FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. –
“Nothing says, ‘I am sure, always,’ like jumping with a parachute that you packed yourself.”
That is how Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 William Cook, material management chief for Defense Logistics Agency Distribution Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, described the significance of the Army rigger motto while reflecting on a recent training evolution to certify his team. Cook joined the DLA Distribution Susquehanna team late last year and was tasked with rebuilding airborne currency within the rigger section.
“Reestablishing this self-sufficiency entailed training and certifying the entire team on packing and inspecting the parachutes, ensuring all regulatory storage requirements were met, along with everything else that goes in to setting up a Rigger Pack Section,” Cook said. “In addition to the rigger aspects, we had to train and certify on all jumper and jumpmaster aspects as well.”
Cook and his team hit a major milestone in restoring their organic airborne capabilities by executing a jump training evolution Feb. 24 at Fort Indiantown Gap.
“Our team of six parachute riggers demonstrated exceptional proficiency, conducting successful static line jumps from a CH-47 Chinook helicopter,” said Navy Capt. Andy Henwood, commander, DLA Distribution Susquehanna, Pennsylvania. “Under the expert guidance of our jumpmasters, the operation was a textbook example of safe and effective execution, validating months of diligent planning and re-energizing this important capability.”
The DLA Distribution Susquehanna rigger section had been relying on external airborne operation support since 2018, and this successful training evolution marked the reestablishment of the organic capability.
“Jump currency is a mandatory requirement for our riggers to perform their core mission duties, including critical parachute repacking and modification tasks,” Cook said. “Restoring our organic airborne capabilities has been a high priority, and being able to maintain our jump currency locally is a huge benefit.”
The training operation provided ample opportunity for the riggers to expand their expertise and versatility across a gamut of airborne operations.
“For a typical airborne operation, riggers only supply the parachutes and a malfunction officer,” Cook said. “For this evolution, our rigger team coordinated the medical coverage, aircraft, land, air and covered all ground and jumpmaster duties on top of packing the parachutes and exiting the aircraft.”
This training evolution also provided significant opportunities for leadership development among the non-commissioned officers and junior Soldiers. Riggers of all ranks took turns leading various training sessions, allowing them to provide guidance and share knowledge from their own personal experiences at other units. This approach to mentorship was underscored by a strict emphasis on safety.
“The team operated with the mindset of not assuming anyone's knowledge or experience, covering the basics thoroughly, regardless of how many times they had performed the tasks in the past,” Cook said. “This created an environment of shared learning and reinforced the critical nature of their work.”
Soldiers from Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 104th Aviation Regiment, part of the Pennsylvania National Guard, operated the CH-47 Chinook helicopter out of Fort Indiantown Gap to support the training mission. Additionally, the 148th Air Support Operations Squadron, a subordinate unit of the 193rd Special Operations Wing, based at Fort Indiantown Gap provided mission planning coordination and communication equipment support.
“The collaboration with the FIG personnel was nothing short of amazing,” Cook said. “All aspects of planning the operation were met with assistance and support from the knowledgeable staff.”
To ensure the lessons learned from this training are not lost, the team developed a continuity book during the planning and execution phases. This document will serve as a blueprint for future training events, ensuring that as personnel change, the plan and key points of contact are readily available. Looking ahead, the riggers plan to build upon this experience by coordinating jumps with different types of aircraft and incorporating military free fall into their future training objectives to further enhance their specialized skill set.
“Planning and coordinating all aspects of this operation broadened the knowledge of our team,” Cook said. “We were also able to rotate our personnel through multiple ground and jumpmaster duties developing them in multiple areas.”