Parachute riggers, airmen conduct joint airborne operation at Fort Indiantown Gap

Army parachute riggers assigned to Defense Logistics Agency Distribution in Susquehanna reached a pivotal readiness milestone at Fort Indiantown Gap earlier this spring.

DLA Distribution riggers along with airmen from the 148th Air Support Operations Squadron – a subordinate unit of the 193rd Special Operations Wing – at Fort Indiantown Gap executed a static line jump, demonstrating the rapid mobility and joint interoperability essential to Western Hemisphere and homeland defense missions.

According to a release from the U.S. Department of Defense, the rigger section “successfully restored its organic capabilities” during a training evolution earlier in February. Previously, the release said, they had relied on external airborne operation support since 2018.

“Their core mission is critical to rapid deployment and logistics: maintaining all Federal Stock Class 1670 Aerial Delivery Equipment and related air items in a high state of readiness and serviceability,” the release explained. “Since skills gained from past assignments are perishable, it’s imperative that the riggers maintain currency of airborne operations.”

Army Staff Sgt. Edwin Perez, a parachute rigger assigned to DLA Distribution who served as the primary jumpmaster for the operation, said in the release that “the progression from CH-47 Chinook operations into C-130 Hercules and UH-60 Black Hawk operations significantly increases our flexibility and operational adaptability. Different aircraft platforms present different procedures, timing, and mission considerations, so expanding our proficiency allows DLA Distribution Susquehanna riggers to integrate into a wider range of mission sets and support requirements.”

Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 William Cook, material management chief for DLA Distribution added: “Actively conducting airborne operations with multiple airframes and branches of service is vital in keeping us in touch with current trends, techniques and equipment. We depend on the professionalism, knowledge and expertise of our riggers to ensure that all the Federal Supply Code 1670 items shipped from DLA Distribution Susquehanna to the warfighter are ready to contribute to the mission at hand.”

The operation in April brought together DLA Distribution riggers, the Air Force’s 148th ASOS, and a guest jumpmaster from the Army’s 5th Special Forces Group.

“Training together builds the shared understanding and seamless interoperability required for homeland defense missions,” Cook said in the release. “When a crisis occurs, it’s often a joint force that’s deployed that maximizes the strengths of multiple organizations. Our training aides in preparation for that type of multi-organizational effort.”

A Pennsylvania Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk crew – part of the 2-104th General Support Aviation Battalion, also based at Fort Indiantown Gap – provided air support and coordinated pre-mission communication, while the joint jumpmaster team, including members of the 5th Special Forces Group, ensured operations met rigorous special operations and current schoolhouse standards.

For the DLA Distribution riggers managing the program, ground operations involved assisting airmen with limited jump experience – a process that underscored fundamental training, meticulous preparation, and seamless multi-branch integration.

“A unified posture depends on organizations being able to quickly integrate and operate effectively together under pressure,” Perez said in the release. “Joint training events allow us to identify and solve friction points before they become problems during actual operations.”

Parachute packing operations are governed by a system of redundancy and oversight to ensure personnel safety, the release explained. Each parachute pack requires a three-person team – a packer, an in-process inspector, and a final inspector – and, while junior enlisted soldiers may serve as packers, inspectors must be noncommissioned or warrant officers, all of whom must graduate from the Parachute Rigger Course at Fort Lee, Virginia, and complete a “shop certification” process consisting of repetitive practice, written examinations, and live packing.

“The rigger motto, ‘I will be sure always,’ represents the level of responsibility and accountability required in our profession,” Perez said in the release. “When supporting partner forces during joint operations, trust becomes one of the most important factors. Personnel from other organizations are placing confidence in the riggers’ training, certification, attention to detail and professionalism each time they use equipment prepared by our team. That trust is earned through consistency, adherence to technical standards, and maintaining a culture centered on safety and accountability.”

“We don’t just hope it works, we ensure it works through a multi-layered gauntlet of professional oversight,” Cook added.

Because there was no separate planning staff, riggers also assumed the responsibilities of airborne planners, coordinating aircraft, securing drop zones, and managing medical coverage.

“Today, our fully restored program successfully packs parachutes and coordinates joint operations for units, representing a complete restoration of their organic airborne capabilities,” Cook said in the release. “Seeing this team tackle this immense undertaking, all while pushing through red tape, is a testament to their absolute dedication to the airborne mission.”