Sky Soldiers celebrate Thanksgiving in Lithuania

Photo By Corinna Baltos | PABRADE, Lithuania –Chaplain (Capt.) Owen Vasquez ,2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat (Airborne), offers collard greens to a British soldier during Thanksgiving Dinner Nov. 25, 2016. Paratroopers from Able Company, who are participating in Exercise Iron Sword 2016, invited their NATO Allies to dinner. Iron Sword is an international training exercise featuring 11 NATO countries and about 4,000 troops. The exercise is designed to test promote regional stability and security, while strengthening partnership capacity, and fostering trust while improving joint training between Lithuania, the U.S., and NATO member nations. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Corinna Baltos)  

PABRADE, LITHUANIA

11.25.2016

Story by Staff Sgt. Corinna Baltos 

24th Theater Public Affairs Support Element

PABRADE, Lithuania – For most Americans what makes Thanksgiving special isn’t so much the food; although it is good; it is sharing the food with their family and friends. In most cases, family comes to your house. Well, for the cooks of Hound Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat (Airborne), their family couldn’t come to their house; so they traveled and cooked for over 7,600 soldiers.

Over a period of four days, the cooks prepared and served Thanksgiving dinner to over 7,600 Paratroopers and guests in five separate countries.

“Since Tuesday, we have served Thanksgiving dinner in Italy, Poland, Estonia, Latvia and now Lithuania,” said Sgt. 1st Class Jacob Hostetler, culinary management noncommissioned officer, 2nd Bn. 503rd Inf. Regt. Nov. 25, as he stirred the gravy.

2nd Bn. 503rd Inf. Regt. arrived in the Baltic states and Poland in September to embark on a six-month rotation to train with their NATO partners as part of Atlantic Resolve, a U.S. led effort being conducted in Eastern Europe to demonstrate U.S. commitment to the collective security of NATO and dedication to enduring peace and stability in the region. The meal in Lithuania was the last Thanksgiving dinner the cooks would serve, but in some ways, it was the most difficult.

“I have never cooked for this many people before,” said Private 1st Class Savannah Naomii Ross.

The cooks were in Lithuania to cook for the Paratroopers from Able Company, 2nd Bn., 503rd Inf. Regt., They are in Pabrade participating in Exercise Iron Sword 2016.

Iron Sword is a Lithuanian led exercise designed to promote regional stability and security, while strengthening partnership capacity, and fostering trust while improving joint training between Lithuania, the U.S., and NATO member nations.

Initially, the meal was supposed to be cooked in a field kitchen and served to the Paratroopers in the field, however thanks to the generosity of their Lithuanian hosts, the Paratroopers were able to cook and serve the food in the DFAC.

“Being able to cook the food here in the DFAC is much easier,” said Ross. “The field kitchen is very small.”

Even though there were challenges in serving Thanksgiving to so many people, the cooks were happy to do it.

“I enjoy cooking,” said Sgt. Robert-Lee Davis. “Being able to serve Thanksgiving is wonderful because it reminds us of home.”

• Date Taken: 11.25.2016
• Date Posted: 11.25.2016 17:19
• Story ID: 215805
• Location: PABRADE, LT