US, Colombian armies enhance interoperability during airborne infiltration exercise HYDRA III 2024

By Maj. Nadine Wiley De MouraAugust 1, 2024

Colombian, 82nd Airborne Division paratroopers conduct final multinational jump during HYDRA III
1 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Colombian army paratroopers from Battalion of Counter Narcotics (BACN1 and U.S. Army paratroopers from 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, wish each other well before their final jump during HYDRA III 24 (HYDRA 24) at Fuerte Militar de Tolemaida, Colombia, Aug. 1, 2024. HYDRA 24 is a bi-lateral exercise between the U.S. and Colombian armies aimed at enhancing the technical, procedural, and human interoperability between the two airborne forces and demonstrating the ability to strategically employ forces in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Elvis Umanzor) VIEW ORIGINAL
US, Colombian paratroopers jump in to HYDRA 24
2 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – HYDRA 24 is a bi-lateral exercise between the U.S. and Colombian armies aimed at enhancing the technical, procedural, and human interoperability between the two airborne forces and demonstrating the ability to strategically employ forces in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility. (Photo Credit: Spc. Leon Flowers) VIEW ORIGINAL
82nd Airborne Division, Colombian paratroopers exchange wings at HYDRA III closing ceremony
3 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army and Colombian army paratroopers stand in formation at the wing exchange ceremony for HYDRA III 24 (HYDRA 24) at Fuerte Militar de Tolemaida, Colombia, Aug. 31, 2024. HYDRA 24 is a bilateral exercise between the U.S. and Colombian armies aimed at enhancing the technical, procedural, and human interoperability between the two airborne forces and demonstrating the ability to strategically employ forces in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Elvis Umanzor) VIEW ORIGINAL
US, Colombian paratroopers collaborate for joint assault at HYDRA III
4 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Spc. Analise Depronio, an infantry paratrooper assigned to Apache Company, 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, provides security with and M249 machine gun as her unit and Colombian army paratroopers from Battalion of Counter Narcotics (BACN1) complete a combined assault during HYDRA III 24 (HYDRA 24) at Fuerte Militar de Tolemaida, Colombia, July 31, 2024. HYDRA 24 is a bilateral exercise between the U.S. and Colombian armies aimed at enhancing the technical, procedural, and human interoperability between the two airborne forces and demonstrating the ability to strategically employ forces in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Elvis Umanzor) VIEW ORIGINAL

FUERTE MILITAR DE TOLEMAIDA, Colombia — Nestled in the heart of Colombia’s Andes mountain range, approximately 75 miles south of Bogota, roughly 300 soldiers from the U.S. and Colombian armies forged partnerships during the bilateral airborne infiltration exercise, Hydra III 2024, held from July 28 to August 1, 2024, in Fuerte Militar de Tolemaida, Colombia.

A U.S. Army South-led exercise, HYDRA 24, formerly known as Dynamic Force Employment, is an agreed-to-action between the partner nations and the third iteration of its kind.

Participating units included the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division; the Colombian Army Battalion of Counter Narcotics; the 7th Special Forces Group, the 1st Security Forces Assistance Brigade and support personnel from the ARSOUTH command.

“It is no secret that around the globe it is growing more important with each passing month and year that while we are experts in some aspects we have so much to learn from our partners around the world,” said U.S. Army Maj. Adam Amor, 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment operations officers and lead officer in charge of the 82nd Airborne Division paratroopers participating in HYDRA 24.

“The reality is in today’s battlefield partner force integration is the standard, it isn't just a one-off opportunity and it is not just something we only do for training exercises but everywhere that we go around the globe we are going to be shoulder to shoulder with another partner nation," said Amor.

US, Colombian paratroopers jump in to HYDRA III
1 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – HYDRA 24 is a bi-lateral exercise between the U.S. and Colombian armies aimed at enhancing the technical, procedural, and human interoperability between the two airborne forces and demonstrating the ability to strategically employ forces in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility. (Photo Credit: Spc. Leon Flowers) VIEW ORIGINAL
US, Colombian paratroopers conduct airborne rehearsals for exercise HYDRA III 2024
2 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army jumpmasters of the 82nd Airborne Division and the Colombian army’s Battalion of Counter Narcotics (BACN1) conduct their final safety checks on paratroopers for joint sustained airborne training during exercise HYDRA III 24 (HYDRA 24), July 29, 2024, at Fuerte Militar de Tolemaida, Colombia. HYDRA 24 is a bi-lateral exercise between the U.S. and Colombian armies aimed at enhancing the technical, procedural, and human interoperability between the two airborne forces and demonstrating the ability to strategically employ forces in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Maj. Nadine Wiley De Moura) VIEW ORIGINAL
US, Colombian paratroopers jump in to HYDRA 24
3 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Colombian army paratroopers from Battalion of Counter Narcotics (BACN1) and U.S. Army paratroopers from 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, pose for a photo together prior to their final jump during HYDRA 24 at Fuerte Militar de Tolemaida, Colombia, Aug. 1, 2024. HYDRA 24 is a bi-lateral exercise between the U.S. and Colombian armies aimed at enhancing the technical, procedural, and human interoperability between the two airborne forces and demonstrating the ability to strategically employ forces in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility. (Photo Credit: Spc. Leon Flowers) VIEW ORIGINAL
US, Colombian paratroopers conduct airborne rehearsals for exercise HYDRA III 2024
4 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division and the Colombian army’s Battalion of Counter Narcotics (BACN1) prepare to exit the mock C-130 Hercules aircraft doorway for joint sustained airborne training during exercise HYDRA III 24 (HYDRA 24), July 29, 2024, at Fuerte Militar de Tolemaida, Colombia. HYDRA 24 is a bi-lateral exercise between the U.S. and Colombian armies aimed at enhancing the technical, procedural, and human interoperability between the two airborne forces and demonstrating the ability to strategically employ forces in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Maj. Nadine Wiley De Moura) VIEW ORIGINAL

