The Paratroops Brigade Undertakes Personnel Evacuation Exercise 'Trial'

The Assault Echelon readys equipment for the exercise

The Assault Echelon readys equipment for the exercise

The Chief of the Army Staff wished to be present at the exercise)

7th Paratroops Light Infantry Brigade "Almogávares" has undertaken exercise "Trial" which, carried out from 21st to 24th June at various sites in Spain, consisted of simulating the evacuation of residents from a fictitious country.

In Ciudad Real and Ayllón (Segovia) the evacuation airports were established, while Headquarters was located in Zaragoza. From the air base in the capital of Aragón aircraft took off with the paratroopers in charge of carrying out the operation.

The first to be infiltrated were the members of the forward echelon, made up of personnel from the Forward Reconnaissance Company. They were in charge of securing the area around both airports.

The Chief of Staff’s Visit

Joining them on the morning of the 22nd were members of the assault echelon, belonging to the 1st and 2nd Paratroops Battalion, who finished establishing security in the evacuation areas. Witnessing the launch of the second rotation was the Chief of the Army Staff, who travelled to the Ciudad Real airport and attended an exposition on the exercise.

Following complete deployment, the corresponding Evacuee Control Centres were established at each of the aerodromes, where the identity of personnel requesting evacuation was confirmed and they were prepared for the process.

Execution of the exercise was affected by the harsh weather conditions. The heat wave experienced during those days, together with the gusty wind, although within security limits, complicated one of the jumps in Zaragoza. As a result there were various persons with contusions and five injured to different degrees, of whom only Gentleman Legionnaire Paratrooper CLP Babón, from the 1st Battalion, remains hospitalized and pending release.

In all, nearly 6oo Paratroops Brigade service personnel participated in the exercise, along with members from the 11thLogistic Support Group’s Projection Support Group. In turn, the Air Force put two T-10 aircraft and a T-21 at the disposal of the exercise.