#athletes unlimited

[pwhl-mybeloved]

[hoopster321]

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AU knows what’s up 🙂‍↕️

[fubblers]

Y’all gotta watch Aliyah Andrews clips when you get the chance because they’re all this. It’s her launching herself at the ball and everyone losing their shit because she might as well be flying.

She’s had the reputation of Air Aliyah for a few years now because she just does this on a regular basis.

[rimunagenius]

having to watch au just so i can see emily get the PT she deserves 🥲

[davidshawnsown]

USA BASEBALL RPF (MODERN SETTING) 2 - Campaigns in the Ukraine (Chapter 5a)

(AN: It's been a long way since I last wrote on Tumblr. I've been doing one shots set in the war on Discord on my server there and will transcribe them here. With the situation as worse as two years ago, I have long had a writing pause to focus on Discord. But still, I did some content there, here on Tumblr, and now on Substack. I am still writing now on what the 78th BCT prepared for in the weeks and months before and after the start of their Ukrainian deployment, and expect that there will be chaptered one shots set in Ukrainian battlefields, both on the perspective of the 1st Battalion and of those individual fighters as well. I have resumed writing the RPF of the hockey boys and girls too. All these I do so that not only the world be aware of what is going on in Ukraine be known and that every effort be made to help arming the nation and financially assist its defense industry and national reconstruction, but also so that the memory of the fighting men and women of Ukraine and the many international fighters especially those who have perished will be remembered long after the end of this war. These first chapters will also serve as an introduction to the cast of characters of this series.)

DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF WILLIE MAYS AND ORLANDO CEPEDA

DUKE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS

DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA

Friday, January 15, 2022

1045H EST

For the first time since activation elements of A and B Companies of 1st Battalion performed their first weekly Combat Water Survival tests in preparation for their potential Ukrainian deployment. The reason why is not just as a refresher training given that all those who were called for the mobilization program already had it done, but also to prepare for scenarios of crossing the rivers and lakes of Ukraine - as well as marshlands and swamps - without any vehicle or boat support, as well as in any scenario of any type of bridge being destroyed by Russian enemy fire as well as any Russian destruction of vehicles while crossing waterways by any means. Plans are made to make this a weekly duty as the other companies of the battalion are being activated from reserve and cadre status.

However Captain Frazier's 1st Platoon under 1LT Tyler Austin - the so-called Tokyo Boys - have some more time for swimming duties and water survival outside these, as per the behest of one of its men, as MAJ Sogard and some others view the proceedings. He can hear him shout "On me, go!" as the water splashes.

"Is that Sergeant Joe Ryan leading the company staff and 1st Platoon elements?"

BG Randolph replies, "He's the one. We all saw those swim pictures and videos he frequenly sent to us in Cary via email. He's grown so much since Tokyo."

"That's one of my A Company sergeants," the major answered.

Planned to be promoted to lieutenant colonel for his work in the brigade's reactivation to active duty, MAJ Scott Brosius added, "He's definitely been training in the pool in between our combat and training operations, Sogard."

"I'm sure he has been. And is that Major Nick Swisher?"

"Affirmative. Part of the 3rd NY, and as part of our brigade's training program, he has returned here to help in mobilization efforts. Ever the natural swimmer he is."

"Has Captain Plata known of this?"

"Has his seal of approval. And he's gonna make it a near daily duty outside of the weekly combat swim survival drills because 1st Battalion needs to be the vanguard in Ukraine operations."

"All normal so far for these lads, " added 1LT Mattalino. He says that through these and the other exercises they have been kept even more fit and healthy for operations ahead.

