On Dec. 5, Fort Bragg community members and children should turn their eyes to the sky. For the 18th year in a row, hundreds of paratroopers bearing new, unopened toys will descend from military aircraft and personally deliver gifts to needy families and kids.

The annual Randy Oler Memorial Operation Toy Drop is one of the world’s largest joint airborne operations. Every year, paratroopers and jumpmasters from the United States and several partner nations gather at Fort Bragg to plan and execute the event. This year, the foreign jumpmasters come from Colombia, Canada, Cambodia, Germany, Poland, Indonesia, the Netherlands, Italy and Latvia.

Because more paratroopers volunteer than there are aircraft, all participants must enter a lottery to earn a chance to get their foreign wings. The drawing will take place the day before the jump. Participants are encouraged to donate at least one toy regardless of whether they actually get to jump.

Operation Toy Drop was founded by the late Staff Sgt. Randy Oler in 1998. Since its inception, the event has donated 100,000 toys to children in the Sandhill area. Visit the organizations Facebook page to learn more about the event and view photos from past jumps.