Sky Soldiers

Maria Babyak, deputy director on educational work in the Starychi school district, shows paratroopers from the U.S. Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade a plate completed by the children of the Starychi secondary scho More

Two U.S. Air Force C-130Js, assigned to the 37th Airlift Squadron, flys over the terrain of Normandy to practice their manuauers in Northern France; June 3, 2015. This is the 71st Anniversary of the D-Day invas More

A U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules prepares to drop U.S. Army Soldiers over the historic La Fiere drop zone near Sainte Mere Eglise, Normandy, France, June 7, 2015, to commemorate the 71st Anniversary of D- More

Fred Martin and his wife Valjean Young (left) of Atlanta, pose with Nerijus Gvergzdis (front), his sister Raminta and their mother Egidija at their apartment in Kaunas, Lithuania, circa 1996. Fred and Valjean, More

The President of Estonia Toomas Hendrik Ilves is greeted by Company Commander, Capt. Tim Keilty, A Troop, 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade out of Grafenwöhr, Germany, during Operation More

A group of U.S. Army Rangers, assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment, German Army Soldiers, and French civilians take a group photo together before a ceremony at Amfreville, Normandy, France; June 5, 2015. Over 3 More

The statue of Maj. Dick Winters of Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, stands as reminder of the sacrifice of the Greatest Generation near Utah Beach, Normandy, France, Jun More

CAMP ADAZI – Paratroopers assigned to Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, pose for a picture during a Lāčplēsis Day event at the Latvian War Museum in Riga, Latvia, N More

U.S. Soldiers attend a memorial ceremony for Pfc. Charles DeGlopper, a paratrooper who died on D-Day during World War II on June 5, 2015, Normandy, France. More than 380 service members from Europe and affiliat More

Soldiers assigned to the historic 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment pose for a picture after a ceremony. The worst misdrop on D-Day happened to the Soldiers of the 3rd Battalion, 507th Parachute Infantry Regime More

A convoy of U.S. Army vehicles consolidate and refuel at the Ainazi-Inkla border crossing between Latvia and Estonia during a freedom of movement operation from Camp Adazi to Tapa June 3. The tactical vehicles More

U.S. Army veteran Sgt. 1st Class Richard Yates, center right, of the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, talks to U.S. Army paratrooper Brig. Gen. Brian Winski the 82nd Airborne Division More

U.S. Army Spc. Jacob Quitugua (left), and Pfc. Daniel Lindell (middle), both infantryman assigned to Company D, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, listen to directions given to them More

Allied service members and locals of Normandy gather at Omaha Beach National Guard monument to pay respect to veterans who served during World War II June 5, 2015, Normandy, France. More than 380 service member More

On June 3, 2015, the town of Carentan, France, hosted service members of the Joint Task Force D-Day 71. The day included a tour of the town hall and historic sites such as the Angoville Au Plain church where tw More

A sandtable of the events of D-Day overlooks Omaha Beach. Service Members of Joint Task Force D-Day 71 visited historic D-Day sites June 2, 2015, as part of the events to commemorate the 71st anniversary, one o More

U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Darryl Roberson, 3rd Air Force commander, delivers a speech during a World War II commemoration June 4, 2015, in Picauville, France. Picauville hosted the memorial commemoration to hono More

A group of paratroopers, assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division, holds the colors as members of the Color Guard during a ceremony honoring the paratroopers that liberated the village in Sainte Mere Eglise, Norm More

World War II re-enactors make final preparation to drive their Sherman tank to a ceremony June 4, 2015, to commemorate the U.S. Army’s efforts to liberate Montebourg, France, after the D-Day landings. More tha More

A Dutch citizen watches paratroopers from the U.S., U.S., Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and the U.K conduct an airborne operation Sept. 18, at Houtdorperveld Drop Zone, the Netherlands, as pa More

Allied leaders salute the memorial of fallen U.S. service members at the Picauville 9th Air Force monument June 4, 2015, Normandy, France. More than 380 servicemembers from Europe and affiliated D-Day historica More

"In a few hours I'm going to take the best company of men in the world into France. We'll give the bastards hell. Strangely, I'm not particularly scared. But in my heart is a terrific longing to hold you in my More

George Shenkle, World War II veteran and former U.S. Army Soldier with the Easy Company, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, watches as a U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules from the 37t More

VILNIUS, Lithuania –Paratroopers from Able Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat (Airborne), march through Vilnius during the Lithuanian Armed Forces Day Parade Nov. 23. More

