A paratrooper with 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade picks up his assault pack after completing a sustained airborne jump in Pordenone, Italy, as part of an Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise or EDRE. The brigade was joined by their Italian allies, strengthening the goal of Interoperability between the Allied Nations and bolstering our commitment towards peace and security in Europe. The 173rd Airborne Brigade provides ready troops to deploy within 18 hours, anywhere in the U.S. European, Africa, or Central Command areas of responsibility.