NATICK, MASSACHUSETTS, UNITED STATES

NATICK, Mass. – In a strategic collaboration with the Army’s Personnel Airdrop Systems (PADS) team, a group of Northeastern University industrial engineering students culminated their senior capstone competition, delivering more than first prize.

The Parachute Quality Assurance Modernization Team, mentored by U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) aerospace engineer Tashfiq “Tash,” Salam, stood out among 40 engineering teams, each challenged to develop real-world solutions for government and industry use.

Guided by a shared mission, the team of four delivered an award-winning design: a suite of integrated digital tools, modernizing quality assurance for one of Airborne’s most critical and lifesaving capabilities – the personnel parachute systems.

Under the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology ASA(ALT) acquisition standards, every newly manufactured parachute must undergo a thorough inspection before being fielding to units. For the PADS team, this typically requires inspecting 8 to 13 parachutes at a time. According to the students’ research, that process can involve manually reviewing more than 5,000 data points, inspecting and measuring every stitch of fabric, harness and compartment encompassing a parachute system.

“It’s physically demanding,” Tash said. “You’re handling this large parachute; you have to inspect every inch of it. There’s a lot of surface area and a lot of steps.”

Over the course of the capstone project, the team studied those protocols applying direct feedback from quality assurance specialists, engineers and industry professionals. Their final prototype introduced an integrated software system complete with a set of digital measuring tools, capable of logging exact measurements up to 1/16th of an inch with a single click.

Tash shared how the students’ concept significantly improved the QA process, demonstrating the ability to reduce manual inspection time by nearly two hours without compromising quality.
“This is a zero-tolerance environment,” Salam said. “And the operating environment continues to get more complex every day. We needed to ensure the parachute capability we deliver is 100 percent what Soldiers need and in the way they want it. Because at the end of the day, once they land, they still have a follow-on mission. The parachute is just a ride to the mission.”

To support their research, students conducted site visits at the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Systems Center in Massachusetts, where Tash serves as a government civilian with Product Manager – Soldier Clothing and Individual Equipment (PdM SCIE), under the Program Executive Office – Soldier. They also met with DEVCOM engineers and Rhode Island National Guard members to gather feedback from quality assurance specialists and Soldiers who regularly perform parachute inspections
With more than 200,000 military free-fall and static line jumps conducted annually, ensuring consistent quality in each parachute is critical to Soldier safety.

“They understood the weight of that responsibility,” said Tash. This wasn’t about checking a box on an academic checklist; they were creating a real capability.”

The centralized system also enhances traceability, allowing inspectors to better assess the acquired measurements and key data points through the digital took it. The data is reported with real time feedback giving the PADS QA team the ability to run analytics on past inspections, identify error trends and performance metrics. As described by Tash, the system supports the PADS team mission of continuously delivering world class products to the airborne warfighter.

Ensuring students were immersed in PADS and SCIE operations was faculty advisor and key partner Dr. B. Kris’ Jaeger-Helton, Director of Capstone Design for Industrial Engineering at Northeastern. Jaeger-Helton celebrated the project as an important model for real-world learning.

“The experience was both challenging and open-ended, with clearly defined security constraints that had to be followed as well, making it the ideal Capstone project,” she said.

This year’s team built upon the foundation of the 2023–2024 capstone, which transitioned the Army’s inspection records from paper-based logs to an Excel-based digital tool. With Tash’s mentorship, this year’s Capstone expanded that concept collecting data from the T-11, MC-6, and RA-1 parachute systems.

Jaeger-Helton, who supported both capstone efforts, emphasized the value of the Army–academic collaboration.
“The capstone students genuinely benefitted from the support of Tash’s dedicated and highly knowledgeable team,” she said. “As clients, the Army PADS team communicated the importance, seriousness, and value of this initiative, while also expressing their trust and confidence in the Northeastern team. I’m looking forward to continuing our partnership for more great initiatives.”

Now in his second year mentoring a NU engineering capstone, Tash highlighted the importance of engaging with emerging talent in support of innovation and advancing Army capabilities.