First Lt. Oleg Soroka, an officer with the Ukrainian national guard's 3029th Regiment, examines artifacts found from a 1914 battlefield between Ukrainian Sich Soldiers and Russian forces during a visit to Mt. M More

CAMP ADAZI, Latvia – Sgt. Daniel Peterson, Paratrooper assigned to Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, helps a Latvian child try on a Improved Outer Tactical Vest dur More

A group of U.S. Army Soldiers, assigned to the 101st Airborne Division, present the colors as members of the Color Guard for a ceremony at Chef Du Pont, Normandy, France, June 4, 2015. Over 380 service members More

U.S. Army Spc. Barrett Deisher, paratrooper, 3rd Platoon, Company D, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, clears a stairwell in an abandoned building during a bi-lateral training even More

French military re-enactors dressed as U.S. Army Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) prepare to post the colors during a ceremony at the Currahee Memorial in the Normandy region June 3, 2015 More

German army soldiers render honors during the playing of the U.S. national anthem while at the La Cambe German War Cemetery in the Normandy region of France June 5, 2015. U.S. Army paratroopers from the 173rd A More

U.S. Army veterans Cpl. George Shenkle, center right, of the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division and Sgt. Isaac Phillips, center left, of the 4th Infantry Division, salute the flag June 4, More

Capt. Matthew McCarthy (center), commander of Company D, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade and native of Deerfield, Ill., leads his company at the annual Polish Armed Forces Day par More

Antoine and Alice Fernandez, dressed in vintage World War II U.S. Army uniforms, attend a WWII commemoration ceremony in Sainte Laurent sur Mer, France, June 6, 2015. A formation of U.S. Army Soldiers from the More

(left to right) Polish Armed Forces Maj. Gen. Jaroslaw Mika, commander, 11th Armoured Cavalry Division, shows Gen. Daniel Allyn, United States Army Vice Chief of Staff; Polish Armed Forces Lt. Gen. Leszek Suraw More

Soldiers from the Estonian Defense Forces’ Kuperjanov Infantry Battalion observe an M1A2 Abrams Battle Tank from C Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Di More

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Maniago State: Pordenone Country: Italy (ITA) Scene Camera Operator: SRA Priscilla Robinson, USAF Release Status: Released to Public Combined Mi More

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Maniago State: Pordenone Country: Italy (ITA) Scene Camera Operator: SRA Priscilla Robinson, USAF Release Status: Released to Public Combined Mi More

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Maniago State: Pordenone Country: Italy (ITA) Scene Camera Operator: SRA Priscilla Robinson, USAF Release Status: Released to Public Combined Mi More

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Maniago State: Pordenone Country: Italy (ITA) Scene Camera Operator: SRA Priscilla Robinson, USAF Release Status: Released to Public Combined Mi More

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Maniago State: Pordenone Country: Italy (ITA) Scene Camera Operator: SRA Priscilla Robinson, USAF Release Status: Released to Public Combined Mi More

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Maniago State: Pordenone Country: Italy (ITA) Scene Camera Operator: SRA Priscilla Robinson, USAF Release Status: Released to Public Combined Mi More

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Maniago State: Pordenone Country: Italy (ITA) Scene Camera Operator: SRA Priscilla Robinson, USAF Release Status: Released to Public Combined Mi More

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Maniago State: Pordenone Country: Italy (ITA) Scene Camera Operator: SRA Priscilla Robinson, USAF Release Status: Released to Public Combined Mi More

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Maniago State: Pordenone Country: Italy (ITA) Scene Camera Operator: SRA Priscilla Robinson, USAF Release Status: Released to Public Combined Mi More

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Maniago State: Pordenone Country: Italy (ITA) Scene Camera Operator: SRA Priscilla Robinson, USAF Release Status: Released to Public Combined Mi More

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Maniago State: Pordenone Country: Italy (ITA) Scene Camera Operator: SRA Priscilla Robinson, USAF Release Status: Released to Public Combined Mi More

Second Lt. Paul Hanneman, a Salem, Ore., native assigned to Attack Company, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne) out of Vicenza, Italy, hits a fast ball during a More

Troops from the Lithuanian Army’s King Mindaugas Hussar Battalion move from their disabled Humvee during the final training exercise of Saber Strike 2015 held in Adazi, Latvia, June 18. Saber Strike is a long-s More

1st. Lt. Matthew Letarte, an Eaton Rapids, Mich., native, with the 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion,173rd Airborne Brigade, out of Vicenza, Italy, removes vinyl from a window ledge during a community engagement More

