Photo By Staff Sgt. Ryan Rayno | Pfc. Mark Parton, an infantryman with Comanche Troop, 1st Squadron, 2nd Cavalry...... read more read more
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U.S. ARMY GARRISON WIESBADEN, Germany – For the men and women brand new to the Army like Pfc. Frank Parton, an infantryman with Comanche Troop, 1st Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, building strong relationships is one of the best parts of being in the military.
“When we are training you really get to know who the people are around you, like how they handle the strenuous times,” Parton said, “but what I love most about the Army, is the camaraderie. There’s no one I’m closer to than my brothers in the Army.”
Parton joined the Army in February 2019, only a year after graduating from high school in Rutherfordton, North Carolina, but for him, he always knew he wanted to be in the Army.
“There’s nothing else I ever wanted to do,” Parton explained. “I only watched movies about the Army growing up, and I always played Army as a kid. My uncle was in the ranger regiment and he would tell me stories about how great it was – there was never really a doubt in my mind.”
Parton had to wait the extra year to join because he graduated from high school a year early, but also because he had to recover from shoulder surgery that resulted from an injury he sustained while playing football.
“I went to work at a lumber mill after graduating,” Parton said, “but as soon as my medical protocols were clear, I joined the Army.”
Now in the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, his decision to join the Army has proven to be the right one.
“I love being in Germany and being able to travel with my friends from the unit,” Parton explained. “We really like Munich, and all of the castles in Bavaria, like Neuschwanstein; it’s fun to kind of explore and try to find these random castle ruins too.”
One of the added benefits of being in the regiment, it is that they are in constant rotation throughout Europe as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve – U.S. Army Europe’s effort to build readiness and enhance interoperability with ally and partner militaries.
“We’ve been to France, so far, but we have a lot more lined up,” Parton explained. “We have a rotation to Poland and (the Democratic Republic of) Georgia coming up, and I’m really looking forward to that.”
For Parton, more than anything, these kinds of rotations are just another opportunity to spend time with his friends, continue to get better as a soldier, and strengthen the bonds of those within his unit.
“Everyday we’re bonding, even when we’re mixing squad members to form different teams for training, we’re still learning a lot about each other,” Parton said. “I really like being in the regiment, but I love Comanche Troop, and I love third platoon. I definitely have a lot of platoon pride, because to me, third platoon is the best.”
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| Date Taken: | 04.26.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 05.13.2020 09:35 |
| Story ID: | 369653 |
| Location: | WIESBADEN, HE, DE |
| Hometown: | RUTHERFORDTON, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 37 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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