10th Mountain Division Soldier Reenlists atop Riva Ridge, Honoring Legacy 80 Years Later

BOLOGNA, Italy (Feb. 19, 2025) – Since he was young, Sgt. Isaac Kirk, a Soldier assigned to the Mountain Training Group, 10th Mountain Division (LI), wanted one thing: to join the U.S. Army. To Kirk, defending the nation and protecting those who need help around the globe was the most noble calling he could imagine.

“My favorite part of the Army, by far, is the people I’ve met,” Kirk said. “From the leaders I’ve served under, to the peers that have become family to me, and to the Soldiers I’ve been put in leadership over.”

When Kirk was assigned to the 10th Mountain Division (LI), based out of Fort Drum, New York, he was instantly drawn to the MTG – a unit that trains and develops disciplined alpine Soldiers to enhance individual and small-unit competencies in extreme-cold weather and mountainous or other complex, severely restricted terrain.

The original MTG, which started during World War II at Camp Hale, Colorado, was a group of skiers and mountaineers that trained Soldiers in the division to prepare for mountainous and harsh-terrain combat.

“Being a part of the modern Mountain Training Group has been a testament to our leaders’ dedication to pursue greatness,” Kirk said. “It’s an honor to share the namesake of the first Soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division Mountain Training Group, pushing me to live up to their commitment and expertise.”

After serving four and a half years, Kirk had to decide whether to reenlist or to finish his contract and enter the civilian workforce – he chose the former, wanting to continue his time as a MTG instructor, proving his dedication to training, mountaineering, and the division.

When Kirk found out he’d be going to Italy to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of Riva Ridge with other members of the MTG, he knew exactly where he wanted to reenlist.

On Feb. 19, 2025, Soldiers assigned to the MTG, the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (LI) command team, and members of the local Italian community ascended the steep and icy cliffs of Riva Ridge – the scene of the famous 1945 battle.

Kirk, with his admiration for the original Soldiers of the division, decided to do his reenlistment at the top of Riva Ridge, honoring those who fought and lost their lives 80 years ago.

“I could think of no place more fitting to commit more of my time and energy to the development of this division, than at one of the most important locations in our proud and storied history,” Kirk said.

At the summit of Riva Ridge, with the American flag waving and mountains standing behind them, Capt. Thomas Runningen, commander of the MTG, administered the Oath of Enlistment to Kirk.

“It felt surreal to be standing on Riva Ridge, overlooking Mount Belvedere – let alone administering the Oath of Enlistment,” Runningen said. “I could not think of a more perfect place for a 10th Mountain Division Soldier, let alone a Mountain Training Group instructor, to do their reenlistment.”