An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | Sept. 26, 2022

Texas Air Guard Members Fly at Falcon Leap 2022

By Senior Airman Charissa Menken, 136th Airlift Wing (Texas Air National Guard)

EINDHOVEN, Netherlands – Airmen from the 136th Airlift Wing attended the Falcon Leap Exercise on Eindhoven Military Air Base Sept. 12-17, commemorating the allies’ joint World War II Operation Market Garden.

Polish, Romanian, Dutch, British and Italian Air force aircraft participated in the exercise. The Texas Air National Guard’s 136th Airlift Wing brought its new C-130 J Super Hercules.

Falcon Leap was a time to remember Operation Market Garden, but it was also a joint NATO exercise to train for global air power interoperability. 

The 136th flight crews helped drop Army Airborne Soldiers from Rhode Island, North Carolina and Georgia throughout the week. The rigger teams and airborne regiments participated in static line and freefall drops throughout the week. 

The exercise enabled the 136th Airmen to practice these personnel drops with other nations. 

“This week, we get to work with other nations on our tactics to inter-fly airdrops of heavy equipment, containers, delivery systems, and personnel,” said Capt. Sean Noyes.

“It was one of the largest airdrops of WWII, and the U.S. was a big player,” Noyes said about Operation Market Garden. “So, for the U.S. to be here with our Airborne members and aircraft is quite momentous; it would be something less if the U.S. weren’t here for this commemoration.”

The Texas Air National Guard is committed to supporting the mission of U.S. airpower globally. 

“I’m glad we’re here; it’s an honor that Texas gets to do it and support this mission,” Noyes said. “Our aircraft fly all over the world, and we always get good remarks wherever we go; this is just another feather in our cap, and I’m glad we’re able to come to do this.”
 

 

 

Related Articles
A Czech emergency services official reviews aerial footage captured by a Texas Air National Guard MQ-9 Reaper during flood relief operations at Čáslav Air Base, Czechia, Sept. 17, 2024. The footage is being used to coordinate response efforts and prioritize areas most affected by the flooding.
Texas Air Guard Supports Flood Response in Czechia
By Airman 1st Class Eduardo Figueroa Varela, | Oct. 2, 2024
ČÁSLAV AIR BASE, Czechia – The 147th Attack Wing has shifted its focus from the NATO-led Ample Strike 2024 exercise to help Czechia respond to one of the most severe weather-related events it has ever experienced. Rising...

A Texas Air National Guard member of the 147th Attack Wing Aircraft Maintenance Squadron watches as an MQ-9 Reaper prepares to taxi at Scholes International Airport in Galveston, Texas, Jan. 10, 2024. The wing tested satellite launch and recovery operations as part of its approach to the Agile Combat Employment concept.
Texas Air Guard Tests Agile Combat Employment with MQ-9 Reaper
By Sean Cowher, | Jan. 18, 2024
GALVESTON, Texas - The 147th Attack Wing used an MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial system for satellite launch and recovery operations Jan. 10, conducting Agile Combat Employment operations at Scholes International Airport.The...

Members of the 147th Attack Wing Aircraft Maintenance Squadron unload a Block 5 MQ-9 Reaper at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston, Texas, Dec. 21, 2023. The Block 5 Reaper will ensure the wing remains a formidable force in the ever-changing landscape of modern warfare.
Texas Guard’s 147th Attack Wing Receives Latest MQ-9 Reaper
By Sean Cowher, | Dec. 22, 2023
HOUSTON - The 147th Attack Wing recently received the cutting-edge Block 5 MQ-9 Reaper, enhancing its efficiency and underscoring the Air National Guard’s commitment to staying at the forefront of modern warfare.The MQ-9...