Sergeant Joe Ryan of 2nd squad, 1st platoon of A Company had been a part of the 2021 mobilization unit and ever the swimmer he was, alongside some of that unit, he was the lead NCO whenever pool and open water swims would occur. A native of San Francisco, CA, Ryan was selected to be a part of the 98th Tampa Bay but by the time he was already in Japan as a member of the 78th Brigade's Tokyo task unit in July of 2021, he had been transferred to Minneapolis and the battalion of the 1st Minnesota based in St. Paul operationally, since he had been named a part of its 1st Battalion upon his transfer. Being the lead swimmer in such training fixtures whenever a water scenario occurs he has been a big motivator for everyone in A Company. Captain Jake Arrietta of B Company could not help but watch from the sidelines at poolside as Joe and the 1st platoon finished their individual swim drills and emerged from the pool, all wet and bodies drenched by the water, before transitioning to combat water training invidiually - this time wearing combat shorts or speedos unlike in the earlier training in full battle gear. In both cases, the servicemen would carry their M4 rifles, which they have been inspected so that they would not be damaged by exposing to the water. It has been Joe's duty to help the company adapt to their role as the assault vanguard and to help them be ready for such scenarios in inland waters or in ocean waters. In this manner and reflecting where the 78th BCT is planning to head for deployment duties, preparing to swim in the fast flowing rivers of Ukraine, its lakes and swamps would be very easy if everyone would be prepared either if the crossing would be by themselves carrying their gear and rifles, inflatable boats or by their combat vehicles. All this was Joe's proposal when the 2021 contingent got formed up, for while this would be a reminder of his swimming days out west when he was young, it would also prepare them for the hard tasks of having to cross any inland body of water without any form of vehicular support. All of these, supervised by the medical staff, lifeguards and battalion and company leadership, would continue even during their deployment as preparation for the tasks they would do there.

"Cannot believe this Dex. How cost THEY do that?" Jake asked his XO.

1LT Dexter Fowler replied, "They did this before in Japan, I was told, and right here at stateside."

SFC LaPorta added, "I'm sure Baker Company will do the same iin the future."

"Same for me here, hoping that we would do the same as they do", added SSGT Blaine Neal.

After individual and then squad level drills, Joe's group - the A Company officers and assigned NCOs and 1st platoon personnel together - would do platoon level swim duty as a group, as usual wearing speedos or shorts to simulate a platoon level river crossing without uniforms but with rifles. Everyone at poolside has been impressed by what they have done.

And then comes that part wherein the whole drill is repeated but with combat gear and bags to simulate moving these thru rivers and lakes.

After all come out of the pool and bring their bags and gear to poolside for a final inspection, Major Sogard greets them. "Well done 1st Platoon of A Company, and to you Sergeant Ryan. Your efforts will make this unit ready for what the coming weeks and months will bring."

"It was my idea after all, for I've been a swimmer all my life," the sergeant replied. After learning that the 78th would plan to come to the aid of Ukraine in case of the feared Russian invasion that week and indeed he and his companions were the first to be mobilized officially, he devised a plan, he said, to prepare his mates in the Tokyo contingent - the first ones of A Coy 1-78th IBCT that got mobilized - for the challenges that lay in Ukraine's rivers, lakes, marshes and swamplands and how to cross them in the absence of amphibious-ready armored vehicles and any crossable bridges in the immediate vicinity, either temporary or permanent. This would continue even after they have been deployed because such a duty would happen by order of company leadership.

"Have the rifles been checked, sarge, post-swim?"

"Yes sir, all well and in good condition."

"Well noted Ryan. Well done everyone. This is just a start for this company, right Captain Frazier?"

"Affirmative sir, " Todd replied. "We will do this again in a few days and then we will do it twice every week to prepare the boys for such scenarios."

"Same for me major," added CPT Tulowitzki.

"I hope this continues well for A Company. Dismissed."

As the major left, Todd looked to Sergeant Ryan, saying "There's more we can do to prepare for these. We have a hard task to do."

"Noted, captain. Is that the same, SFC Gose?"

The company first sergeant replied, "Yup. That's the same thing Joe."

"Hoping we're ready for the next one lads. There will be more of these that will come as we prepare to answer Ukraine's call."

78TH BRIGADE COMMAND MESS

1600H EST

"Maxwell, we now have a commander for D Company of 1st Battalion, also set to be activated from cadre status."

That was the word that LTC Dale Murphy informed BG Maxwell. The search was over, 1LT Bailey Ober can finally be appointed D Company CO by the orders of LTC Fenster.