“That kind of ingenuity and creativity has to come from somewhere, and it often comes from a sense of purpose in what you’re working on,” Salam said. “There was a lot of pride in the student team because they knew they were doing something that matters.”

Story by Khylee Woodford 
PEO Soldier

FORT GREELY, Alaska — As U.S. Air Force C-130s and C-17s pierced the cover of clouds, stars, and the northern lights, they delivered equipment, packages and paratroopers across two drop zones, marking the start of Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center 25-02 into the early morning hours of Jan. 23, 2025, near Fort Greely, Alaska,

As the clock ticked past midnight, the paratroopers of 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 11th Airborne Division, descended upon Army Allen Airfield and Buffalo Drop Zone, met by the deafening silence of the frozen Alaskan wilderness. Their objective: seize control of the airfield and establish a foothold against the elements, with temperatures below freezing, and the opposing force — their comrades from the division’s 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

“It was chaotic at first, which is typical of a joint forcible entry,” said 1st Lt. Jason Douple, a paratrooper with 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 2nd IBCT (A).

“After we got our feet under ourselves, it was game on,” he said.

JPMRC is the U.S. Army’s newest combat training center, a coliseum of ice and snow where the division’s Soldiers train and fight against their fellow Arctic Soldiers, building the division’s warfighting capability in an Arctic environment and beyond.

The paratroopers wasted no time moving off the drop zone and seizing to their first objective, said 1st Lt. Joseph Watkins, a Battle Captain with 3rd Bn., 509th PIR.

“Our logistical support was executed well, being able to get ammunition, supplies, and gear to paratroopers is especially difficult in an austere, Arctic environment,” he added.

In addition to validating the 2nd IBCT’s readiness, JPMRC 25-02 was also a testament to the interoperability of the joint force and partner and Allied nations, including the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marines, Canadian and Mongolian armies, and others from partner nations and across the U.S. Department of Defense.

As the temperatures continued to drop, the 2nd IBCT assembled defensive positions, engineered fortifications and patrolled through snowy-covered miles of fields and forests as the two Arctic elements continued their fight against the environment, and each other.

“Whether it comes to a big, collective task or even the smallest, simplest one, it takes much longer to execute in the Arctic,” said Command Sgt. Maj. David Hanson, eenior enlisted leader of the 11th Airborne Division.

Across the exercise, the two forces met often, with flares illuminating the frosty battlefield, while orange and yellow muzzle flashes lit up the tree lines.

Paratroopers from 2-11 continued the fight and sustained it, despite temperatures below minus 30. It’s a skill set that the 11th Airborne Division and the JPMRC rotation in Alaska are uniquely able to provide to Soldiers and service members across partner nations and the joint force.

“We can’t just survive out here in the Arctic, we have to thrive,” Hanson said. “We are America’s only Arctic division and no one else is going to do it.”

By SGT Jaidon Novinska

AVIANO, Italy — Jumping out of an airplane is a feat that demands both courage and trust. Now imagine doing it 100 times. That’s exactly what 1st Sgt. Jovon Propst, Spartan Company, 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion, achieved on October 9, 2024, when he made the jump, earning the prestigious title of centurion paratrooper.

“I get asked all the time, ‘How did you make it that far?’ I say, ‘My jumps don’t get scratched. It’s just my luck,” Propst said.

Born in Concord, North Carolina, and raised in the vibrant heart of New York City, Propst’s journey to becoming a centurion paratrooper is as dynamic as his personality.

“When it comes to the weather or a mission, it’s always a go for me,” he said. “I’ve had a very intriguing career.”

Propst’s military career began with the now disbanded 307th Engineer Battalion at Fort Liberty. From there, his dedication and skill led him to 3rd Special Forces Group, where he earned the coveted jumpmaster title.

His journey didn’t stop there; he continued to make his mark in the 425th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 11th Airborne Division, stationed in Alaska. It was in Alaska that Propst served as a drop zone safety officer under Col. Joshua Gaspard, who was a squadron commander at the time. Their time together solidified Propst’s reputation as a calm and dependable leader, especially in high-pressure airborne operations. Propst is now serving under Col. Gaspard for the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Italy.

Propst’s love for adrenaline doesn’t end with the Army. He once volunteered as a firefighter in Bell County, Texas — a role that allowed him to continue serving others while feeding his need for action.

For now, Propst remains committed to the Army, calling it home. However, when the time comes to hang up his uniform, he’s already looking ahead to his next adrenaline-fueled mission. After retirement, he plans on becoming a smokejumper so he can fight forest fires from the sky. Propst’s journey from paratrooper to potential smokejumper shows that for some, the sky isn’t the limit — it’s just the beginning.

By CPT Jennifer French

HOHENFELS, Germany — Over 500 U.S. Army paratroopers jumped from multiple aircrafts as part of a training exercise involving airborne operations in Eglsee, Germany on Sept. 4, 2024, kicking off Saber Junction.

More than 4,500 military personnel from 11 countries are participating in Saber Junction, an annual training exercise at the U.S. Army’s Joint Multinational Readiness Center, Hohenfels, Germany from Aug. 25 to Sept. 19, 2024.

“What’s awaiting them is probably the hardest fight they’ve ever been in,” said Brig. Gen. Steve Carpenter, commanding general of 7th Army Training Command, U.S. Army, Europe and Africa.

“We want it to be the hardest here so when they get into combat, it seems just a little bit easier.”

The purpose of this exercise is to strengthen interoperability and readiness between participating NATO Allies and partner nations, enabling them to respond rapidly to any threat.

“The way by which warfare is taking place right now and we’re seeing it in Ukraine, we’re seeing it in other places around the world like the Middle East. Large-scale combat operations is something we always have to practice, we have to stay on top of all the changes taking place”, says Carpenter.

U.S. Army’s 173rd Airborne Brigade paratroopers kicked off the event by jumping from U.S. Air Force C-130 and C-17 aircrafts to demonstrate their ability to deploy and integrate with NATO allies and partners.

“We have to adapt to what’s going on in the Ukraine and we need to train that [to adapt] at combat training centers like this”, says Carpenter, “So that any adversary of the NATO alliance or any alliance the United States has, they would think it’s absolutely unthinkable to start a war with the United States or its allies and partners”.

By SPC Cambrie Cannon

INDONESIA — The tropical sun bore down on the assembled forces, a stark contrast to the frigid Arctic conditions the 11th Airborne Division is accustomed to. But for these Soldiers, trained in the harshest climates, the challenge of adapting to the steamy jungles of Indonesia was just another testament to their versatility and readiness. As the aircraft engines roared overhead, the paratroopers of the 11th Airborne Division stood poised, ready to leap into history once again.

Super Garuda Shield 2024, a monumental joint and multinational military exercise, brought together over 5,500 combined servicemembers from the United States, Indonesia, Japan and several other allied nations. The exercise, held across multiple locations in Indonesia, was a demonstration of the U.S. military’s commitment to strengthening partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region. At the heart of this effort was the 11th Airborne Division, whose Soldiers were tasked with executing a series of complex airborne operations, a core component of the exercise.

Brig. Gen. Kevin James Williams, deputy commanding general of operations for the 25th Infantry Division and Army forces commander for Super Garuda Shield 2024, highlighted the strategic significance of this partnership. “Super Garuda Shield allows the Indonesian military and U.S. armed forces to come together to exercise and rehearse interoperability, train warfighting readiness, and really build professional and personal trust,” said Williams. This trust and cooperation are vital, as they enhance the ability of both nations to respond effectively to crises in the region.

The 11th Airborne Division, the U.S. Army’s only Arctic airborne reconnaissance unit, plays a critical role in both the frigid north and the expansive Indo-Pacific region. “We operate in some of the harshest conditions imaginable, from sub-zero temperatures in Alaska to the humid tropics of Southeast Asia,” said Capt. Pete Lanigan, a chaplain with the 11th Airborne Division. This dual mission underscores the division’s versatility and the strategic importance of Alaska, not only for its proximity to the Arctic but also as a launch point for operations across the Pacific.

