The Army Reserve has deployed its 824th Riggers unit from Ft. Bragg, N.C., to Southwest Asia to help the Air Force prepare supplies for airdrop to ground forces. “We are here to rig life-sustaining food, water, fuel, ammunition, and any other lift support systems” that need to be airdropped in either Iraq or Afghanistan, said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Hervy Tyndall, Det. 7 commander with the 824th Riggers. Eight Army riggers in a crew construct container delivery systems, which, once loaded, are rigged with parachutes for either low- or high-altitude airdrops via USAF C-17s. They currently can prepare 40 bundles for a single airdrop per week but expect to increase that to three airdrops per week in January. (SWA report by SrA. Clinton Atkins)
Navy Adm. Samuel J. Paparo Jr. assumed leadership of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, succeeding Navy Adm. John Aquilino at a change of command ceremony, urging action amid China's “increasing intrusive and expansionist claims,” on May 3