"Who's that?" Maxwell asked.

"Assigned to 1st Battalion, 1st Minnesota based out of Minneapolis. He's from Huntersville."

"Why he is being recalled?"

"Part of 2014 contingent from universities and colleges, general. The very things he learned there he now applies as a platoon XO there," Dale replied.

"That explains everything. And who chose him?"

"Major Sogard, sir. On the suggestion of no less than Sergeant Joe Ryan from A Company."

Jason then ended the talk saying, "I therefore hope he will be informed at once that he's being recalled to the active ranks. He must be ready for his first command billet. So have you guys have found a company first sergeant for these boys now that this company will be reactivated from being in the reserves?"

"Yes also. SSGT Lucas Sims, 1st Battalion 1st Cincinnati City. He too will be informed in a few days of his appointment to the role."

Then Major Sogard arrived, stunned by the decision to activate D Company.

"It now has a new commander and first sergeant? That D Company?"

"Yes Major, the one being set to be prepared for active duty," replied LTC Murphy.

"Noted gents. In a few days from now we can finally activate this. We have to hand over command to the newly selected members of the command team. Those being cadre, the last of the peacetime rifle companies, are being transferred to the battalions being activated."

"Affirmative, major. Slowly 1st Battalion is completing its mobilization phrase."

"But how about the rest of 169th Corps? Have they been informed?"

BG Maxwell replied, "Now more than ever, we have to inform them we are being mobilized given what's going on in Ukraine. They better be ready to recieve the mobilization order from USEC Manfred and his command team led by LTG Halem, who for the past years was also Corps JAG until he handed over to a new general officer this year. We must be ready to tell them now is the time to prepare the work needed for mobilization, whether Russia gears up to invade Ukraine or not."

"Noted sir. And has Swaggerty been informed of the appointment of his company XO?"

"Yes he has been called of this," Sogard replied.

"I'm sure he will be ready to be recalled to active service."

"He will be ready, Josh, to renew his commissioning oath as he prepares for this new assignment."

"And is the 4th and 5th battalions set for activation orders?"

"Yes major. They will be raised soon."

"And our tank battalion?"

"Its M60s and Abrams are being reconditioned as well. They too will have drills with us. The same goes for our field artillery battalions, soon being set to become a regiment under brigade headquarters. We have a whole lot to do to prepare for our future operations in Ukraine, even the equipment, uniforms, weapons and logistics assistance needed."

"Noted sir. Back to D Company. Are we looking on who will be filling its ranks?"

"2013-2015 collegiate, 2017 and 2018 pre-training, 2011-2015 high schools. We will notify them at home and their families. If the names called are absent due to various reasons we will be informed. If overseas by the time they are being called, we will email them to ask them to be here in Cary. Those who are overseas who are willing to wear the uniform, we will try to call them even if not named in these lists. For they too will be a part of this if they accept that mission."

@joeybosa-aaronjudge @lukeexplorer @lightninging @homerofthebraves @dilangleywritesfanfic @alekmanoah @ilovetheyankees @darkorderaf @highwaytothedangerzone502  @zackcollins

[female-buckets]

AU season is starting!

[aerinfrankellove]

My biggest flex in life is that I’ve met Odicci Alexander three times

[aggold15hi01]

Sneak peek of Allisha Gray at the Athletes Unlimited Event. 😍

⚠️ Disclaimer: I don't own the images and none of it (The images) are mine.

📷 Credits to Allisha Gray, Athletes Unlimited, Sydney Colson and IG for all of the original and respective images.

Can't wait to see Allisha becoming a 'First time' Team Captain of her own team *without the presence of Naz.

(*Again; NO 'TRUE' and 'FULL ON' OFFENSE TO ATLANTA DREAM FANS: NAZ HILLMON FANS: RHYNE HOWARD FANS AND EVERYBODY ELSE IN GENERAL as usually I am a deeply guarded fan of Allisha Gray whom she isn't truly a fan of Atlanta Dream, Rhyne Howard; Naz Hillmon or all of the above; sorry.)

