Photo By Staff Sgt. Walter Carroll | David H. Troyer II shows his 1st Infantry Division patch at Fort Riley, Kansas, April...... read more read more
BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan — April 1 is typically recognized as the playful day known as April Fools’ Day. It is a traditional day that some historians date back to the 1500s and is often filled with pranks and laughs. However this particular day at Fort Riley, Kansas, home of The Big Red One, brought a moment of pride for one Soldier. A moment that was far from a prank and much more of an honor, and was a fitting first day of the U.S. Department of Defense's Month of the Military Child.
There are many traditions in the world, including those in the United States Army. One of them being the ceremonial patching of a deployed unit.
In February 2019 the 1st Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade, currently known as the 1st Infantry Division Resolute Support Sustainment Brigade (1ID RSSB), deployed to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel and Resolute Support. The following month, they conducted their patching ceremony which authorized members of the unit to wear a 1st Infantry Division combat patch on their duty uniform underneath the American flag.
Their ceremony took place on March 17, 2019. Approximately two weeks later, the son of one of the brigade’s Soldiers received a 1st Infantry Division patch of his own.
Capt. David H. Troyer, chaplain for the Special Troops Battalion, 1ID RSSB shared his story on what how he felt when his wife told him their 6-year-old son received his patch.
“I was very proud to be part of the Big Red One patching ceremony and what’s neat is, shortly thereafter — a few weeks after — April 1, my wife went down to DEERS to update some information and her, my daughter, and my son, David Hubert Troyer II, were walking out of the DEERS office and a Soldier is walking in,” David Troyer said. “As they’re walking out and he’s walking in, he sees my son in his little ACU pattern uniform that we had actually got for his sister back when I was in basic training. We passed it on to him (due to her outgrowing it). So, he’s wearing that and sure enough as they’re walking out, the Soldier’s walking in, the Soldier takes his own patch off, pops it on my son’s sleeve and says you’re missing a patch and without even missing a beat, he keeps on walking.”
Dianna Troyer shared her experience from that day.
“At first I wasn't sure what was happening because it happened so fast, I really wish I would have seen his name so that there was a way to let him know how much that meant to us. I was so blessed to see the smile on my son's face and his pride in being singled out by a soldier and being given a patch 'just like Daddy's'. Now Every time he wears his uniform he tells everyone (even complete strangers) that he is wearing the Fort Riley patch a Soldier gave him that was just like daddy's.”
“So it was really neat for him because he just turned six a few days earlier on March 27, and that little guy was just excited as can be,” David Troyer said.
According to David Troyer, his son said, “The Soldier took the patch off his sleeve and put it on mine” and “I’m so happy.”
"He loves the Army,” David Troyer said. “His favorite toys are G.I. Joes. His favorite thing is, he dresses up in his uniform and he’ll wear that around whether it’s on post or whether he’s going to a special event, he just loves to dress up like that. He says he wants to be in the Army or a policemen, one of the two or possibly both depending on how things go.
“I’m kind of hoping he’ll be a chaplain like myself, but only God knows what’s in store for his life.”
As David Troyer looked back into his Army beginnings, he reflected on the birth of his son.
“He was due at the beginning of April of 2013. Essentially, I was deployed 2012 into 2013. So, they said the president’s coming and it’s going to hold up traffic. You can either stay and we’ll put you on the list to meet President Obama or you can go home and possibly be there for your son’s birth.”
He made the family choice.
“I get on the plane and I get home around midnight of the — March — 25th and 36 hours later he was born. On 1 April I pinned sergeant.
“My grandpa was in the Air Force during the Korean War,” serving from 1948-1952. “He’d tell me his stories and I’d see the recruiting commercials on television and I always thought they were the coolest thing ever.”
His family tradition of military service did however, skip a generation.
“I tried to talk my dad into joining the military, but he just wouldn’t go for it,” David Troyer said.
Dianna Troyer reflected on their son receiving the patch and April being the month of the military child.
“Moving from place to place is hard on children, this past move was hard on my 9-year-old daughter.
During the moving process she told me that, 'No other place would feel like home ever again'. When we moved into our house here she remarked a few times that it just felt like we were visiting but her room just didn't feel like her room, not like it did in our last house.
"When we were in Kansas for about two months, one morning she walked out onto the back porch and was so excited. She said, 'Mom, I love it here! It feels like home!!!' That brought tears to my eyes and I thanked the Lord that he made our children resilient. They will meet so many people and see so many places that they would never see if they were not a part of this crazy wonderful Army family. I am thankful we are an Army family.”
| Date Taken: | 04.24.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 04.29.2019 10:50 |
| Story ID: | 319213 |
| Location: | BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AF |
| Hometown: | FORT RILEY, KS, US |
| Web Views: | 297 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Like Father, Like Son: The Unexpected Patch, by SSG Walter Carroll, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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