53rd IBCT Commander interviews with local Albania media at community outreach event [Image 5 of 5]

53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team Commander, Col. Blake Glass, interviews with local media after taking the opportunity to help handout new backpacks and school supplies at the Halit Coka School in Bathore Village, Albania, Tuesday, May 25, 2021. The community outreach event came after the brigade’s Civil Affairs Officer, Capt. Talal Tassi, identified a need in the local community and saw the opportunity to leave a lasting impact on Albanian citizens that goes beyond military training. Florida National Guard Soldiers are preparing to redeploy home after participating in DEFENDER-Europe 21, a multi-national exercise focusing on exchange training and inter-operability between the United States, NATO, and its allies.