STB focuses on growing TEAM 21

By Mrs. Brittany Jones (21st TSC)June 8, 2017

STB focuses on growing TEAM 21
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Members of the 21st Special Troops Battalion, compete in a litter carry as part of Millrinder Day, June 2, at Pulaski Barracks in Kaiserslautern Germany. Millrinder Day included various physical training competitions as well as classroom training in ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
STB focuses on growing TEAM 21
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Members of the 21st Special Troops Battalion, compete in a relay race as part of Millrinder Day, June 2, at Pulaski Barracks in Kaiserslautern Germany. Millrinder Day included various physical training competitions as well as classroom training in mu... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany -- Seven weeks into the new command of Lt. Col. Jason Berdou and Command Sgt. Maj. Defarreo Poole, 21st Theater Sustainment Command's Special Troop Battalion is focused on bringing back past Army tradition "Pay Day Activities" in the form of Millrinder Day, June 2nd.

In an effort to remain a strong cohesive unit, Soldiers from the 21st STB had the opportunity to dress down while participating in a monthly bonding and support focused activity known as Millrinder Day.

"Millrinder is important for a couple of different reasons," Berdou said. "It gets people out from behind their desk where they are typical in the daily grind doing great things for the European theater. It helps build unit cohesion outside of their own G-codes and builds morale. Days like today strengthen our network and helps improve communication."

Team 21 showed its PT readiness by competing in a Commander's Cup STB Relay Games challenge on Pulaski Barracks. The challenge ended with the NCO's taking the victory scoring the highest in all of the challenge categories.

"It felt good contributing to the team effort and I'm happy that as NCO's we were able to show that NCO's truly lead from the front," Staff Sgt. Adrian Patoka, who participated in the game's modified shot put, said.

Following the challenge games, Team 21 STB Commanders took the opportunity to host three training sessions to include: Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training workshop, Tier 3 Army regulated Transgender training, and Master Resiliency training, on Panzer Kaserne.

"This organization is a family," Maj. Lonny Douthit, STB Executive Officer, said. "The Master Resiliency training today brought out questions like 'What are people most thankful for?' 'What do you work for?' 'What are you here for?' The answers to those questions for most of us are the reason we are able to show resiliency through adversity."

The day's event closed out with a Caribbean-themed potluck where the Soldiers of the 21st STB had the opportunity to fellowship with one another and reflect on the day.

"Today's event was a training environment that we need for Soldiers, to understand the awareness of ASIST training, how important it is for everyone to understand that they are a leader and that they have to encompass that leadership mentality and to take action when it comes to suicide, Transgender training, or MRT," Poole said. "We want everyone in the Army to have the knowledge on how to treat Soldiers with dignity and respect."

RELATED STORIES