[rickeajacksons]

[travisdermotts]

Athletes Unlimited announced today that they will be expanding their existing softball season and introducing a traditional, city based league that will have 30 game seasons.

Right now, AU has been running both their two week long AUX season and their longer AU pro season. Both of these have utilized unconventional structures, relying on individual stats and player points and redrafting teams each week. The introduction of a more traditional league will offer a bit more stability and allow teams to build up their own identities and fanbases.

AU will still run both the AUX and AU pro seasons, moving the latter to after the end of the league season and renaming it to the "AUSL Champions Cup", allowing them to keep the unique structure that had seen so much success over the past 4 years.

As someone who has played and watched softball all my life, this is huge. Like hockey, there have been many iterations of professional women's softball leagues (some with more success than others), but to me, nothing has been as stable as the product that AU has been able to create. They have been able to attract and retain some of the sport's best talent and have been able to provide more opportunities for their athletes to play and to be paid by having multiple seasons a year.

I really hope that everyone who has given their support to the PWHL this season and is excited for the beginning of the NSL, can also find room to support another new professional women's sports league in 2025.

[dhart4214]

WHY BASEBALL & SOFTBALL ARE THE MOST CHALLENGING SPORTS (according to me)

AND WHY THEY ARE CONSEQUENTLY THE MOST DIFFICULT, WHICH IS A PERTINENT REASON WHY IN MY OPINION THEY ARE THE BEST SPORTS BEFORE I START… I should clarify that when I say softball, I mean fast pitch softball and not the pick-up kind that I play on Saturdays… The reason why baseball and (fast pitch) softball are the most difficult sports in my view is a straight-forward one… If you’re a wide…

[pwhl-mybeloved]

watch here 📺

[regallibellbright]

So, I mentioned previously that Fashion Dreamer represents a significant improvement in the men's fashion over syn Sophia's past games, even if it still seems to be a lower priority compared to the women's. (It is sounding like there are fewer items for them on the whole, and I would not be at all shocked to hear there are fewer items for specific fashion niches than those equivalent niches in the women's fashion, but it is still meaningfully more diverse than what it was before.)

I promised examples.

Unfortunately, I only have one really good screenshot from my own 3DS, because I tend to take pictures of dialogue rather than inviting random characters to pose with me, and of the ones where you can clearly see what a guy is wearing, it's usually a character who's intentionally dressed as a sort of dorky scientist at best, and at worst...

Well, the best picture I have ALSO includes Johann, so you get to see him!

For those not reading the alt text, I feel it's important you know that that jacket of Johann's has TAILS. Also big gold buttons, I didn't note those because they're not really visible at all, and pants with a very gaudy floral pattern. So yeah, he's an Eccentric and Tortured Musician, so he dresses Like That. It's clearly intentional and not representative of the average character in the game (though he also has a student who dresses basically like him, with basically the same Eccentric and Tortured bit, who we see in a side quest.)

Oliver, on the other hand, is pretty much representative of how men in this series dress. He's a model, and as you can see, his default outfit (I checked the Style Boutique wiki to confirm, this is it) is... uh, kind of bland. He's not alone.

(Shout outs to the Style Boutique Wiki, where I got these screenshots.) This is Ricky, shown in his default outfit. (While there technically IS a menswear section in Fashion Forward, it's an extra you can only access from the title screen to dress up NPCs, and very limited. In the summer he'll take that jacket off, but that's it.)

I believe at least one of these outfits of Florian's is user-designed - they're both from Trendsetters, which is the game I've played the least of the four. Either way, not suits! But still not particularly interesting. But okay, maybe it's just that this STYLE is on the bland side? Let's try some others!

(In order: Vincent, Melvin, Ethan Quinn, Jim.)

I swear I didn't go looking for characters who are exclusively wearing T-shirts except Ethan, I am a bit limited in what the wiki has here. But also... yeah. I think Jim might be supposed to be a fan of bold fashion, given the belt and the hair? But you wouldn't know it from looking at the plain black t-shirt. Vincent and Melvin are a bit better - Vincent helps run the live music venue that opens midway through the game, while Melvin is in fact a nerd who doesn't take that much interest in fashion and only shows up to support one of the three central idols of the game, who also happens to be his best friend. Is it unfair to include him, then? No. Because at least his outfit is actually indicative of his character!