The exercise aimed to enhance the technical, procedural and interoperability between Colombian and U.S. paratroopers. This demonstrates the U.S. Army’s ability to rapidly and strategically employ forces in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility.

For many of the paratroopers, it was their first time integrating and interacting with a partner force.

“I was very impressed that everybody was able to expand and work out the language barriers to make the operations a success, in addition to some of our ad hoc translators who stepped up to help integrate with our partners,” said Amor.

“We also learned that we have different methods of executing higher operations and battle tracking across the area, but our paratroopers could easily integrate with their partners even despite the language,” said Amor.

Amor stressed the importance of learning to synchronize planning efforts to facilitate battlefield operations anywhere in the world.

With a focus on pre-deployment operations, HYDRA 24 allowed U.S. Army Soldiers to enhance their agility in a new training domain alongside partner forces. This collaboration further improved interoperability and prepared them for success in competition, crisis and conflict.

Colombian, 82nd Airborne Division paratroopers conduct final multinational jump during HYDRA III
1 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Colombian army and U.S. Army leaders view a multinational airborne jump for HYDRA III 24 (HYDRA 24) at Fuerte Militar de Tolemaida, Colombia, Aug. 1, 2024. HYDRA 24 is a bi-lateral exercise between the U.S. and Colombian armies aimed at enhancing the technical, procedural, and human interoperability between the two airborne forces and demonstrating the ability to strategically employ forces in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Elvis Umanzor) VIEW ORIGINAL
US, Colombian paratroopers jump in to HYDRA III
2 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Colombian army paratroopers from Battalion of Counter Narcotics (BACN1) descend from the sky at Fuerte Militar de Tolemaida, Colombia, during a multinational airborne exercise as part of HYDRA III 24 (HYDRA 24) on July 30, 2024. HYDRA 24 is a bi-lateral exercise between the U.S. and Colombian armies aimed at enhancing the technical, procedural, and human interoperability between the two airborne forces and demonstrating the ability to strategically employ forces in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Elvis Umanzor) VIEW ORIGINAL
US, Colombian paratroopers jump in to HYDRA III
3 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Colombian army commando Cristian David Alciria Vergara, an explosives specialist from Battalion of Counter Narcotics (BACN1), and U.S. Army Pvt. Orlando Giusti, an airborne infantryman assigned to Apache Company, 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, walk to their rally point after a joint airborne jump at Fuerte Militar de Tolemaida, Colombia, during HYDRA III 24 (HYDRA 24), July 30, 2024. HYDRA 24 is a bi-lateral exercise between the U.S. and Colombian armies aimed at enhancing the technical, procedural, and human interoperability between the two airborne forces and demonstrating the ability to strategically employ forces in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Elvis Umanzor) VIEW ORIGINAL
US, Colombian paratroopers jump in to HYDRA III
4 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army paratroopers from 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, move through thick terrain to advance their objective point after a combined airborne operation with their Colombian counterparts at Fuerte Militar de Tolemaida, Colombia, during HYDRA III 24 (HYDRA 24), July 30, 2024. HYDRA 24 is a bi-lateral exercise between the U.S. and Colombian armies aimed at enhancing the technical, procedural, and human interoperability between the two airborne forces and demonstrating the ability to strategically employ forces in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility. (Photo Credit: Spc. Leon Flowers) VIEW ORIGINAL
US, Colombian paratroopers conduct combined airborne operation during HYDRA 24
5 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Paratroopers from Apache Company, 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, descend during a combined airborne operation at Fuerte Militar de Tolemaida, Colombia, during HYDRA 24, July 30, 2024. HYDRA 24 is a bi-lateral exercise between the U.S. and Colombian armies aimed at enhancing the technical, procedural, and human interoperability between the two airborne forces, demonstrating the ability to strategically employ forces in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Spc. Leon Flowers) VIEW ORIGINAL

“The Colombian Counter Narcotics Battalion 1 has a specific mission and we also have a specific mission set with a global focus,” said Amor. “Because of this we were able to share lessons with airborne operations and learn how they execute operations that may be more localized using different types of aircraft and different types of jungle movements.”