Despite the stark differences in environment, the division’s training prepared them well for the challenges of Super Garuda Shield. “Whether it’s in the arctic cold or the tropical heat, our Soldiers are ready to deploy, fight, and win,” Capt. Lanigan emphasized.

Williams reflected on the operational challenges and opportunities presented by Super Garuda Shield: “What someone would see as a challenge is a great opportunity for us to bring a team together, a coalition, a joint team and then exercise them under realistic conditions.” He highlighted the recent airborne assault conducted by the 11th Airborne Division, in collaboration with Japanese and Indonesian armed forces, as a prime example of overcoming such challenges. “Just this year, we did an airborne assault with the 140th out of 11th Airborne, partnering with the Japanese Defense forces, the Indonesian defense forces, and our own U.S. forces,” he said, illustrating the exercise’s complexity and the invaluable experience it provided.

For Sgt. Bret Watson of the 2nd Brigade, 11th Airborne Division, the exercise was not just about demonstrating military prowess; it was an opportunity to strengthen bonds with partner forces. “Our mission with Super Garuda Shield is to join forces with the Indonesian army and partner with the Japanese army to show that we can project and jump anywhere in the world,” Watson explained. His experiences in Indonesia, both in 2023 and 2024, highlighted the mutual respect and camaraderie that developed between the U.S. and its allied forces.

The Soldiers of the 11th Airborne Division, alongside their Indonesian and Japanese counterparts, shared more than just tactical knowledge. They exchanged life-saving medical techniques and strategies, a particular focus for Watson, who serves as a medic. “It’s about sharing experiences and techniques to better treat casualties and save lives, whether it’s our Soldiers or theirs,” Watson added.

Williams also noted the evolution of Super Garuda Shield over the years, from a bilateral exercise to a complex, joint and multinational operation. “From when I first did this in 2015 to now, it’s just an incredible growth… It shows how important this partnership is with Indonesia and all the countries across the Pacific.” This growth has allowed the exercise to include a wide range of activities, from command and control exercises to combined arms live-fire drills, which involve forces from multiple nations, including Australia, Japan and Indonesia.

One of the highlights of the exercise was the airborne operation, where paratroopers from the 11th Airborne Division, along with Indonesian and Japanese armed forces, executed a coordinated jump into a designated drop zone in the heart of Sumatra. The operation was a powerful demonstration of joint interoperability and the ability to project force across the vast distances of the Indo-Pacific.

As the Soldiers leapt from their aircraft, they were not just executing a military maneuver; they were reinforcing the enduring partnerships that are crucial to maintaining stability in the region. The jump was followed by rigorous jungle training, engineering projects and live-fire exercises, all designed to enhance the readiness of the participating forces.

Lanigan, who has been with the unit for seven months, reflected on the significance of the exercise. “This is my first Super Garuda Shield, and it’s been an incredible experience. The opportunity to perform the airborne prayer and conduct a field service on the drop zone, still in our gear and face paint, is something I’ll never forget,” the chaplain shared. The spiritual support provided by the chaplaincy was a vital component of maintaining morale during the grueling training schedule.

As Super Garuda Shield 2024 draws to a close, the Soldiers of the 11th Airborne Division prepare to return to Alaska, bringing with them new experiences and strengthened bonds with their international partners. The exercise has not only tested their tactical skills but also reinforced the importance of the U.S. military’s role in the Indo-Pacific region.

“Every jump, every exercise, strengthens our ability to operate alongside our allies,” said Watson. “We’re not just preparing for the next mission; we’re building the future of military cooperation in this region.”

The 11th Airborne Division’s participation in Super Garuda Shield 2024 was a testament to their enduring commitment to excellence, adaptability, and partnership. As they returned to the Arctic, they carried with them the knowledge that whether in the icy north or the humid tropics, they stand ready to defend and support their nation and its allies, wherever and whenever called upon.

By CPT MacarioMa Mora