(Daisuke, Chad - though I believe he's renamed Brad in the North American release, and MC Mode, two photos. Tarquin, at the bottom, is one of my own screenshots.)

The same hat situation here is a bit amusing, but they were designed for different games and it makes sense to reuse fashion items like that between games - it let them add onto the wardrobe as the series went on, so there were a lot more items with different silhouettes and such by Styling Star. For the women. I think at least a few of these characters got to gain and lose jackets depending on the in-game season, and MC Mode here is a fashionable guy who gets to wear TWO outfits.

And the chic look isn't too bad - both Mode and Ethan wear it, so as you can see, there's definitely some range. I think Vincent might get to wear a leather jacket during the in-game winter, but I couldn't commit to it; I can't remember off-hand if Daisuke loses his jacket in the summer, though I hope not.

But yeah. You'll notice looking at all of these that even the rocker's outfit is a t-shirt and jeans. There ARE slightly more interesting options - those jeans might be distressed, there ARE leather jackets, and there are some pants with excess belts among the men's, I think - but not nearly as much as the women's fashion in the punk rock style. Tarquin's "lab coat" is clearly a suit jacket, and while it makes some sense not to make an entire unique item for one character, this game didn't even have men's fashion. I'm pretty sure they just used an existing suit jacket from Trendsetters. On the other hand, at least THAT ONE is reflective of his character. Daisuke's outfit is the closest the games come to athletic wear until Fashion Dreamer.

The characters in the later two games in particular were REALLY fun. There's a reason why I didn't have many screenshots just showing a male character facing forward, and none without dialogue - I actually really enjoy the writing here. Ethan wants to conquer the world with music, and multiple characters comment that this makes him sound like a supervillain. Tarquin is an endearing nerd who has a bunch of cute comments about all the items you bring in to make fashion items from. Florian likes bad puns.

But their outfits don't really tell you much about their personalities, where the female characters all do.

[fubblers]

“The first human unlocked natural flight”

“What holy shit who was it?!”

“Aliyah Andrews”

“Yeah that makes sense”

[bloomingonionbitch]

i'm in this weird limbo of "do i still want to work in education?" because (as we've discussed) i have taught in every flavor of school (public, private, charter, online) and it's real bad...want to make it super clear i'm not talking about the students. they're the best part.

i'm talking about barely making over $40k with a whole bachelor's degree and half a master's. class sizes over 30, with multiple preps. getting put on committees without consent. having to coach AND run an extracurricular for the stipends. spending whole class periods administering benchmarks based on a shitty state exam that only stress the kids out. admin wondering why students aren't performing well on the shitty state exam when the curriculum and pacing and teaching scripts aren't developmentally appropriate or craated with students in mind.

i could go on, but i won't. my heart's just a little broken, that's all.

[davidshawnsown]

USA BASEBALL ONE SHOT RPF 3: Before Leaving Bucha

(AN: Dedicated to the memory of all the Ukrainian civilians and military personnel who perished in this war, including in the Battle of Bucha, as well as to now retired 2008 bronze medal Olympian Dexter Fowler and new MLB Hall of Famer Scott Rolen.)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2022

BUCHA CITY HALL, BUCHA

1740 EEST

As elements of the 1st and 2nd Battalions 78th Brigade Combat Team began to pack up alongside the armored units and the rest of the brigade's formations already in Ukrainian soil, the first battalion commander, LTC Darren Fenster, had started to realize how much the cost in liberating Bucha and the nearby city of Irpin had on the brigade at large, considering they were all involved in the latter and had been here following liberation to begin the hard task of clearing the roads littered with destroyed Russian heavy equipment and vehicles, a task the combat engineer and maintenance battalions had done briefly so that the brigade would begin the long drive to help assist in lifting besiged Chernihiv, as well as any mine detection and clearing work if needed.