Amor added that he was impressed with the initiative of the Colombian Army's company commanders and appreciated their hospitality and capabilities, which facilitated the exercise.

“The Colombian Army is currently working on becoming interoperable with other armies worldwide. This exercise represents a significant step forward in that process,” said Colombian Army Lt. Col. Bayardo Pena, senior observer and operations officer in charge for the Colombian Army.

“The U.S. Army has been supporting us for many years. The fact that we are conducting this exercise is going to strengthen and increase our partnership for the future," said Pena.

Pena stressed the importance of both armies being able to conduct the planning process, execution of the maneuver, understand each other's doctrine, and execute an exercise.

“The U.S. Army has a world standard in terms of doctrine and it is going to help us standardize our processes too,” said Pena. “I am proud of our soldiers and how they conduct themselves with other armies like the U.S.”

The U.S.-Colombia partnership remains one of the most vibrant and mutually productive relationships in the Southern Hemisphere. SOUTHCOM and U.S. Army South bilateral exercises aim to demonstrate the United State's commitment to the region and its citizens.

US, Colombian paratroopers jump in to HYDRA III
1 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Phil Ryan, U.S. Army South commanding general, and Colombian Army Maj. Gen. Omar Esteban Sepulveda Carvajal, deputy commander for the National Army of Colombia poses for a photo with Colombian army leaders during a multinational airborne jump for HYDRA 24 at Fuerte Militar de Tolemaida, Colombia, Aug. 1, 2024. HYDRA 24 is a bi-lateral exercise between the U.S. and Colombian armies aimed at enhancing the technical, procedural, and human interoperability between the two airborne forces and demonstrating the ability to strategically employ forces in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Spc. Leon Flowers) VIEW ORIGINAL
82nd Airborne Division, Colombian paratroopers exchange wings at HYDRA III closing ceremony
2 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Phil Ryan, U.S. Army South commanding general, congratulates U.S. Army and Colombian army paratroopers after a week of multinational training and collaboration at the wing exchange ceremony for HYDRA III 24 (HYDRA 24) at Fuerte Militar de Tolemaida, Colombia, Aug. 31, 2024. HYDRA 24 is a bilateral exercise between the U.S. and Colombian armies aimed at enhancing the technical, procedural, and human interoperability between the two airborne forces and demonstrating the ability to strategically employ forces in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Elvis Umanzor) VIEW ORIGINAL
82nd Airborne Division, Colombian paratroopers exchange wings at HYDRA III closing ceremony
3 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army paratroopers from Apache Company, 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, prepare to receive Colombian parachutist badges, known as jump wings, during the culminating wing exchange ceremony for HYDRA III 24 (HYDRA 24) at Fuerte Militar de Tolemaida, Colombia, Aug. 1, 2024. HYDRA 24 is a bilateral exercise between the U.S. and Colombian armies aimed at enhancing the technical, procedural, and human interoperability between the two airborne forces and demonstrating the ability to strategically employ forces in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Elvis Umanzor) VIEW ORIGINAL
US, Colombian paratroopers jump in to HYDRA III
4 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Phil Ryan, U.S. Army South commanding general, and Colombian Army Maj. Gen. Omar Esteban Sepulveda Carvajal, deputy commander for the National Army of Colombia, salute the Colombian army honor guard, Guardia de Honor, before a joint message to multinational paratroopers during HYDRA 24 at Fuerte Militar de Tolemaida, Colombia, Aug. 1, 2024. HYDRA 24 is a bi-lateral exercise between the U.S. and Colombian armies aimed at enhancing the technical, procedural, and human interoperability between the two airborne forces and demonstrating the ability to strategically employ forces in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility. (Photo Credit: Spc. Leon Flowers) VIEW ORIGINAL

The exercise culminated in a distinguished visitor day, foreign airborne wing exchange ceremony and remarks from the U.S. Army South Commanding General, Brig. Gen. Phil Ryan.

“Today’s event goes beyond just tactical and operational interoperability, although that is crucial, what truly matters is the human connections formed between all of you,” said Ryan during the foreign wing exchange ceremony. “These bonds are key to safeguarding our shared values of democracy and human rights, and to preserving our way of life in the Western Hemisphere."

Prior to the exercise, the two armies synchronized tactics, techniques and procedures, medical and communication rehearsals to ensure seamless integration throughout the combined training exercise and the multinational airborne assault.

“Our goal is to enhance our interoperability so we can operate seamlessly together as one multinational force whenever needed,” said Ryan. “Embrace this shared experience and remember that, despite our different backgrounds and languages, we are united by your common identity as paratroopers – Defense and Fraternity!”