No one ever plans to suffer an injury when they join the military, and U.S. Army Sgt. Michael Krapels was no different. Krapels, who is with Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, had always wanted to join the military, and after attending college at the request of his parents, he enlisted in the Army on his birthday, Oct. 7, 2008.
Ever since U.S. Army Pfc. Steven Devito was a child, he remembers his father’s love for remote controlled airplanes. He also remembers when he decided to join the military.
U.S. Army Spc. Amanda Wilson didn’t always know what she wanted to do with her life. On her way through high school and to a degree in anthropology from University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, there have always been choices to be made, but they were all part of a bigger plan. After graduating college, a series of jobs led to her joining the Army and although it wasn’t a part of the plan, it ended up working out better...
With two uncles that served in Vietnam and one that served in World War II, you could say that Command Sgt. Maj. Samuel Coston, the senior enlisted soldier for the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, was destined to serve in the military. While it wasn’t right after he graduated high school, shortly thereafter Coston joined the U.S. Army and began a career that’s approaching 30 years built on taking care of the Army and its soldiers.
The reasons people join the military are often as varied as the individuals that are joining. For U.S. Army Spc. Patrick Serna, a machine gunner for B Battery, 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, Task Force 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, there was only one reason he left his hometown, his son, Mason.
Afghanistan’s children are a common to sight to U.S. troops patrolling the provinces under the control of Regional Command – East. The vibrant, pastel colors of their traditional clothing are highlighted in sharp contrast to the region’s sepia-toned, rugged landscape.