Allied Land Forces Command Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations, British Army Col. Gordon Falconer, speaks with Soldiers from Attack Company, 1st Battalion, 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne B More

From left, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Bobby Sattazahn, a tactical operation officer for the 173rd Airborne Brigade of Vicenza, Italy, briefs Bulgarian Minister of Defense Nikolay Nenchev on the concept of operatio More

An A-10 aircraft from Maryland Air National Guard’s 104th Fighter Squadron, 175th Wing out of Warfield Air National Guard Base, Md., conducts a close air support mission during Saber Strike in Adazi, Latvia, Ju More

Command Sgt. Maj. Charles Burrow, senior enlisted advisor for 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, oversees the color guard of "Sky Soldiers" and troops from the Latvian Land Forces d More

Logisticians assigned to the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade out of Vicenza, Italy, and Lithuanian Armed Forces’ Main Support Battalion, Logistic Support Command, conducted combin More

Soldiers of the Latvian Land Forces observe the objective during a situational training exercise held at Camp Adazi, Latvia, June 10. There are more than 6,000 participants from 14 different nations participat More

Staff Sgt. Matthew Flint, a Waldo, Fla., native with B Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division out of Fort Stewart, Ga., and 1st Lt. William Snook, More

A U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter from 4th Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division out of Hunter Army Airfield, Ga., lands at Camp Ādaži during a mass casualty More

Soldiers from A Troop, 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade out of Grafenwöhr, Germany, and 1st Infantry Battalion, Latvian Land Forces Infantry Brigade prepare to conduct squad movement More

Second Lt. Sean Ellsworth, a West Chester, Pa., native with C Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division out of Fort Stewart, Ga., talks with festival More

Students disassemble an improved outer tactical vest during a community engagement with U.S. Soldiers at Adazu Secondary School in Adazi, Latvia, May 12. Soldiers from A Troop, 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regime More

A line haul of tracked vehicles from 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division out of Fort Stewart, Ga., are staged for transport to Tapa, Estonia as part of m More

U.S. Army Pfc. Damien Brown, a paratrooper assigned to 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade out of Vicenza, Italy, mows the lawn around the Mokren Elementary School as part of a commun More

From left, Staff to the Office of International Cooperation, Lt. Col. Allert Bernd; Danish army 1st Brigade commander, Brig. Gen. Per Knudsen; Latvia chief of defense, Lt. Gen. Raimonds Graube; and 4th Infantry More

A U.S. Army paratrooper assigned to 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade out of Vicenza, Italy, engages an enemy target during a live-fire exercise at Novo Selo Training Area, Bulgaria More

Soldiers from the Norwegian Army’s 2nd Infantry Battalion and the Estonian Land Forces‘ Kuperjan conduct an after-action review following a situational training exercise during the Saber Strike 2015 Distinguish More

Parachute riggers with the 173rd Brigade Support Battalion,173rd Airborne Brigade out of Italy, untangle the suspension lines of a T-11 Parachute System during inspection and repacking operations conducted on A More

U.S. Army paratroopers assigned to 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade out of Grafenwöhr, Germany, exit a UH-60 Black Hawk from the 4th Battalion, 3rd Combat Aviation More

Soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade out of Vicenza, Italy and 4th Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, out of Hunter Army Airfield, Ga., along with airmen from t More

Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, out of Vicenza, Italy, perform pre-inspections on their T-11 parachute systems during an airborne operation held at Adazi Military B More

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Mica Snell (right), Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, Task Force 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team and his brother U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Jus More

Pfc. Crystal Campbell (left), with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 173rd Brigade Support Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, is searched by Spc. Angela Martin, HHC, 173rd ABCT, Jan. 19. Twent More

The 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team Chaplain, Maj. Eddie Cook, says a prayer for the departing Sky Soldiers and their families, as the first wave of 173rd soldiers leaves Vicenza, Italy, to deploy to Afghani More

Paratroopers from 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team prepare to lay down a wreath to honor America's fallen service members during a Memorial Day ceremony at the Florence More

U.S. Army Paratroopers from Alpha Battery, 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, conduct a slingload operation in Bezmer Airfield, Bulgaria on July 19, 2017 during exer More

Command Sgt. Maj. William Johnson, the command sergeant major for ISAF Joint Command, shakes the hand of Pfc. Gage Andrews, a native of Bloomington, Ill., of A Battery, 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artil More

(right) Col. Andrew Rohling, commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. Samuel Coston both of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, uncase the brigade's colors at a transfer of authority ceremony at Forward Operating B More

