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Lack of interest and attention was not an issue at the two displays representing the 21st Theater Sustainment Command at the 25th annual Rheinland-Pfalz Tag at Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler recently.
As in the past, the 21st TSC showcased its Theater Logistics Support Center Europe and the 39th Transportation Battalion’s 5th Quartermaster Company (Airdrop Supply).
***image1***At the TLSC-E stand, the Maintenance Activity Kaiserslautern presented its automotive apprenticeship program and prominently displayed one of its signature
projects: a Volkswagen Polo converted to a pick-up truck. The exhibit was manned by eight apprentices enrolled in MAK’s cutting-edge automotive mecha-tronics training program, which combines automotive mechanics and electronics.
“I am really happy with the attention we received. We had a lot of people stop and ask questions throughout the three-day event. I can’t compare how other displays fared, but I think we did super,” said Eva-Maria Stoeckel, MAK apprentice.
The 5th QM riggers always stand out in their distinctive headgear – the blazing red baseball-style caps worn by all U.S. Army riggers. However, they also had “Mr. Wilson.” Mr. Wilson is a life-sized mannequin dressed in battle dress uniform “rigged” with a main and a reserve parachute, a rucksack and a weapons case.
“We felt appreciated and welcome from the very beginning. Soldiers from the Bundeswehr helped us unload and set-up and made sure everything was just like we wanted it. It was great,” said 1st Lt. Won Ko, 5th QM executive officer.
“Everyone is very nice and very interested in what we do. We had a lot of people stop and check out our display and ask questions. Especially retirees from the German military asked us a lot of different things,” said Staff Sgt. Cesar Liriano, 5th QM air operations sergeant.
The eight riggers manning the exhibit told enthusiastic stories of their interactions with spectators – like the one about the German woman who videotaped their demonstration on how to pack a parachute or of the numerous spectators wanting to try on a parachute to get a feel for the weight and, of course, have their photo taken with Mr. Wilson. They spoke of the German woman who visited and presented them with a gift book and of the older German man in his wheelchair who went home to unearth some wartime photographs to share with them during a second visit.
“Mr. Wilson brings them in. He is like a celebrity and a lot of people want their photos taken with him,” said Pvt. Bryan Vasquez, 5th QM rigger.
When Maj. Gen. Yves J. Fontaine, 21st TSC commander, visited he was afforded the same interest and attention. His visit included meeting with German and American military counterparts and Minister President Kurt Beck. He, too, received a lot of
public attention, like from the teenager, who noted the two stars on General Fontaine’s shoulders and beret and asked if he could take his photograph. Another celebrity shot.
