{"id":468994,"date":"2025-06-04T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-04T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=468994"},"modified":"2025-06-04T20:44:54","modified_gmt":"2025-06-04T20:44:54","slug":"airborne-operation-strengthens-colorado-guard-jordan-partnership","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=468994","title":{"rendered":"Airborne Operation Strengthens Colorado Guard, Jordan Partnership"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n Paratroopers from the Colorado National Guard and the Jordanian Armed Forces stand together before the first joint Colorado-Jordan airborne Friendship Jump, Watkins, Colorado, April 23, 2025. Members parachuted from a CH-47 Chinook as part of an event to strengthen interoperability and deepen the partnership between the two forces.
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\n U.S. Army Master Sgt. Casey Finkbiner, jumpmaster, Colorado Army National Guard, inspects equipment before the first joint Colorado-Jordan airborne Friendship Jump with members of the Jordanian Armed Forces, Watkins, Colorado, April 23, 2025. Participants parachuted from a CH-47 Chinook helicopter as part of an event aimed at strengthening interoperability and deepening the partnership between the two forces.
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\n A Colorado Army National Guard paratrooper descends toward the drop zone during the first joint Colorado-Jordan airborne Friendship Jump with the Jordanian Armed Forces, Watkins, Colorado, April 23, 2025. The operation aimed to enhance interoperability and build trust through high-risk, joint training between the partnered forces.
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CENTENNIAL, Colo. \u2013 In a display of cooperation and capability, Soldiers from the Colorado Army National Guard and the Jordanian Armed Forces recently conducted a joint airborne operation in Watkins, Colorado.<\/p>\n

The April 23 \u201cFriendship Jump\u201d brought together paratroopers from two nations to strengthen warfighting readiness and enhance interoperability under high-risk, realistic training conditions. The Colorado National Guard and Jordan have been partners since May 24, 2004, through the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program.<\/p>\n

\u201cAirborne operations bond people together,\u201d said U.S. Army Master Sgt. Casey Finkbiner, jumpmaster, Colorado Army National Guard. \u201cYou place your lives in one another\u2019s hands and trust that they will place your safety above all else. It shows real partnership when we are able to execute air ops with our foreign counterparts.\u201d<\/p>\n

The jump, initiated and organized by Finkbiner, showcased the commitment of both forces to operate as a cohesive, capable team in demanding environments.<\/p>\n

The operation was particularly complex because of differences in equipment, language and procedures.
Jordanian paratroopers had never jumped from a CH-47 Chinook or used the U.S. MC-6 parachute system. Through detailed coordination and instruction from Colorado Army National Guard jumpmasters, the forces bridged those gaps and executed a successful joint mission.<\/p>\n

\u201cAny training that is high risk builds trust between partner militaries, and this makes detailed planning and collaboration even more important,\u201d Finkbiner said.<\/p>\n

U.S. Army Col. Alyssa Aarhaus, commander, 89th Troop Command, emphasized the historical and symbolic importance of the jump.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough raised in culturally different environments, we came together to celebrate our unique airborne capabilities and the partnership of our two amazing nations,\u201d she said. \u201cBy completing this jump with both Jordanian and American jumpmasters, COARNG [Colorado Army National Guard] solidified an already strong partnership and highlighted the talent of our two nations.\u201d<\/p>\n

After completing the joint airborne operation, participants were awarded Jordanian jump wings, \u201ca coveted recognition and outward expression of our strong partnership,\u201d Aarhaus said.<\/p>\n

The award acknowledges the mutual trust, coordination and shared risk involved in the combined training event, reinforcing interoperability between the two forces.<\/p>\n

Finkbiner said the successful execution of this operation serves as a stepping stone for future collaborative missions involving more complex joint capabilities.<\/p>\n

\u201cExercises and partnership events under realistic or high-risk conditions allow the U.S. and Jordanian forces to coordinate and execute complex military operations, improving communication and processes, and overall becoming a more effective combined force,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

A participant from the JAF said, \u201cThis joint airborne jump represents a step that reflects the high level of coordination and understanding between the Jordanian Armed Forces and the Colorado National Guard.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis training provided us with the opportunity to exchange experiences and acquire new skills, which enhanced our readiness and ability to operate jointly in diverse and evolving environments. Cooperation based on mutual respect and professionalism makes us better prepared to face future challenges efficiently and effectively,\u201d the participant said.<\/p>\n

While modern technologies such as drones and cybersecurity tools offer critical capabilities in reconnaissance, surveillance and precision engagement, airborne forces continue to play a vital role by providing the ability to rapidly deploy large-scale personnel across the globe. This capability complements emerging domains, ensuring that military forces remain flexible and prepared across both conventional and digital battlefields.<\/p>\n

As global security challenges continually evolve, efforts like the \u201cFriendship Jump\u201d can ensure that allied forces remain ready, responsive and resilient together.<\/p>\n

Officially signed May 24, 2004, the partnership between Jordan and the Colorado Guard represents a milestone in the SPP program because it was the first such partnership established in the Levant region of the Middle East. Celebrating more than 20 years of cooperation, the partnership has become a cornerstone of strategic collaboration and mutual support between the JAF and the Colorado National Guard.<\/p>\n

National Guard news: http:\/\/www.nationalguard.mil\/<\/a><\/p>\n

National Guard Facebook: https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TheNationalGuard\/<\/a><\/p>\n

National Guard Twitter: https:\/\/twitter.com\/usnationalguard<\/a><\/p>\n

State Partnership Program: http:\/\/www.nationalguard.mil\/Leadership\/Joint-Staff\/J-5\/International-Affairs-Division\/State-Partnership-Program\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

1 \/ 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption \u2013 Paratroopers from the Colorado National Guard and the Jordanian Armed Forces stand together before the first joint Colorado-Jordan airborne Friendship Jump, Watkins, Colorado, April 23, 2025. Members parachuted from a CH-47 Chinook as part of an event to strengthen interoperability and deepen the partnership between the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":468996,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-468994","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/468994","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=468994"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/468994\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":469000,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/468994\/revisions\/469000"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/468996"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=468994"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=468994"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=468994"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}