Paratroopers attend woodworking competition

Photo By Staff Sgt. Alexander Skripnichuk | Paratroopers from the U.S. Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade pose for a photo with students and faculty from the Josef-Stanko Woodworking Vocational School June 4, 2015, in Ivano-Frankove, Ukraine, during a community outreach program as part of Fearless Guardian. Paratroopers from the 173rd Abn. Bde. are in Ukraine for the first of several planned rotations to train Ukraine's newly-formed national guard as part of Fearless Guardian, which is scheduled to last six months. (U.S. Army photo by U.S. Army photo by Spc. Daniel Door, 1st Platoon, Company B, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade)  

YAVORIV, UKRAINE

06.04.2015

Courtesy Story

173rd Airborne Brigade

YAVORIV, Ukraine – After three days of rigorous tests and instructions, 20 students, aged 14 to 18, were recognized at the conclusion of the sixth annual woodworking competition as being the best of their class by paratroopers from the U.S. Army’s Company B, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade June 4, 2015, in Ivano-Frankove, Ukraine.

The paratroopers were able to attend the final event of the competition hosted by the Josef-Stanko Woodworking Vocational School in order to continue their century-old mission of teaching young adults the art of carving and woodworking.

For the paratroopers, this community outreach is a fulfillment of the unique training mission to Ukraine as part of Fearless Guardian and has been marked by novel approaches and uncommon initiative from all ranks.

Fearless Guardian is the name for the Congress-approved, Departments of State and Defense initiative under the Global Security Contingency Fund-Ukraine to train and equip the newly-reformed Ukrainian national guard. The mission and the program of instruction come at the request of the Ukrainian government.

Staff Sgt. John Hettinger, supply sergeant for Company B, identified an opportunity to make a difference in the community of Ivano-Frankove, a town close to the Fearless Guardian training area here. With the help of 1st Lt. Alexander Oparov, a translator with the Ukrainian national guard’s 3029th Regiment, Hettinger spoke with Vasyl Mykhailovych Gevalo, the director of the Josef-Stanko Woodworking Vocational School, and arranged to provide scholarships for the best 20 students from the competition.

Seven paratroopers attended the ceremony to present the scholarships to the students. 1st Lt. Nicholas Naquin, a platoon leader for Company B, presented the gifts and gave a short speech in Russian to thank the audience for allowing paratroopers to take part in this unique event.

During the ceremony, a speech was given by the school-founder’s son, Jarema Josipovich Stanko. Stanko, a retired lieutenant colonel with the former Soviet Army, shared that he had once harbored feelings of distrust and enmity towards the United States and marked the importance of the paratroopers visit to the school.

“For long years, I trained at Yavoriv to fight Americans,” said the 83-year-old Stanko. “But now I am very glad to be able to stand before you and shake the hands of Americans who have come to train our soldiers of the Ukrainian national guard in these challenging times.”

After his speech, Stanko, a veteran officer of three wars, took the time to hug the paratroopers as thanks for their attendance, a gesture marking the change of heart towards American armed forces.

During the ceremony, which included distinguished guests from the local community and surrounding areas, Gevalo announced that the first female student in the school’s history took part in the woodworking competition and ranked among the scholarship recipients.

Paratroopers from the 173rd Abn. Bde. are in Ukraine for the first of several planned rotations to train Ukraine’s newly-formed national guard as part of Fearless Guardian, which is scheduled to last six months.

• Date Taken: 06.04.2015
• Date Posted: 06.17.2015 11:39
• Story ID: 166971
• Location: YAVORIV, UA