DEFENDER is the Army’s largest annual opportunity to exercise moving personnel and equipment into theater across modes for initial and follow-on operations critical to Large Scale Combat Operations. Led by U.S. Army Europe and Africa, the exercise focuses on the strategic deployment of CONUS-based forces, employment of Army Prepositioned Stock and follow-on exercises demonstrating lethality and interoperability with Allies and partners

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Videos
Video by Spc. Samuel DeAngelo
Chinook performs sling load operations at Fort Hunter Liggett
Exercise News Day
June 9, 2024 | 1:30
U.S. Army Reserve Staff Sgt. Clinton Boyd, a CH47-F Chinook helicopter flight engineer, from Bravo Company 7-158th out of New Century Kansas, discusses his training to become a sling load specialist and what the job consists of at Fort Hunter Liggett, California on June 7, 2024. Vehicles and vehicle maintainers like Boyd are crucial for army readiness in order to be able to quickly and efficiently transport critical payloads and equipment for logistical support.

During this training exercise, the CH47-F Chinook helicopter was rigged to carry an empty water buffalo to transport after refilling with potable water in order to support U.S. Army soldiers in need of clean water to continue the mission. Although this was a training exercise during annual training for U.S. Army Reserve and Army National Guard soldiers, the situation is important to perfect for real life war time. Boyd goes into detail the seriousness of training and the multiple types of payloads that vehicles such as this one can handle.

(U.S. Army video by Sgt. Samuel DeAngelo)
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enlightenedTo find information about filing a claim related to exercise DEFENDER activities, visit Claims Information and select your country.