Out of This World

Video by Davide Dalla Massara

1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Change of Responsibility Ceremony

Training Support Activity Europe

Jan. 23, 2025 | 2:06

Paratroopers and family members gathered Jan. 23, 2025, at Caserma Ederle in Vicenza, Italy, for the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Change of Responsibility Ceremony. The ceremony, officiated by Lt. Col. Joseph R. Branch, welcomed Command Sgt. Maj. Trevor O. Petsch as the command’s senior noncommissioned officer and bid farewell to Command Sgt. Maj. Bryan S. O’Neal, who served in the position for the last two years. The event reinforced the authority of noncommissioned officers in the Army and highlighted their critical role in supporting the chain of command. The 173rd Airborne Brigade serves as the U.S. Army’s Contingency Response Force in Europe, providing rapidly deployable forces to the U.S. European, African, and Central Command areas of responsibility. Forward deployed across Italy and Germany, the brigade routinely trains with NATO allies and partners to enhance cooperation and strengthen the alliance. (U.S. Army video by Davide Dalla Massara)