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July 10, 2007

Guard to practice helicopter jumps off Newport

The Rhode Island Army National Guard's Special Force's unit will practice jumping out of helicopters this morning off Newport's Easton Beach.

The event is open to the public.

The exercise is designed to sharpen the unit's ability to conduct "clandestine insertion operations" from the water, according to the Rhode Island National Guard.

Soldiers from the unit -- Company A, 2nd Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group -- have deployed to both Afghanistan and Iraq. The unit has 83 members.

For this morning's exercise, 40 unit members in small teams will jump with parachutes from the helicopter into the water, picked up and brought to shore via Zodiac boats.

The exercise will be from 10 a.m. until noon.

Posted by Jack Perry  at 7:55 AM | Permalink

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