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US Special Forces conduct military free-fall airborne operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina

By Staff Sgt. Anthony BryantJuly 13, 2023

US Special Forces conduct military free-fall airborne operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina
1 / 13 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A U.S. Army Green Beret with 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) parachutes during military free-fall operations in Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina, June 22, 2023. U.S. Special Operations Forces conduct military free-fall airborne operations when enemy air defense systems, terrain restrictions, or a politically sensitive environment prevent low-altitude infiltration or when mission needs require a clandestine insertion. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Anthony Bryant) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Anthony Bryant) VIEW ORIGINAL
US Special Forces conduct military free-fall airborne operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina
2 / 13 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A U.S. Army Special Forces team with 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) parachutes to a drop zone during military free-fall operations in Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina, June 22, 2023. U.S. Special Operations Forces conduct military free-fall airborne operations when enemy air defense systems, terrain restrictions, or a politically sensitive environment prevent low-altitude infiltration or when mission needs require a clandestine insertion. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Anthony Bryant) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Anthony Bryant) VIEW ORIGINAL
US Special Forces conduct military free-fall airborne operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina
3 / 13 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A U.S. Army Green Beret with 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) lands on a drop zone during military free-fall operations in Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina, June 22, 2023. U.S. Special Operations Forces conduct military free-fall airborne operations when enemy air defense systems, terrain restrictions, or a politically sensitive environment prevent low-altitude infiltration or when mission needs require a clandestine insertion. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Anthony Bryant) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Anthony Bryant) VIEW ORIGINAL
US Special Forces conduct military free-fall airborne operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina
4 / 13 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A U.S. Army Green Beret with 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) prepares to land during military free-fall operations in Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina, June 21, 2023. U.S. Special Operations Forces conduct military free-fall airborne operations when enemy air defense systems, terrain restrictions, or a politically sensitive environment prevent low-altitude infiltration or when mission needs require a clandestine insertion. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Anthony Bryant) (This photo has been altered for security purposes.) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Anthony Bryant) VIEW ORIGINAL
US Special Forces conduct military free-fall airborne operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina
5 / 13 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A U.S. Army Green Beret with 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) parachutes during military free-fall operations in Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina, June 21, 2023. U.S. Special Operations Forces conduct military free-fall airborne operations when enemy air defense systems, terrain restrictions, or a politically sensitive environment prevent low-altitude infiltration or when mission needs require a clandestine insertion. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Laura Bauer) (This photo has been altered for security purposes.) (Photo Credit: Sgt. Laura Bauer) VIEW ORIGINAL
US Special Forces conduct military free-fall airborne operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina
6 / 13 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A U.S. Army Green Beret with 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) prepares to load into a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter during military free-fall operations in Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina, June 22, 2023. U.S. Special Operations Forces conduct military free-fall airborne operations when enemy air defense systems, terrain restrictions, or a politically sensitive environment prevent low-altitude infiltration or when mission needs require a clandestine insertion. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Laura Bauer) (This photo has been altered for security purposes.) (Photo Credit: Sgt. Laura Bauer) VIEW ORIGINAL
US Special Forces conduct military free-fall airborne operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina
7 / 13 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A U.S. Army Special Forces team sergeant with 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) stows a parachute following a military free-fall jump in Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina, June 22, 2023. U.S. Special Operations Forces conduct military free-fall airborne operations when enemy air defense systems, terrain restrictions, or a politically sensitive environment prevent low-altitude infiltration or when mission needs require a clandestine insertion. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Anthony Bryant) (This photo has been altered for security purposes.) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Anthony Bryant) VIEW ORIGINAL
US Special Forces conduct military free-fall airborne operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina
8 / 13 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A U.S. Army Special Forces team sergeant with 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) spots a high-altitude release point during military free-fall operations in Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina, June 22, 2023. U.S. Special Operations Forces conduct military free-fall airborne operations when enemy air defense systems, terrain restrictions, or a politically sensitive environment prevent low-altitude infiltration or when mission needs require a clandestine insertion. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Laura Bauer) (This photo has been altered for security purposes.) (Photo Credit: Sgt. Laura Bauer) VIEW ORIGINAL
US Special Forces conduct military free-fall airborne operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina
9 / 13 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A U.S. Army Special Forces team sergeant with 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) spots a high-altitude release point during military free-fall operations in Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina, June 22, 2023. U.S. Special Operations Forces conduct military free-fall airborne operations when enemy air defense systems, terrain restrictions, or a politically sensitive environment prevent low-altitude infiltration or when mission needs require a clandestine insertion. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Laura Bauer) (This photo has been altered for security purposes.) (Photo Credit: Sgt. Laura Bauer) VIEW ORIGINAL
US Special Forces conduct military free-fall airborne operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina
10 / 13 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Ambassador to Bosnia-Herzegovina Michael J. Murphy observes military free-fall operations conducted by 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) in Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina, June 21, 2023. Training events like military free-fall airborne operations demonstrate the United States’ rock-solid commitment to the partnership with Bosnia-Herzegovina. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Anthony Bryant) (This photo has been altered for security purposes.) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Anthony Bryant) VIEW ORIGINAL
US Special Forces conduct military free-fall airborne operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina
11 / 13 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A U.S. Army Green Beret with 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) jumps from a CH-47 Chinook helicopter during military free-fall operations in Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina, June 21, 2023. U.S. Special Operations Forces conduct military free-fall airborne operations when enemy air defense systems, terrain restrictions, or a politically sensitive environment prevent low-altitude infiltration or when mission needs require a clandestine insertion. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Nicholas Moyte) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Nicholas Moyte) VIEW ORIGINAL
US Special Forces conduct military free-fall airborne operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina
12 / 13 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A U.S. Army Green Beret with 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) jumps from a CH-47 Chinook helicopter during military free-fall operations in Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina, June 21, 2023. U.S. Special Operations Forces conduct military free-fall airborne operations when enemy air defense systems, terrain restrictions, or a politically sensitive environment prevent low-altitude infiltration or when mission needs require a clandestine insertion. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Nicholas Moyte) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Nicholas Moyte) VIEW ORIGINAL
10th Special Forces Group Military Free-Fall in Bosnia-Herzegovina
13 / 13 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Green Berets assigned to U.S. Army 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) talk with the United States Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Michael J. Murphy, during his visit to Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina, for a military free-fall operation, June 21, 2023. Green Berets with 10th SFG (A) maintain their readiness by conducting military free-fall jumps, which ensures they are able to respond anywhere and anytime to emerging threats to maintain security and stability in the Balkan region. (Photo by U.S. Army Sgt. Laura Bauer) (Photo Credit: Sgt. Laura Bauer) VIEW ORIGINAL

