"The legacy of valor Wiercinski inherited as the Rakkasans' commander gave him an advantage over commanders of less-storied units in fostering esprit de corps. Rakkasan veterans of earlier wars enjoyed almost unfettered access to the brigade in garrison, visiting frequently to share war stories and wisdom with their successors. "They're always at functions, and the soldiers always hear of their tales, and of the Rakkasan legacy, whether it be WWII, or Korea with the two combat jumps, or Vietnam-Hamburger Hill," Wiercinski said.

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  "And then of course, Desert Storm, with the great deep air assault into the Euphrates river valley. That all plays into combat power. It just does something to soldiers to feel a part of such a tight-knit organization...You hear boys talk about it all the time, you know, 'We're keeping up the Rakkasan legacy, we've got to uphold the standards of the Rakkasans and the 101st, the Screaming Eagles. "All of that was such a great combat multiplier for us. We knew where we came from, we knew who we were, and we knew what we stood for.""