82nd Airborne troopers training in Europe amid pandemic

For the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began more than a year ago, paratroopers from Fort Bragg are in Europe taking part in NATO training exercises.

The 82nd Airborne Division trooper are training in several countries, including Estonia, Bulgaria and Romania.

"We left out of Fort Bragg on nine C-17s. We had our heavy equipment and a whole bunch of paratroopers in the back and then continued on mission straight into Estonia," said Col. Eugene Ferris, commander of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team.

In a real-world scenario, Ferris and other U.S. commanders would be working side by side with paratroopers from other countries, making communication an important part of the international training exercise.

"It's one of the training objectives we wanted to accomplish here with this mission," Ferris said. "Paratroopers are paratroopers, no matter where they come from in the world. Once you're able to communicate with them face to face, you'll find they're very similar in their drive and in their willingness to excel."

The European mission required daytime and nighttime airborne operations, and he said 82nd Airborne Division members have been planning for the mission since last year. Most also had to be vaccinated against coronavirus before heading to Europe.

"We have continued to train, for we know we need to maintain that readiness," Ferris said. "We are America's 911, and we are ready to answer the call."

The 3rd Brigade Combat Team has been in Europe since the beginning of May and is scheduled to return to Fort Bragg this weekend.