Georgia National Guard Troops take flight at Fort Gordon

AUGUSTA, Ga. -The men and women who risk their lives for our country took to the sky Friday.

More than 70 Georgia National Guard soldiers jumped from helicopters at Fort Gordon.

The soldiers jumped from 2,000 feet over Fort Gordon's Preston Drop Zone.

Some were first timers, others veterans - but they all agree that each time they jump it's a challenge.

It's valuable training for the Georgia National Guard soldiers.

"I was really nervous when I first went up, not as much as the second time," said Private Phillip Gaganis.

Jumping isn't a skill soldiers learn overnight. The men and women practice several times throughout the year.

Friday, they put their skills to the test at Ft. Gordon with two UH 60 Black Hawk helicopters.

Soldiers say although it's just practice now, it prepares them for real life missions.

"Over in Iraq, Afghanistan when the war first kicked off there were soldiers who jumped into key areas and had to secure those key areas so the main body could move through," said Team Leader Sgt. Jason Goza.

The soldiers go through a lot of training on the ground to prepare them for when they're in the air. They say it's not just the jumping that's hard. It's also when you land.

"You roll like a banana, but sometimes you can't always land where you want. You may land on a rock, trees," said Goza.

After all the ground prep, the moment comes when practice skills are put to the test as the soldiers take flight.

Giving these soldiers the training they need when duty calls.

The Georgia National Guard soldiers are from the 560th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, 48th Combat Brigade from Griffin, Georgia.

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