TUZLA, Bosnia-Herzegovina – A Special Forces military free-fall detachment assigned to 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) performed airborne operations from June 21 – 24, 2023, to demonstrate military-to-military cooperation with the Armed Forces of Bosnia-Herzegovina (AFBiH).

U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) conduct military free-fall airborne operations when enemy air defense systems, terrain restrictions, or a politically sensitive environment prevent low-altitude infiltration or when mission needs require a clandestine insertion.

“We were able to bring [AFBiH Joint Terminal Attack Controllers] out onto the drop zone and show them what talking to an aircraft looks like while conducting a military free-fall operation,” said the Special Forces team sergeant. “Every step of the way, our [military free-fall] operations included aircraft communication between AFBiH JTACs and reconnaissance elements.”

CH-47 Chinook and UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters assigned to 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade at Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia, provided air support to the military free-fall detachment.

“We conducted one jump at 13,500 feet; the rest of our jumps were conducted at 10,000 feet above ground altitude,” the team sergeant continued. “We have the capability of exiting an aircraft as high as 30,000 feet above the ground with the ability to deploy our parachutes as low as 5,000 feet, allowing us to maximize airspace away from that drop zone thus masking my aircraft and protecting my jumpers.”

For the airborne operation, a drop zone safety officer (DZSO) party, composed of U.S. SOF personnel from Kosovo, monitored surface winds, marked the drop zone indicating wind direction to descending parachutists, and eliminated ground hazards.

Military free-fall operations showcased U.S. Forces positioned around Europe coming together to participate in the engagement in Bosnia-Herzegovina highlighting the benefit of conducting bilateral airborne operations and maintaining military proficiencies while deployed, noted the detachment commander.

U.S. Ambassador to Bosnia-Herzegovina Michael J. Murphy observed the detachment’s airborne operations from the drop zone.

The detachment commander also said that an intriguing aspect of the airborne operation was seeing how a U.S. Embassy country team, working alongside the U.S. Army, could achieve combined tactical training in-country.

Ambassador Murphy is supportive of the detachment and furthermore, U.S. SOF, he continued. Training events like military free-fall airborne operations demonstrate the United States’ rock-solid commitment to Bosnia-Herzegovina’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.