ALZEY, Germany (Dec. 17, 2012) -- More than 130 paratroopers, comprised of Soldiers, Airmen and partner nation jumpers, air dropped toys and performed an airborne jump during the Fourth-Annual Operation Toy Drop at the Alzey Drop Zone, here, Dec. 13.
Operation Toy Drop is an annual event sponsored by U.S. Army Garrison Kaiserslautern's Army Community Service and coordinated by the 21st Theater Sustainment Command's 5th Quartermaster Detachment.
Toys were provided by the jumping service members and donated to Army Community Service, known as ACS, for use in their yearly holiday toy shop, where families in need are able to select toys to be given to their children this holiday season.
"It's cool because all of these toys are going to a good cause," said Staff Sgt. Tylor Buckingham, the operations planning noncommissioned officer for the 5th QM and a native of Linn Creek, Mo. "We're donating (the toys) to ACS, and then they're going to pass them out to kids in the [Kaiserslautern military community] area."
The 5th QM is U.S. Army Europe's only asset for providing aerial delivery support to various U.S. and allied military units throughout Europe. The unit provided logistical support for the airdrop as well as some of the Soldiers who jumped with the U.S. and partner nation paratroopers from a U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft during the operation.
"We have right around 20 individuals jumping," said Buckingham. "But with the detail and everybody (involved), it's about coming together."
"This year we have Germans, Dutch, Spanish, Polish, plus the U.S. airborne community in [U.S. Army Europe] (participating)," said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Scott Bockelman, the drop zone safety officer from the 5th QM and a native of Pawnee, Okla. "This is one of our opportunities to bond with them and learn their tactics and procedures as well as raise toys for needy children."
