TOLEMAIDA AIR BASE, Colombia (AP) — Recently, 75 paratroopers from the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division completed a weeklong training exercise with Colombian forces.

The division’s based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and is known for lightning-fast deployment, including recent mobilization to the Mideast, amid tensions with Iran.

On this exercise, even seasoned soldiers said they were nervous, as with all jumps.

Soldiers mapped out plans, then completed jumps from a plane and simulated securing an air base. The Colombian and American troops can now wear each other’s jump wings. Soldiers say they’ve bonded; leaders say it’s key for regional strategy. 

Copyright 2020, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

 

Photo via Fort Bragg, NC.

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