The 82nd Airborne Division hosted current and former paratroopers, their families and the community for All American Week at Fort Liberty last week.
The annual event, which took place Monday through Thursday last week, is dedicated to fostering close ties between the division’s veterans, families and the Fort Liberty community.
Check out our coverage of this year’s All American Week.
Named 82nd Junior Parachutists of the Year
FORT LIBERTY -The 82nd Airborne Division named its junior paratroopers of the year on Tuesday, expanding this year to include three winners.
Maj. Gen. J. Patrick “Pat” Work, the division commander, told the crowd Tuesday that military service is a “family affair.”
“We recruit the soldiers, but we recruit the families,” he said. “None of these young people asked for this, yet they are handling it so wonderfully.” Read the full story here.
Honoring the fallen during the 82nd Memorial Ceremony
FORT LIBERTY – Several family members traced letters with their fingers on the 82nd Airborne Division monuments at Fort Liberty on Tuesday.
One woman kissed a yellow rose before tapping a name on the monument and pressing her hand on it.
Gage Bell, 12, buried his head in his mother LaToya Bell’s chest as he cried for the father he never knew, 1st Sgt. Ryan Russell Bell, who was killed in action in Afghanistan on August 2, 2012.
All family members are Gold Star families and attended the division’s annual commemoration ceremony, which is part of All American Week. Read the full story here.
Paratroopers inducted into the 82nd Airborne Division Hall of Fame
Retired Commando Sgt. Maj. John Wayne Troxler was running on the beach several months ago when he received a call from Command Sgt. Major Randolph Delapena.
Delapena is the senior enlisted leader of the 82nd Airborne Division. Troxler is a former senior enlisted advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Delapena told Troxler he was one of seven paratroopers selected by 82nd veterans and military leaders within the division to be inducted into the 82nd Airborne Division Hall of Fame this year.
Troxler stopped running, bent over with his hands on his knees to “take in the moment” and called his wife, he said Wednesday after an induction ceremony. Read the full story.
U.S. Army Special Operations Command Commemoration Ceremony
The U.S. Army Special Operations Command added five new names to the memorial wall during a ceremony Thursday, bringing the total number of commando soldiers killed in the line of duty to 1,273.
The five USASOC soldiers, with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment stationed at Fort, Campbell, Kentucky, were killed Nov. 10 when the Black Hawk helicopter they were on crashed into the Mediterranean Sea.
“Without hesitation, they deployed quickly and courageously and volunteered to lead the way where the mission is difficult,” Lt. Gen. Jonathan Braga, commander of USASOC, told the crowd gathered at Fort Liberty on Thursday for the ceremony . Read the full story.
This article originally appeared in The Fayetteville Observer: All All American Week coverage from the 82nd Airborne at Fort Liberty