U.S. Army Sgt. Jordan Cascio pulls security during a patrol near the village of Salar in Afghanistan’s Wardak province, July 24, 2012. Cascio is a 26-year-old native of Hickory, N.C., who is serving in eastern More

Two soldiers from 2nd Platoon, Battle Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, Task Force 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, pull security while the soldiers of Weapons Company, 3rd Kandak, 201st Corps More

U.S. Army Cpl. Vinny Cantu is a 25-year-old native of Salem, Ore., who is serving in eastern Afghanistan with 2nd Platoon, Battle Company. 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat T More

U.S. Army Pvt. Christopher Adams, a 22-year-old infantryman and native of West Palm Beach, Fla., provides security for 1st Platoon, D Company, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, Task Force 173rd Airborne B More

U.S. Army Pvt. Christopher Adams, an infantryman and native of West Palm Beach, Fla., provides security for 1st Platoon, D Company, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, Task Force 173rd Airborne Brigade Comb More

A U.S. Army soldier from D Company, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, Task Force 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, fires a Barrett .50-calibre rifle after taking small-arms fire at Combat Outpost Kherwa More

U.S. Army soldiers from A Battery, 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, Task Force 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, fire an illumination round from a M119A cannon at Combat Outpost Kherwar More

U.S. Army Pfc. Chris Snyder, a native of Harrisburg, Pa., and Pfc. Derek Kilbourne of Spokane, Wash., both mortarmen with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, Task Forc More

U.S. Army Capt. Bobby Fix and U.S. Army Capt. Joey Fix (right) at Combat Outpost Sayed Abad in Afghanistan's Wardak province, Aug. 14. Joey, Fires Support Officer for 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173 More

U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Samuel Coston, a native of Teachey, N.C., pulls security during a patrol near Combat Outpost Charkh in Logar Province, Afghanistan, Aug. 17, 2012. Coston is the 51-year-old senior More

U.S. Army soldiers with Legion Company, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, Task Force 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, during a patrol in Afghanistan's Logar province, Aug. 17. Brig. Gen. Raziq, command More

U.S. Army 1st Lt. Sean Rosenberg with B Company, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, Task Force 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team speaks at a memorial ceremony for U.S. Army Pfc. Andrew Keller of B. Compan More

Solders stand during a memorial ceremony for U.S. Army Spc. James Justice of Chosen Company, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, at Combat Outpost Sultan Khyel, Aug. 24, More

U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Justin Elliott, first sergeant for Legion Company, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, Task Force 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, pays his final respects to U.S. Army Pfc. Shane Cantu More

Afghan soldiers from the Afghan National Army’s 7th Kandak and an Afghan Uniformed Policeman, set up a traffic control point to check local nationals moving through the area during Operation Thunder, an operati More

An U.S. Army soldier with B Troop, 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, Task Force 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, provides security during a patrol in Logar province, Afghanistan, Sept. 9, 2012, in support More

U.S. Army Spc. Ethan Wilson pulls security during a patrol near Combat Outpost McClain in Logar province, Afghanistan, Sept. 9, 2012. Wilson is a 19-year-old native of Maurertown, Va., who is serving in eastern More

Soldiers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team fire 60mm mortars as part of a registration mission at Combat Outpost Garda in Wardak province, Afghanistan, Oct. 2. Registration missions like this one ens More

Afghan soldiers from 4th Toli, 2nd Kandak of the Afghan National Army overwatch the Kona Kumar valley in Afghanistan's Wardak province, Oct. 4, 2012. The Afghan soldiers were providing security in assistance of More

U.S. Army Spc. Patrick Serna patrols near Combat Outpost Garda in Wardak province, Afghanistan, Oct. 4, 2012. Serna is a 23-year-old native of Corcoran, Calif., who is serving in eastern Afghanistan with B Batt More

U.S. Army Spc. Amanda Wilson, 24, enlisted in the Army in 2010 as a signal support specialist and is a native of Orchard Park, N.Y. A qualified paratrooper, Wilson volunteered to attend airborne school to set h More

The winners and “winner-ups”, show off their awards for with the fastest times completing the half marathon in less than two hours. From right to left, Lt. Col Jeremy Schroeder, the commanding officer of the 1s More

A trophy stands ready to be handed to the team that completes the most laps in the fastest time during the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team's 6th annual "Running of the Herd," at Forward Operating Base Shank, More

Lt. Col. Luis A. Velez, commander of the 173rd Brigade Support Battalion and Command Sgt. Maj. David Franco present the Army Safety Excellence Streamer to Alpha Company during an awards ceremony at FOB Shank, A More