Go jump in a lake? 478th Civil Affairs Battalion glad to oblige
LAKE OKEECHOBEE --U.S. Army soldiers assigned to the 478th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne) and paratroopers assigned to the British 4th Parachute Regiment, conducted land and water airborne operations during Lagoon Leap 2025, in Homestead Air Base and a Deliberate Water Jump into Lake Okeechobee Fla., May 14-16th, 2025.
U.S. Army Reserve Staff Sgt. Alex Eibinder, jump master and training coordinator from the 478th Civil Affairs Battalion, Perrine, Fla., guided the training and was the first paratrooper to jump into Lake Okeechobee.
"We are unique in our own right as we are part time reservists who leave our normal civilian lives to come together to complete Army readiness training to perform our duties airborne operations," said Eibinder.
Lt. Col. Courtenay W. Cullen, Battalion Commander for the 478th Civil Affairs Battalion said the partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was great and this type of training helps them maintain proficiency in water operations and demonstrates their ability to perform airborne operations in diverse locations.
The lake event followed day training in the swimming pool at the Miami Dade police academy, where soldiers trained to prepare to land in water, known as “wet silk training,” comprised of three events. To pass the training, the paratroopers were required to swim 50 meters, a 5-minute tread and jump into the pool and swim underneath a parachute in a pool.
Cullen said a two-day Basic Airborne Refresher (BAR) training for U.S. Army paratroopers at Homestead Air Base who haven't jumped in the last six months to be eligible to jump. It's designed to maintain and enhance jump proficiency by reinforcing essential skills, safety procedures, and equipment rigging. BAR training is typically conducted at a jump tower and includes instruction on landing techniques and other critical aspects of airborne operations.
“Safety and Training is always first,” said Eibinder. “Falling into water can be scary if you don’t have the training and Lake Okeechobee provided exactly what we needed,” said Eibinder.
Lake Okeechobee, the largest freshwater lake in Florida and the second-largest natural freshwater lake within the contiguous US, is bordered by Okeechobee, Martin, Palm Beach, Hendry and Glades counties.
Despite its impressive size, the lake is shallow, with an average depth of 10-12 feet. Lake Okeechobee and its wetlands are at the center of a much larger watershed, the Greater Everglades, that stretches from the Kissimmee River through the Everglades and finally into Florida Bay.
Maj. Matthew Westcott, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Deputy District Commander of the Jacksonville District was invited to train with the battalion for their exercise in Homestead and the jump into Lake Okeechobee.
He is the first USACE engineer to successfully conduct a deliberate water jump into Lake Okeechobee.
Westcott said building partnership, community relations through innovative training prepares the current day warfighters for potential engagements, water landings, maintain proficiency in water operations and highlights the unit's ability to perform airborne operations under challenging conditions and locations anywhere in the world.
“The Battalion training team contacted the district because Lake Okeechobee is managed by the Jacksonville District. Paratroopers had previously held Deliberate Water Jump in Biscayne Bay, Miami-Dade County, however, parachute riggers were concerned about salt water causing damage to the parachutes.
Someone suggested using Lake Okeechobee as a landing zone and the rest is history.
Eibinder said there was minor concerns about the depth of Lake Okeechobee, sea critters and shallow areas but after through research and reconnaissance, it was a perfect training area.
“It all worked out and this is a great way for paratroopers to conduct water jump training to prepare for potential landings in water-based environments where traditional drop zones are unavailable,” said Westcott.
A total of 129 paratroopers were able to exit the aircraft for both days. Water jumps are exceptionally rare in the airborne community, particularly with fixed-wing aircraft.
“This was a once in a lifetime experience for many paratroopers,” said Westcott. “Interaction with the 478th and the British paratroopers was great. They were very professional with the training and helpful in teaching us their methods of airborne operations.”
Support and thanks is given to the Okeechobee County Sheriffs, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, the South Florida Water Management District, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, and a C-130 aircraft from the Wyoming National Guard was used to drop the paratroopers into the lake.
About the 478th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne):
The 478th Civil Affairs Battalion is an Airborne unit based in Miami, Florida.
They are part of the 360th Civil Affairs Brigade (Airborne), which falls under the 352nd Civil Affairs Command (ABN).
Their mission involves training for a variety of tasks globally, aiming to enhance stability, empower local governments, and improve living conditions.
They frequently conduct airborne operations, including water jumps.
The British 4th Parachute Regiment participated in the joint exercise and "Lagoon Leap 2025"
They have also been involved in deployments and training missions in various regions, including Mauritania, West Africa, Zambia, Africa, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
(The public can obtain news, updates and information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District on the district’s website at https://www.saj.usace.army.mil/, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JacksonvilleDistrict and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/JaxStrong.’
U.S. Army Reserve Lagoon Leap 2025 (Video by Staff Sgt. Tarako Braswell)
GALLERY OF PHOTOS AND VIDEO FROM LAGOON LEAP 2025
For more information about the 478th Civil Affairs Battalion