ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam -- Paratroopers from the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, United States Army Alaska, parachuted onto Guam early in the morning as part of their Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska today.
Col. Christopher Landers, commander of U.S. Army Alaska’s 4-25 IBCT(A), led the training mission to secure the airfield as part of U.S. Army Pacific’s participation in ongoing joint exercises throughout the region to include the Mariana Islands.
“This scenario tested our ability to execute real-world missions and demonstrated that we are capable of deploying anywhere in the U. S. Indo-Pacific Command area at a moment’s notice.” said Landers.
For his paratroopers, this exercise validated their ability to deploy and conduct operations in the Indo-Pacific region. While able to operate as a scalable task force, the unit delivered onto the airfield to make this the largest airborne operation here in recent memory.
Multiple C-17 Globemasters appeared in the early-morning sky carrying the paratroopers that had flown directly from Joint Base Elemendorf-Richardson, Alaska, while donning their parachutes enroute.
Immediately after hitting the ground, paratroopers seized objectives and secured the airfield.
The exercise started only several days before, at JBER, Alaska, when paratroopers were notified of their mission. Every single paratrooper and all support personnel involved were screened for COVID-19, with all participants receiving negative results.
To ensure the health and safety of the military and civilian communities in Guam, everyone was quarantined to AAFB and observed all COVID-19 safety precautions. This included separation from the Andersen community throughout the exercise.
“We are successfully balancing readiness and mission requirements with health and safety precautions to protect ourselves and our communities,” said Landers. “Our joint partners have facilitated every one of our requirements. It’s been an incredible experience to work with them.”
The joint team in the Indo-Pacific underscores the U.S. commitment to keep it, secure, stable, free and open.
For more information please contact:
Maj. Timothy Chavis, U.S. Army Alaska, Public Affairs Officer at 907-384-1373.