But there's another thing that set to begin. The support formations as well as the chaplaincy unit and PAO were starting to see bodies of the Russian dead as well as their Ukrainian counterparts and those civilians either killed by Russia or were caught in the battle. These would be future proof of the war atrocities the Russian people committed to the defiant people of the city. These would be buried in just weeks after the bodies have been identified by representatives of the Ukrainian government, the Kyiv Oblast authorities, and the Bucha City Council, alongside the Criminal Police of the National Police's Bucha units now reconstituted, alongside personnel from national HQ and the Kyiv Oblast branch.

Earlier that day the lieutenant colonel, together with their brigade commander BG Hopkins had led a flag lowering ceremony marking the end of the American commitment to the liberation of the two cities west of Kyiv. Given that the Americans came very late into the battles for these cities with American heavy weaponry assisting the Ukrainian war effort, he thought of how must the 2nd Battalion had lost some of its personnel while the 1st Battalion had injuries, but not any KIA, in the battles. 4th Battalion too suffered light casualty numbers, and the armored battalion and armored cavalry squadron, thankfully, only lost a few tanks due to their late arrival (majority being Abrams and M60s and not those of the light tank company). The anti tank artillery battalion and the brigade's field artillery regiment, thankfuly, suffered no casualties from their ranks, the same for the support formations. Irpin was the baptism of fire once more of the 78th Brigade, which contributed personnel to the theaters of the Second World War, had fought as a whole unit in Korea and Vietnam and Panama and as a battalion in Grenada, yet again as a whole formation in both Gulf Wars and sent a battalion to Somalia and later Bosnia, and fought with other formations of the Army in Afghanistan and Iraq against terrorist groups. Now it was finally fighting with Ukrainian formations and militias against Russian forces in support as well of the International Legion of Territorial Defense's American personnel. Their efforts and the American equipment the brigade had been using have impressed the Ukrainian servicemen they fought with on the final days of the battles for these two cities and the effectiveness of the Western materiel against Russia's war machine have even convinced the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense that Ukraine's future equipment will be mostly Western made.

Among those officers and NCOs present were the commander of the operational forces in Ukraine of the 46th Command, Brigadier General Mark DeRosa and the commanders of the 3rd NY Infantry and the 1st Minnesota Infantry, COL Aaron Boone and COL Rocco Baldelli, as well as now BG Joe Girardi, commandant of the 83rd Philadelphia. The battalions of their regiments, as well as of the 4th Rapid Reaction Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine and the 112th Territorial Defense Brigade, both of these involved in the Bucha and Irpin battles, were all present, as well as those of the 58th Mechanized Infantry Brigade and the 2nd Battalion of the Toronto Rifles, all of them Canadian residents within the Toronto area that joined the war effort once their regiment was given the OK from Ottawa to join their American comrades with an added provision of helping to transport willing Canadian veterans who plan to join the International Legion, awaiting the arrival of the multi-national personnel from the 1st Battalion. And joining them were their Ukrainian hosts, the men and women of the Ukrainian Ground Forces' Operational Command North, MINDEF and the Armed Forces General Staff who were all proud of the multi-national effort made to liberate those areas near the capital.

Following the address by the commander of the 4th Brigade, the US officers offically handed over the Bucha city flag to the representatives of the city council, officially declaring as concluded the operations to liberate these two cities given the accomplishment of the objectives of these. The last US officer to be given the city flag before the handover to a Ukrainian Ground Forces serviceman of the 58th Brigade, who will first be handing over the flag to representatives of the Ukrainian forces stationed there before being presented to the city council representative was Captain Todd Frazier of A Company of the 78th's 1st Battalion, their commanding officer. It was his efforts and that of his fellow servicemen, together with their Ukrainian counterparts, that ensured the victory of the join US-Canadian-Ukrainian force that dealt a heavy loss to 3 regiments of the Russian Airborne Forces and the Russian Ground Forces' 35th and 36th Armies, thru two brigade combat teams. It was a tough time for the 78th and the American and Canadian formations that joined them in assisting Ukraine with the recapture of two cities west of Kyiv.

