FORT HOOD, Texas– As the only airborne unit at Fort Hood prepares to deactivate, paratroopers with Delta Company, 52nd Infantry Regiment (Long Range Surveillance) completed their last jump at Rapido Drop Zone here Sep. 1. The Paratroopers jumped from a CH-47 Chinook.



A LRS unit is a specially-trained group of Soldiers who are used by combatant commanders to gather intelligence within enemy territory in front of the forward line of troops by providing continuous surveillance while on reconnaissance missions.



The jump helped keep jumpmasters and paratroopers current on their certifications while maintaining proficiency in airborne operations. It was a significant day for most of the unit’s members.



“It’s an emotional day in the airborne community considering we are the last airborne LRS unit to conduct airborne operations,” said Staff Sgt. Nathan Raymond, an infantry Soldier with Delta Co., 52nd Inf. Regt. (LRS). I’ve been airborne for 11 years now, and the thought of possibly moving on to a non-airborne assignment--it makes me emotional.”



“This is my first unit and to see it deactivate—it’s sad. [This unit] will always hold a special place in my heart,” said Pfc. Dylan Howard, an infantry paratrooper with the LRS unit.



Howard has only been in the military for one year.



Not only were the Soldiers saddened to see the unit deactivate, their leadership was too.



“Today is bittersweet for me. It’s been a lot of fun, and it was an honor to serve in this unit. But, this is a very sad day because this is the last jump before the unit’s deactivation,” said Capt. William Fuller, the commander of the LRS unit since May 2016. “This will be the last airborne operation that a LRS unit will conduct in the Army. All of the other LRS companies are in the process of shutting down and deactivating.”



But what did it mean to the paratroopers to complete their last jump?



“It wasn’t that fact that this was the last jump; it meant more to me and held a deeper meaning. It was the fact that I had the opportunity to jump one last time with fellow Soldiers—people I came to know as family,” said Howard.



“Although this is my last jump with such an awesome unit, I’m extremely proud to meet all of the criteria and receive my master parachutist badge today,” said Raymond, who received his badge shortly after his last jump with the unit in a brief ceremony at the drop zone. “This unit is where I’ve progressed the most in my military career, because I’ve had the freedom to act as a critical thinker. As a leader, there’s a lot of responsibility on a staff sergeant to make whether it’s decisions on the battlefield or taking care of Soldiers in garrison, and I take a lot of pride knowing that I’m a critical member of a team.”



Although the LRS company is a III Corps operational asset, they are also administratively task organized under 3rd Squadron “Longknife,” 3rd Cavalry Regt.



Many of the unit’s Soldiers will be reassigned to other companies within 3rd Cav. Regt. said Fuller.



After all of the jumps were completed, Fuller said, many of the unit’s members will always cherish some events even after deactivation.



“As a unit, we loved physical training, live-fire exercises and airborne operations,” said Fuller. “But as the commander of the last LRS unit in operation, when I get to see Soldiers execute a mission to perfection knowing that they’ve been training for several weeks, it’s always deeply satisfying moment.”



Fuller continued, “This unit and the Soldiers are amazing and to know this is our last jump before deactivation is truly an emotional event.”

NEWS INFO Date Taken: 09.06.2016 Date Posted: 09.07.2016 08:27 Story ID: 208946 Location: FORT HOOD, TX, US Web Views: 861 Downloads: 1 Podcast Hits: 0 PUBLIC DOMAIN This work, LRS Company completes last jump before deactivation, by SFC Tomora Nance, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.