Photo By Staff Sgt. Alexander Skripnichuk | Pvt. Lucas Newey (center), a paratrooper with the U.S. Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade,...... read more read more
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YAVORIV, Ukraine – Paratroopers with the U.S. Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade attended the Young Talent 2015 international music festival July 12, 2015, in Novayavoriv, Ukraine, just as Fearless Guardian training reached the halfway mark of its second iteration.
The music festival coincided with Novayavoriv's 50th birthday.
“We almost didn't have a festival this year because of the hardships our country is facing,” said Volodymyr Parasyuk, a Ukrainian parliament member who offered opening remarks at attended the festival. “In the end we decided to go forward so that our soldiers can have an opportunity to relax and to show the world that we are a hard working people dedicated to be on top.”
Cheers of “Slava Ukraina,” a common Ukrainian expression meaning glory to Ukraine resounded overwhelmingly from the large crowd celebrating that day. The U.S. soldiers were seated front and center to soak-in the rich cultural surroundings of the 50-year young Novayavoriv and its people.
Having completed the first iteration of Fearless Guardian paratroopers paused during the second to relax and interact with Ukrainian people living near the training area.
“The people here are very friendly and the food is awesome,” said Pvt. Lucas Newey, a paratrooper with 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade from Los Lunas, New Mexico. “To come out here and see the Ukrainian people and experience their culture was an amazing experience.”
For one of the competitors in particular, knowing that U.S. paratroopers were in the crowd was of special significance.
“I am glad they have a chance to learn what kind of nation we are,” said Juliana Filipenko, a San Francisco, California, resident competing in the festival whose parents emigrated from Ukraine. “I hope they will see that we are a beautiful people and that we are glad to know that they are here to help us in our time of difficulty.”
For the last two years, paratroopers have deployed on multiple training missions to several European countries including, Romania, Poland, Lithuania and Estonia. Being well prepared for Ukraine, they are showing the U.S. commitment to Ukraine by participating in events outside the military training they provide.
“The Ukrainian guardsmen have exceeded our expectations,” said Maj. Jason Honeycutt, executive officer of 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade. “Having our paratroopers come out to interact with the Ukrainian population is another sign of America's commitment to stay with the people of Ukraine.”
Fearless Guardian is the name for the Congress-approved, Departments of State and Defense initiative under the Global Security Contingency Fund-Ukraine to train and equip the newly formed Ukrainian national guard. The paratroopers are in Ukraine to train the guardsmen at the request of the Ukrainian government.
| Date Taken: | 07.12.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 07.14.2015 02:14 |
| Story ID: | 169941 |
| Location: | YAVORIV, UA |
| Hometown: | LOS LUNAS, NEW MEXICO, US |
| Hometown: | SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 258 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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