Photo By Master Sgt. Opal Vaughn | U.S. Army paratroopers from the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne...... read more read more
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VICENZA, Italy – After five months and eight days, U.S. Army paratroopers of the 173rd Airborne brigade, based in Vicenza, Italy, concluded their convoy, Oct. 29, 2015, from Estonia to here.
The paratroopers assigned to Company D, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, trained along side the Estonian Defense Forces in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve, which is a demonstration of the continued U.S. commitment to the collective security of NATO and to enduring peace and stability in the region.
The convoy – deemed Operation Bayonet Thrust – took the paratroopers through nine countries, including Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Czech and Slovak Republics, Hungary and Slovenia before returning to Italy. It was an operation that 2nd Lt. Alex Noll, a platoon leader assigned to Co. D., believes was a stirring success.
“Bayonet Thrust overall was definitely a success, however, I think that the success came from not just Destined Company but the fact that Dog Company and other units from the 173rd also participated in it,” said Noll. “I think the biggest reason of why it was such a success is because we have such a big footprint in overall Europe right now.”
Surprisingly enough though, Noll said he wasn’t ready to leave Estonia yet because he felt like he was already home.
“Being home doesn’t feel any different,” said Noll. “I knew that when I came to the 173rd, this is exactly what we were going to be doing. In a way I was kind of sad when we were leaving Estonia.I mean I’ll go to my apartment instead of a CHU tonight but in reality it doesn’t feel any different.”
A few of the family members think differently and are glad to have their husbands back home. Jeannie Dimico, spouse and Family Readiness Group volunteer, says that she is overjoyed that her husband, company First Sgt. Rocky Dimico, is finally home.
“I came out today to welcome home Destined Company who have been in Estonia for the last five months and we are so excited to welcome them back,” said Jeannie. “After our guys deployed to Estonia we put together a bunch of care packages that we were able send up to all of our [paratroopers] in Estonia. We have also did a lot of team building exercises with the spouses like hiking, bingo, an 80s night, we baked cookies and today we did some welcome home bags. So well be handing those bags out to all the guys as they get ready to leave today.”
As a veteran to her husband's deployments, also understands the importance of why her husband needed to be part of Bayonet Thrust and the support that an operation of this magnitude takes.
“I think that it was important because along the way they stopped in every single country,” said Jeannie. “That’s what Bayonet Thrust is about, was to stop and show a presence of the U.S. military in each country. While they were there, they did several stopped in Hungary and they were the re with a lot of the kids and families. They had the hmmvw out there; they were taking pictures with the children and the parents. It was a great event for that country to see that were here, we’re taking care of you and we care.”
Newly wed and new to the community, Julia Leininger, spouse and FRG volunteer also came out to support her husband, 2nd Lt. Dan Leininger, a platoon leader assigned to Co. D, and the company’s return home.
“I am excited, this is the longest I’ve been away from my husband,” said Julia. “We just got married in March so I’m really excited to have him home cause we’re kind of being apart as newlyweds.”
Julia said the best part of the operation was being able to see her husband throughout the operation.
“I was so proud and I thought it was so great to see my husbands story online,” said Julia. “I loved that the Army reporters were covering it and I was able to send his parents the video of him interacting with other citizen countries too. It was just really nice to see the hmmwv driving through other countries with our flags flying.”
The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army contingency Response Force in Europe and is capable of deploying ready forces to conduct the full range of military operations across the U.S. European, Africa and Central Commands' areas of operations within 18 hours.
| Date Taken: | 10.30.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 10.31.2015 06:31 |
| Story ID: | 180498 |
| Location: | IT |
| Web Views: | 283 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Bayonet Thrust paratroopers return home from Estonia, by MSG Opal Vaughn, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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