Paratroopers demonstrate tenacity, ferocity in latest exercise

By Maj. Thomas Cieslak, 82nd AirborneApril 4, 2019

Paratroopers demonstrate tenacity, ferocity in latest exercise
1 / 16 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Paratroopers assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division don parachutes and rig combat equipment in preparation for Operation Panther Storm on Thursday, March 28 at Fort Bragg's Pope Army Airfield. Operation Panther Storm was a tr... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Paratroopers demonstrate tenacity, ferocity in latest exercise
2 / 16 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Maj. Jason Webster, right, the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division's Chaplain and a Jumpmaster, assists paratroopers of the brigade as they don parachutes in preparation for Operation Panther Storm on Thursday, March 28 at Fort Bragg's Po... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Paratroopers demonstrate tenacity, ferocity in latest exercise
3 / 16 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A Jumpmaster inspects the Static Line of a paratrooper assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. The Jumpmaster was conducting Jumpmaster Personnel Inspection on the paratrooper in preparation for Operation Panther Storm on Thu... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Paratroopers demonstrate tenacity, ferocity in latest exercise
4 / 16 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Paratroopers demonstrate tenacity, ferocity in latest exercise
5 / 16 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Paratroopers assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division load an Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircraft to conduct Operation Panther Storm on Thursday, March 28 at Fort Bragg's Pope Army Airfield. Operation Panther Storm was a train... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Paratroopers demonstrate tenacity, ferocity in latest exercise
6 / 16 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Paratroopers assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division wait after loading a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircraft to conduct Operation Panther Storm on Thursday, March 28 at Fort Bragg's Pope Army Airfield. Operation Panther ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Paratroopers demonstrate tenacity, ferocity in latest exercise
7 / 16 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Paratroopers demonstrate tenacity, ferocity in latest exercise
8 / 16 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Paratroopers assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division wait aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircraft to conduct a combat equipment, static line airborne operation to begin Operation Panther Storm on Thursday, March 28 o... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Paratroopers demonstrate tenacity, ferocity in latest exercise
9 / 16 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Paratroopers assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division descend onto Fort Bragg's Holland Drop Zone after conducting a combat equipment, static-line parachute operation from US Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircraft. The parachute ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Paratroopers demonstrate tenacity, ferocity in latest exercise
10 / 16 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Paratroopers demonstrate tenacity, ferocity in latest exercise
11 / 16 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Paratroopers assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division load an Airforce C-17 Globemaster aircraft to conduct Operation Panther Storm on Thursday, March 28 at Fort Bragg's Pope Army Airfield. Operation Panther Storm was a trainin... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Paratroopers demonstrate tenacity, ferocity in latest exercise
12 / 16 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Paratroopers assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division descend onto Fort Bragg's Holland Drop Zone after conducting a combat equipment, static-line parachute operation from US Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircraft. The parachute o... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Paratroopers demonstrate tenacity, ferocity in latest exercise
13 / 16 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Paratroopers assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, left, have their equipment checked by Jumpmasters conducting Jumpmaster Personnel Inspection Friday, March 29 on Fort Bragg's Pope Army Airfield in preparation for Operatio... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Paratroopers demonstrate tenacity, ferocity in latest exercise
14 / 16 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Paratroopers assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, walk to waiting US Airforce aircraft March 29 on Fort Bragg's Pope Army Airfield in preparation for Operation Panther Storm. Operation Panther Storm was a training exercise... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Paratroopers demonstrate tenacity, ferocity in latest exercise
15 / 16 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A Jumpmaster gives commands to paratroopers assigned to the the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division aboard a US Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircraft before conducting a combat equipment, static-line airborne operation as part of Operation... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Paratroopers demonstrate tenacity, ferocity in latest exercise
16 / 16 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A paratrooper assigned to 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division observes other paratroopers as they descend onto Fort Bragg's Holland Drop Zone on Friday, March 29. The combat-equipment stat... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT BRAGG, N.C. -- 3rd Brigade Combat Team paratroopers with the 82nd Airborne Division recently showcased their capabilities both in the skies and on the ground with Operation Panther Storm, a Joint Forcible Entry exercise conducted March 29 at Fort Bragg.

"During Panther Storm, paratroopers from the brigade demonstrated their readiness, competency and lethality," said Col. Art Sellers, the 3rd Brigade Commander. "During the operation, hundreds of paratroopers trained to conduct the hallmark mission of the 82nd Airborne Division; to jump, fight and win on any drop zone in the world while dominating our enemy."

Panther Storm began with an early morning notification sent to paratroopers Monday, March 25 alerting them of their upcoming mission. Throughout the week, leaders at all levels prepared their formations while planning and rehearsing the parachute assault.

"An astonishing amount of art and science combine during the planning and outload process of a JFE like Panther Storm," said Sellers. "We leveraged the subject-matter-expertise of our jumpmasters, logisticians, tacticians, fires and airspace coordination cells during the planning process. Ultimately, these days of planning and rehearsing set conditions for paratroopers to rapidly assemble on the drop zone and accomplish their missions."

Originally, Panther Storm's execution was the night of Thursday, March 28th. Due to safety considerations on the drop zone, the operation was delayed a day, forcing commanders and staffs to again leverage their operational and planning knowledge to adjust their plan.

As the sun set on the 29th, the first wave of 3rd Brigade paratroopers conducted a much-anticipated combat equipment static-line airborne operation from multiple Air Force C-17 Globemaster and C-130 Hercules aircraft onto Fort Bragg's Holland Drop Zone.

Met by a determined near-peer opposing force role-played by paratroopers from 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Brigade paratroopers assembled amid the chaos characteristic of a mass airborne operation and began to gather their combat strength. The rest of the night was composed of attacks, counter-attacks, defenses and raids until daybreak Saturday, March 30.

"Tonight, young men and women demonstrated the tenacity and ferocity of the American paratrooper when unleashed upon the battlefield," said Col. Arthur Sellers, commander of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. "I am extremely proud and humble to lead them and look forward to meeting them on any drop zone in the future."

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