173rd Paratroopers donate toys in two partnered Italian towns

Photo By Maj. Robyn Haake | Lt. Col. Jefferson Burges and Command Sgt. Maj. Anthony Powers Jr., the Commander and Command Sergeant Major of the 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade, meet with Mayor Renzo Marangon of Camisano Vicentino, Italy on Dec. 16, 2021. The 54th BEB donated over 100 toys to children in the towns of Camisano and Quinto Vicentino as part of Operation Toy Drop. The 173d Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army's Contingency Response Force in Europe, providing rapidly deployable forces to the United States European, Africa and Central Command areas of responsibility. Forward deployed across Italy and Germany, the brigade routinely trains alongside NATO allies and partners to build partnerships and strengthen the alliance.  

CAMISANO AND QUINTO VICENTINO , ITALY

12.16.2021

Story by Capt. Robyn Haake 

173rd Airborne Brigade

VICENZA, Italy – The 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion (Airborne) (BEB) command team took a morning drive on Dec. 16 to the towns of Camisano and Quinto Vicentino to donate over 100 toys, bringing a little extra holiday cheer to the community.

Airborne units across the U.S. Army routinely hold an event known as “Toy Drop” around the holiday season, which typically consists of paratroopers donating toys to their local community as good neighbors. Some exchange the toy for a chance to earn foreign parachutist wings. This year, the 54th BEB was not promised anything in exchange, simply asked to help bring some joy to their local communities.

Each battalion in the 173rd Airborne Brigade (in Italy) is partnered with a local Italian community. Some are partnered with two. Every battalion command team routinely coordinates engagements with their corresponding local leaders to be inclusive of each other’s culture and events.

Paratroopers from the 54th BEB took it upon themselves to donate toys before an airborne operation last week where over 1,100 “Sky Soldiers” made one last jump before the holidays. The commander and command sergeant major put on their new Army Green Service Uniforms or “Pinks and Greens,” as they are commonly referred to, and took a drive to the local towns of Camisano and Quinto Vicentino to meet mayors Renzo Marangon and Renzo Segato.

While meeting their partnered local leaders in their town hall, Mayors Marangon and Segato both took time to express their appreciation for the battalion’s continued outreach and express their hope for a long-lasting relationship between the engineer army unit and their community.

Lt. Col. Jefferson Burges, Commander of the 54th BEB, is a big believer in Toy Drop and the extensive good it can do.

"Toy Drop is an important opportunity for us. For our soldiers and our families to continue to show appreciation for the communities that we get to live in, in this beautiful country of Italy. As some of us spend time away from our families back stateside during the holiday season, it still gives us the opportunity to connect with the families and communities here that we live with in this country.”

• Date Taken: 12.16.2021
• Date Posted: 12.17.2021 07:05
• Story ID: 411414
• Location: CAMISANO AND QUINTO VICENTINO , IT