At that ceremony, the American officers of the units that helped Ukraine liberate Bucha expressed not just condolences to the fallen servicemen and the civilians who died, but also cited the courage and amazing determination and teammwork they and the Canadians as well as their Ukrainian brothers shown in the past days. No less than BG DeRosa addressed that formation with remarks of what he put in his words as the "bravery and fierceness" of the boys of the 78th that helped win the victory for Ukraine in Bucha and earlier in Irpin. Similar messages were stated by the other unit commanders. LTC Fenster of the 1st Battalion addressed the personnel of the unit of their amazing work that have helped Ukraine win the twin battles and the fact that there were no fatalities among its personnel was also applauded given their late arrival in the operation.

The few Ukrainians who spoke that day were not just proud of the Ukrainians who liberated Bucha but also of the American and Canadian formations who helped them get the win and push Russia out of the capital's western suburbs. They were indeed eternally full of gratitude not just to the people of the world who helped to continue showing support to the nation in their time of need but also to the personnel of the International Legion and the 169th Corps who were the first reservists to be deployed to Ukraine and were the first to help fight for a common cause.

As the 78th Brigade's band played the State Anthem of Ukraine preceded by O Canada and The Star Splangled Banner, the forces gathered on Energetskiy Street saluted as the flags were lowered and in their place the blue and yellow Ukrainian flag was hoisted, signifying Bucha now having returned to Ukraine. Fighting may be going on north in Hostomel, but it is a sign of the capital's surroundings being slowly cleared of the Russian aggressor. Soon the 3rd and 87th regiments are to move north, while the 78th Brigade will be moving directly to reinforce the forces fighting Russians in the Chernihiv Oblast area.

As the sun began to set in the Bucha hills, LTC Fenster knew it would be long before the boys of his battalion would be on the move north but having to skip Brovary as the Russians are fighting Ukrainians there on the road to Chernihiv, but now as they begin to leave for the journey, the 1st Battalion's CO talked to the boys of A Company that set the tone for the liberation to happen, in particular the 1st platoon made up of those who were in Tokyo more than half a year prior.

"Captain Todd, officers and men of Able Company," spoke the battalion commander, " Ukraine is very much grateful to all you have contributed since we arrived. We cannot help but remember not the the fallen from the rest of the brigade, but the fact that the ENTIRE 1st Battalion made it all the way without any single fatality despite injuries - well done to all of you, especially to you guys at A Company who led the way in Irpin first and then Bucha and aiding the Ukrainians in the liberation of these cities and the country at large. I am damn proud of all of you, and I will never forget helping you achieve the impossible. Ukraine is thankful for the work you all did fighting Russians west of the capital, and one day it will reward us all greatly. As we and the whole of our battalion leave Bucha, while recalling the fallen and the dead and the sacrifices made to liberate it and Irpin, we are proud to have helped Ukraine fight the invader determined to wipe this nation off the map. Understood?"

"Sir yes sir!"

Todd replied, "Lieutenant colonel sir, it was my company's hard work and cooperation with the Ukrainians that led to this point. I am damn proud of my men and all my fellow infantrymen of the battalion, and of all of you in battalion command that helped make it possible."

"Same for me and Baker Company," Captain Jake Arrietta replied.

"Ditto, colonel," added CPT Kylee Lahners, the C Company commander. The other company commanders said the same. It was indeed a great effort by everyone that made those twin victories possible.

Bucha will soon rebuild, but the mark left by the forces of liberation will remain for generations, LTC Fenster thought, knowing that soon they will be back to prepare for the victory parade in iconic Maidan Nezalezhnosti alongside their Ukrainian partners and the many who will be fighting with them together under a singular cause of assisting Ukraine in its struggle against the Russian occupier, no matter what.

@joeybosa-aaronjudge @lightninging @homerofthebraves @dilangleywritesfanfic @auroralightsthesky @alekmanoah @ilovetheyankees @darkorderaf @highwaytothedangerzone502 @zackcollins