I was talking to a lad I know who works at Ft Bragg and he told me he got his Irish Jump Wings. I asked how and he told me about this. Great, there are lads at home who would give a nit for this opportunity and at this jump they gave out several hundred of these things........there is no justice in the world. Good to know there are numerous Yanks wandering around with Irish wings......figured this would get some blood boiling.
U.S. Army Special Operations Command Public Affairs Office
FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, Nov. 28, 2004) — Fort Bragg’s airborne community will have a chance to prove its generosity and holiday spirit by supporting the eighth annual Randy Oler Memorial Operation Toy Drop here Dec. 1-16.
The international community relations operation, is designed to collect toys for children of military families on both Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base as well as those in surrounding communities. Sponsored by the U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne) with assistance from the XVIII Airborne Corps here and the 43rd Airlift Wing at nearby Pope Air Force Base, local military units are conducting airborne operations during the two-week period of Operation Toy Drop including nine separate jumps supported by U.S. Army Special Operations Command units.
On Dec. 10, Fort Bragg and Pope AFB paratroopers participate in the largest of the airborne operations by donating a toy in exchange for a chance to make a non-tactical parachute jump with German and Irish military jumpmasters.
According to one of the event planners, Maj. Amy Reese, U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command special projects officer, more than 1,100 Fort Bragg paratroopers will have the opportunity to jump with German or Irish jumpmasters on the aircraft during the Dec. 10, earning that country’s airborne wings.
During the history of Operation Toy Drop, the operation has collected and distributed more than 14,000 toys and delivered them to the families of Soldiers and Airmen as well as orphanages in surrounding communities.
“Toy Drop is a favorite operation for paratroopers, as they get to help children at Christmastime, jump out of an airplane in daylight hours with no equipment and they earn foreign airborne wings, all at the same time,” Reese said. “This combination is a sure winner.”
Last year, the event was officially renamed the Randy Oler Memorial Operation Toy Drop in memory of the project’s founder, Sgt. 1st Class Randy Oler, who died in April of 2004, while performing jumpmaster duties. Oler started Toy Drop in 1998 and led the event every year.
This eighth iteration of Operation Toy Drop will mark the German jumpmasters’ fourth appearance at the event, while the Irish paratroopers will be making their debut. Past foreign partners have included England, Canada, Romania and Mexico, Poland, and Venezuela.
Toy Drop’s main airborne operation will follow its traditional manifest and toy donation on Dec. 9, in which Soldiers already manifested for the jump formally donate their gifts, as well as a lottery of more than 200 open slots for the next day’s jump. The lottery, which has become a highlight of Operation Toy Drop, allows paratroopers not manifested by their units to donate toys for a chance to win a seat on the next day’s jump.
Fort Bragg and Pope AFB personnel interested in participating in the Randy Oler Memorial Operation Toy Drop jump on Dec. 10 should contact respective unit airborne operations sections for manifest purposes. For a chance to participate in the jump lottery, bring a new, unwrapped toy to the Maj. Gen. Strom Thurmond Complex at Pope Air Force Base’s Green Ramp at 8 a.m., Dec. 9.
U.S. Army Special Operations Command Public Affairs Office
FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, Nov. 28, 2004) — Fort Bragg’s airborne community will have a chance to prove its generosity and holiday spirit by supporting the eighth annual Randy Oler Memorial Operation Toy Drop here Dec. 1-16.
The international community relations operation, is designed to collect toys for children of military families on both Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base as well as those in surrounding communities. Sponsored by the U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne) with assistance from the XVIII Airborne Corps here and the 43rd Airlift Wing at nearby Pope Air Force Base, local military units are conducting airborne operations during the two-week period of Operation Toy Drop including nine separate jumps supported by U.S. Army Special Operations Command units.
On Dec. 10, Fort Bragg and Pope AFB paratroopers participate in the largest of the airborne operations by donating a toy in exchange for a chance to make a non-tactical parachute jump with German and Irish military jumpmasters.
According to one of the event planners, Maj. Amy Reese, U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command special projects officer, more than 1,100 Fort Bragg paratroopers will have the opportunity to jump with German or Irish jumpmasters on the aircraft during the Dec. 10, earning that country’s airborne wings.
During the history of Operation Toy Drop, the operation has collected and distributed more than 14,000 toys and delivered them to the families of Soldiers and Airmen as well as orphanages in surrounding communities.
“Toy Drop is a favorite operation for paratroopers, as they get to help children at Christmastime, jump out of an airplane in daylight hours with no equipment and they earn foreign airborne wings, all at the same time,” Reese said. “This combination is a sure winner.”
Last year, the event was officially renamed the Randy Oler Memorial Operation Toy Drop in memory of the project’s founder, Sgt. 1st Class Randy Oler, who died in April of 2004, while performing jumpmaster duties. Oler started Toy Drop in 1998 and led the event every year.
This eighth iteration of Operation Toy Drop will mark the German jumpmasters’ fourth appearance at the event, while the Irish paratroopers will be making their debut. Past foreign partners have included England, Canada, Romania and Mexico, Poland, and Venezuela.
Toy Drop’s main airborne operation will follow its traditional manifest and toy donation on Dec. 9, in which Soldiers already manifested for the jump formally donate their gifts, as well as a lottery of more than 200 open slots for the next day’s jump. The lottery, which has become a highlight of Operation Toy Drop, allows paratroopers not manifested by their units to donate toys for a chance to win a seat on the next day’s jump.
Fort Bragg and Pope AFB personnel interested in participating in the Randy Oler Memorial Operation Toy Drop jump on Dec. 10 should contact respective unit airborne operations sections for manifest purposes. For a chance to participate in the jump lottery, bring a new, unwrapped toy to the Maj. Gen. Strom Thurmond Complex at Pope Air Force Base’s Green Ramp at 8 a.m., Dec. 9.
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