Civil affairs paratroopers collect toys, earn German jump wings

Photo By Staff Sgt. Erick Yates | Maj. Mike Emons, Maj. Dave Spess, and Maj. Erin Williams with the 450th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne) walk to the assembly area after jumping from a C-130 Dec. 3, in Fort A P Hill, Va. The airborne operation included working with German jump masters and collecting toys for the Marine Corps Toys for Tots program.  

FORT MEADE, MD, UNITED STATES

12.03.2011

Story by Sgt. Erick Yates 

352nd Civil Affairs Command

FORT MEADE, Md. – Civil affairs soldiers jumped into Fort A.P. Hill, Dec. 3, as part of Operation Toy Drop and earned sets of German jump wings in the bargain.

The 450th Civil Affairs Battalion, based in Riverdale, Md., participated in its own Operation Toy Drop, an annual charity that collects toys for children in needy homes in North Carolina.

Lt. Col. John Stefula, the 450th’s battalion commander, thought In an effort to support the community for the holidays, the unit’s commander, inspired by another cause, began thinking if the same concept could be used for a training operation.

“While driving to work one day … I saw bumper sticker for a breast cancer awareness campaign located in D.C. and thought if there are other campaigns located in different parts of the country, why not try one based on the Randy Oler Memorial Toy Drop at Fort Bragg, N.C., and export it to other parts of the United States,” Stefula said.

Along with the collection of toys, OTD is an opportunity for participating paratroopers to earn foreign jump wings from allied paratroopers from other countries.

Stefula reached out to U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations (Airborne) to arrange getting two foreign jumpmasters for the operation. USACAPOC arranged for two German jumpmasters to attend the operation.

Stefula said Capt. Lance Jensen, the 450th’s operations and intelligence chief for the 450th was a major catalyst in for making the event happen.

“We were invited by Capt. Jensen who organized this,” said German Maj. Sven Thannhaeusser, an exchange officer attached to the XVIII Airborne Corps at Bragg.

Stefula said the toy collection part of the operation was a success.
“We filled up two big boxes which will be given to Toys for Tots,” he said.

German jump wings were presented to the soldiers who participated at a ceremony held at Fort Meade’s McGill Training Center the next day.

During operations of this type, foreign jump masters are in charge of executing commands for paratroopers to exit the plane. For an American paratrooper to earn his foreign jump wings he must be a paratrooper in good standing, said Sgt. Maj. Ronald McGraw, the 450th’s acting command sergeant major.

• Date Taken: 12.03.2011
• Date Posted: 01.27.2012 14:28
• Story ID: 82942
• Location: FORT MEADE, MD, US