russian jump

For the first time ever, the 82nd Airborne Division jumped into the formerSoviet Union on Monday. About 500 Fort Bragg paratroopers are taking partin Centrazbat -- a NATO exercise that's bringing together troops fromseven countries.

For many of these paratroopers, it's the longest non-stop flight they'veever made. It's also the first time they've ever jumped with Russiantroops. For SSG Shane Brown of the 3rd Special Forces Group, thiswould not have been possible ten years ago.

Soldiers from seven nations, including the United States, Turkey, andRussia, are gathered in the barren fields of Kazakhstan to participate inthe NATO exercise. The 82nd Airborne's Sergeant Harley Heuring says that he'sbeen overseas before, and the troops on the other side of the world arereally no different from stateside soldiers.

After the 82nd Airborne troops jumped, Turkish and Russian soldiers hadtheir turn. Although the parachuting is important to the participants,the training these soldiers do on the ground could be the key to stabilizing thisformer Soviet nation.