachute Brigade perform an airborne operation with Sky Soldiers from 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion and 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Artillery Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade a... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
French paratroopers from the 35e RAP perform an airborne operation with Sky Soldiers
7 / 18 Show Caption + Hide Caption – French paratroopers from the 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment, 11th Parachute Brigade perform an airborne operation with Sky Soldiers from 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion and 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Artillery Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade a... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
French paratroopers from the 35e RAP perform an airborne operation with Sky Soldiers
8 / 18 Show Caption + Hide Caption – French paratroopers from the 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment, 11th Parachute Brigade board the plane to perform an airborne operation with Sky Soldiers from 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion and 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Artillery Regiment, 173rd... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
French paratroopers from the 35e RAP perform an airborne operation with Sky Soldiers
9 / 18 Show Caption + Hide Caption – French paratroopers from the 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment, 11th Parachute Brigade and Sky Soldiers from 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion and 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Artillery Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade don their parachutes to perform ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
French paratroopers from the 35e RAP perform an airborne operation with Sky Soldiers
10 / 18 Show Caption + Hide Caption – French paratroopers from the 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment, 11th Parachute Brigade and Sky Soldiers from 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion and 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Artillery Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade don their parachutes to perform ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
French paratroopers from the 35e RAP perform an airborne operation with Sky Soldiers
11 / 18 Show Caption + Hide Caption – French paratroopers from the 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment, 11th Parachute Brigade and Sky Soldiers from 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion and 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Artillery Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade don their parachutes to perform ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
French paratroopers from the 35e RAP perform an airborne operation with Sky Soldiers
12 / 18 Show Caption + Hide Caption – French paratroopers from the 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment, 11th Parachute Brigade perform an airborne operation with Sky Soldiers from 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion and 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Artillery Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade a... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
French paratroopers from the 35e RAP perform an airborne operation with Sky Soldiers
13 / 18 Show Caption + Hide Caption – French paratroopers from the 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment, 11th Parachute Brigade and Sky Soldiers from 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion and 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Artillery Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade don their parachutes to perform ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
French Paratroopers participate in Sky Soldier airborne training
14 / 18 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sky Soldiers from 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion and 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Artillery Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade teach the correct method to exit a plane during airborne operations during airborne training with the French paratrooper fr... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
French Paratroopers participate in Sky Soldier airborne training
15 / 18 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sky Soldiers from 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion and 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Artillery Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade teach the correct method to exit a plane during airborne operations during airborne training with the French paratrooper fr... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
French Paratroopers participate in Sky Soldier airborne training
16 / 18 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sky Soldiers from 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion and 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Artillery Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade teach the correct method to exit a plane during airborne operations during airborne training with the French paratrooper fr... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
French Paratroopers participate in Sky Soldier airborne training
17 / 18 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sky Soldiers from 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion and 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Artillery Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade teach the correct method to exit a plane during airborne operations during airborne training with the French paratrooper fr... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Skies open up with French and American Paratroopers during Colibri
18 / 18 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A soldier from the 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade conducting an airborne operation after training by instructors with the 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment, as part of Exercise Colibri in Tarbes, France, Sept. 20th 2016. Exer... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

TARBES, France -- Mutual understanding of the battlefield does not come easy - it is a process that requires shared work, dedication, and coordination. Creating a common operating language between two NATO airborne units presents an especially unique challenge requiring unparalleled precision and finesse.

Full integration of allied and partner forces across the world demands constant training; which is precisely the goal of the 173rd Airborne Brigade and the French 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment (35e RAP) throughout Exercise Colibri in France, from Sept. 18th to the 31st.

The 35e RAP hosted airborne training for the paratroopers from 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment and the 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion on September 19 and 20 in Tarbes, France. As part of the instruction phase, the French instructors taught a myriad of French airborne techniques to the Sky Soldiers.

"They are teaching us the same way they teach their soldiers," said Spc. Phillippe Workman, with A Company, 54th BEB. "We went over how to put on a parachute and procedures of jumping and any possible malfunctions."

Not only did the Sky Soldiers pick up new techniques, but they also shared their knowledge with their French counterparts, giving the airborne professionals from both countries an opportunity to learn about one another.

"During the first phase of Colibri we are conducting a wing exchange to build comradery among ourselves and the 35e RAP," said Lt. Col. David Pasquale, Commander of 4-319 AFAR. "It is an opportunity to build trust and understanding among our allies and an opportunity to learn how we each can perform airborne operations better."

"Exercise Colibri enables us to learn how the 35e RAP operate and do their airborne operations," said Sgt. 1st Class Steven Manuel, C Company, 54th BEB.

The differences in airborne operation execution demonstrate the unique capabilities of NATO, and what each ally brings to the fight.

"Their parachute is lighter and a lot more maneuverable than ours," said Pasquale. "I have been on airborne status for 18 years and I was immediately impressed with the professionalism of the French instructors. The instruction has been outstanding."

This training serves as an opportunity to maintain proficiency of both units and build their lasting partnership as NATO paratroopers.

"It is important that our soldiers understand that we are part of an alliance," said Pasquale. "This is a tremendous opportunity for us, as an airborne field artillery regiment, to train with our brothers from the 35e RAP."

Further exercises are planned between the two nations, providing more opportunities to enhance their mutual understanding.

"Colibri will lead right into Exercise Summer Tempest," said Pasquale. "We will further develop the fire support capabilities by working together with the Italian Fire Support Brigade and 35e RAP."

The overall purpose of Exercise Colibri is to bring together airborne communities and multinational war fighting functions from the region and will lead into Exercise Summer Tempest this fall in Italy.

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