Photo By Staff Sgt. Angela Ohearn | U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Micheal Tkachenko waits in line to donate his toy in exchange for...... read more read more
Subscribe
FORT BRAGG, N.C. - The early December morning was cool and crisp. A hint of the winter to come was in the air. Hundreds of Soldiers waited patiently, bearing gifts for children they would never meet. Some were zipped up in sleeping bags on the cold concrete. Some were huddled together with donated cups of hot coffee cradled in their hands. All of them were there for at least one reason: to participate in this year’s “Lottery Day.”
For one highly-motivated Soldier, that morning was not his first morning here. It was his second morning in a row spent waiting for what has become a Fort Bragg tradition.
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Micheal Tkachenko, a military police officer with the 65th MP Company (Airborne) here, arrived at Green Ramp for the 18th Annual Randy Oler Memorial Operation Toy Drop’s Lottery Day at 7:30 in the morning of Dec. 3, 2015 - one day prior to the actual event as a showcase of camaraderie and a dedication to both his community and military service.
“It’s not just about yourself,” he said.
Tkachenko, accompanied by five other Soldiers from his unit, asked for their chain-of-command’s permission to attend Lottery Day early as an exercise of esprit de corps, as well as an opportunity to give back to the community, he said.
Operation Toy Drop, hosted by the U.S. Army Civil Affairs & Psychological Operations Command (Airborne), collected toys to be distributed to children in need this holiday season. Operation Toy Drop was the largest, combined airborne operation in the world. Since its inception, it has raised over 100,000 toys for the community.
Operation Toy Drop worked in conjunction with the annual Operation Toy Trot 5k race to raise toys, as well as collected toys through donation boxes at the Post Exchanges here. Lottery Day was also one of Operation Toy Drop’s events. Almost 1,000 paratroopers came to the event for a chance to be selected for one of the 500 seats to be given the opportunity to jump with a partner-nation jumpmaster and earn foreign jump wings. In true lottery style, whether a Soldier was first or last, his or her chances of being picked for a seat were the same. Although not required, paratroopers were encouraged to bring a toy and donate it at the event.
“If we get wings, it’s an extra bonus,” he said. “But it’s more or less about just being able to participate and give back.”
Operation Toy Drop affects the community in a lot of different ways, Tkachenko said. It not only gives toys to underprivileged children, it also shows the community that the military is motivated about giving back.
“The community supports us and we support them,” he said. “We’re there to help them, not just collect a paycheck.”
U.S. Army Spc. Andrew Wood, a MP with the 65th Military Police Company (Airborne) and a Soldier in Tkachenko’s squad, agreed that for his squad leader, it has never been about the paycheck.
“He really cares,” Wood said. “He’s one of the [non-commissioned officers in charge] that would honestly catch a bullet for his joes. And he takes care of them anyway he can.”
A self-proclaimed family man, Tkachenko’s devotion to his Soldiers and the military are derived from this title.
“I know some say the Army comes first, family second, but in my mind, Army is family,” Tkachenko said.
Tkachenko waited almost 26 hours to receive a little, blue lottery ticket that would never be called. The enthusiasm shown by the first 10 people in line, however, led to U.S. Army Major General Daniel R. Ammerman, the Commanding General of USACAPOC, honored the first 10 people in line with certificates of appreciation and gave them the opportunity to earn their foreign jump wings with a reserved spot on a plane.
Wings or no wings, Tkachenko would have no regrets about attending lottery day, he said.
“I don’t come here for the wings,” he said.
For Tkachenko and the rest of the Soldiers who brought gifts and waited in line in anticipation of a Fort Bragg tradition, this time of year was an opportunity to bond with their fellow Soldiers, give back to the community that has supported them and share in the spirit of the holidays. These Soldiers and Operation Toy Drop plan to continue this legacy for years to come.
| Date Taken: | 12.04.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 12.07.2015 10:07 |
| Story ID: | 183666 |
| Location: | FORT BRAGG, NC, US |
| Hometown: | NORFOLK, VA, US |
| Web Views: | 997 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
This work, It's not just about the wings: 1st Soldier in line for Toy Drop Lottery, by SSG Angela Ohearn, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT