An official website of the United States Government 
Here's how you know

Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Photos

Snapshots of what’s happening in the Defense Department.

As seen through a night-vision device, U.S. paratroopers receive a mission brief and pick up their parachutes before conducting a night airborne operation from a C-130 Hercules aircraft over Juliet Drop Zone in Pordenone, Italy, Nov. 18, 2014. The paratroopers are assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade.

As seen through a night-vision device, U.S. paratroopers receive a mission brief and pick up their parachutes before conducting a night airborne operation from a C-130 Hercules aircraft over Juliet Drop Zone in Pordenone, Italy, Nov. 18, 2014. The paratroopers are assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade.

As seen through a night-vision device, U.S. paratroopers receive a mission brief and pick up their parachutes before conducting a night airborne operation from a C-130 Hercules aircraft over Juliet Drop Zone in Pordenone, Italy, Nov. 18, 2014. The paratroopers are assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade.

Photo Gallery