Last Update
May 17, 2012

Helmick bids farewell to XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg
By Reginald Rogers
Paraglide

	Photo by Reginald Rogers/Paraglide Lt. Gen. Frank G. Helmick, fourth from left, newly retired XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg commanding general, walks with his wife, Melissa, and daughters Jane and Christina, after a relinquishment of command and retirement ceremony, Tuesday at the Main Post Flag pole at Fort Bragg. Helmick retired after nearly 37 years of service.

“Dragon 6, all of us here today join in offering best wishes … for blue skies, light breezes, full canopies and soft drop zones in all that lies ahead. Good Luck. Godspeed, Air Assault and Airborne all the way,” said the Director David H. Petraeus of the CIA to Lt. Gen. Frank G. Helmick during Helmick’s retirement ceremony Tuesday at Fort Bragg.

Amidst Family members and an audience that sounded more like a who’s who of Army generals, Helmick, commanding general, XVIII Airborne Corps, said goodbye to the Army, after nearly 37 years of service.

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Sustainment troops host low-cost low altitude drop
By Spc. David McCarthy
82nd Sustainment Bde. PAO

	Photo by Spc. David J. McCarthy/82nd Sustainment Bde. PAO Food and water supplies are dropped from an aircraft operated by the 19th Air Wing out of Little Rock, Ark. The drop, part of a Low Cost Low Altitude (LCLA) training event, was hosted by the 82nd Sustainment Brigade at Nijmegen Drop Zone on May 3.

Paratroopers were not the only ones falling from the sky this week.

On May 3, the 82nd Sustainment Brigade and the U.S. Air Force’s 19th Air Wing out of Little Rock, Ark. hosted a Low Cost Low Altitude (LCLA) Drop, at Nijmegen Drop Zone, where they dropped food and water supplies.

Sustainment units are looking at the LCLA as a possible solution to getting supplies effectively to secluded areas.

“It’s a low cost parachute system that a unit can purchase to have things delivered to them rapidly when they are at remote outposts while downrange,” said Staff Sgt. Steven Ritley, 82nd Sustainment Brigade Master Jumpmaster. “The Low Cost Low Altitude system is used to deliver needed supplies like water, Meals Ready-to-Eat or other small items,” he said.

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Fort Bragg Chaplains office sponsors reintegration event
By Tina Ray
Paraglide

Photo by Tina Ray/Paraglide Stephan Cope, 7, looks on as Anthony Telford, a former Major League baseball player, ties his cleats at the XVIII Airborne Corps Father-Son Weekend, Saturday. The weekend clinic, which offered baseball pointers for youth and parenting tips for fathers, was a religious support event sponsored by the Corps Chaplain Office to provide an opportunity for redeployed Soldiers from Iraq to reintegrate with their sons.

Omar Pedrosa said he frequently likes to play sports with his sons, Javier, 13, and Zeke, 11. The sergeant first class who is assigned to the 1st Theater Support Command, said he also sometimes favors a simple outing such as going for long drives with them.

In an effort to sharpen parenting skills and to help reintegrate with his Family following deployment to Iraq, Pedrosa took part in the Father-Son Weekend, April 28, at Watters Center.
During the weekend clinic, which was sponsored by the XVIII Airborne Corps Chaplain Office, fathers received parenting tips from John La Noue, former president of the American Camping Association, while youth learned baseball skills from former Major League Baseball pitchers, Anthony Telford and Bryan Hickerson.

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Tennis tournament charges onto Fort Bragg
By Kevin Goode
Paraglide

	Photo by Kevin Goode/Paraglide Arnel David, Company D, 96th Civil Affairs Battalion smashes a shot over the right net scoring the only ace of the match during the post tennis tournament, May 5 at the Fort Bragg Tennis Club.

Fort Bragg has a new king of the court.

Douglas Hedges, a civilian Womack Army Medical Center employee, took home the 35 and older B level championship during the post tennis tournament, May 5.

Hedges defeated Arnel David, Company D, 96th Civil Affairs Battalion, in a decisive 6-3 set win and tie-breaking 7-6 set win in the tournament which ran May 4 through 6 which the event featured singles and doubles tennis divisions for both men and women.

“I can finally win one,” said Hedges. “ I’ve been close a lot of times, but I always seem to mess up and not pull it out. “It was nice that I was able to pull this one out today.”

Hedges who spends his free time serving as vice-president of the Wizard’s Tennis Association, which competes at Mazarick Park in Fayetteville used a pre match strategy and crafty ball placement in the net area helped him secure his victory.

“I just wanted to survive,” said Hedges. “I played two matches last night and I was pretty tired. What I really wanted to do was get some quick points so we wouldn’t to have to stay out there too long. It looks like we stayed out there a long time anyways.”

Arnel, a casual tennis player, used the tournament as a competitive return to the game.

“I play with my wife and Family, but it’s been since I was in high school that I played seriously,” said Arnel. “I just wanted to get the ball in. He is a better player. I’m not that talented and I’m not that skilled, but I knew if I could get the ball in, I could hopefully outlast him.”

Even though the tournament didn’t earn him a championship, Arnel said he enjoyed just being on the court. The two overtime matches in the qualifying rounds showed Arnel that he could compete with all of the tournament competitors.

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