By Bonnie Culverhouse

While the sun was high and the heat still on around 7 p.m. Wednesday, three Chinook helicopters from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) landed in a cloud of dirt and dust at the Minden Airport.

Sgt. Caleb Pautz said this exercise is the second long-range exercise the Combat Aviation Brigade has done.

“This is the second one going all the way to Fort Johnson,” he said.

“This one is across multiple states,” Capt. Hurley added. “We want to make sure we are ready to go.”

This week, the Chinooks will be seen in Oxford and Tunica, Miss., Minden, Monroe and Alexandria, La.

According to Capt. Hurley, the training is not just for the aviators.

“It’s also for support personnel,” she said. “It’s for maintainers for aircraft and equipment as well as fuelers.”

The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) is a part of the Army’s effort to pioneer the evolution of vertical envelopment with modern equipment and well-trained soldiers, and to prepare the nation to win in any future military combat environment or conflict.