Soldiers excited (and nerve wracked) to drive tanks in DC military parade

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WASHINGTON – On blistering summer days, the sprawling, tree-shaded park on the banks of the Potomac River is usually populated by tourists and picnickers.On June 11, the park was fenced off to civilians, and soldiers in fatigues roamed the area. Dozens of tanks and armored vehicles lined its streets in preparation to roll through the capital this weekend in the Army's 250th anniversary parade.
Lt. Kaessey Thompson looked on in anticipation at the tanks.
"I'm super excited," said Thompson, who volunteered to ride one of the tanks in the June 14 parade. "It's going to be a great experience."
"It's definitely a once-in-a-lifetime event," said Sgt. Timothy Reid, who was standing beside a nearby Bradley armored vehicle.
Amid the sweltering summer heat, the soldiers kept busy. Several in helmets climbed on the top of a tank, one wielding a wrench to make adjustments. Another opened the top hatch of a Stryker and deftly climbed inside.
Specialist Jonas Chu, a Stryker driver, said the experience means facing "new places, a lot of new crowds, and some pressure, because you're here with the Army."
"It's really fun, and honestly nerve-wracking, but I'm excited to be here," he added.
Chu said the Strykers are already mission capable – getting them ready for the parade is just a matter of a little shining and polishing.
Reid has operated Bradley fighting vehicles for nearly a decade, but never on the streets of a U.S. city.
"I've done different trips throughout Germany... but nothing on the level of what's going to be happening in D.C.," he said.
The tanks and armored vehicles arrived in Jessup, Maryland, on June 9 after a cross-country journey by train from Fort Cavazos in Texas. They were then strapped onto trucks and hauled to the park less than a mile from the Lincoln Memorial, where they will remain in place until the day of the parade.
City officials have voiced concern about the toll the tanks' tracks could take on Washington's roads. In preparation, the Army Corps of Engineers has anchored steel plates along the parade route at spots where the tanks will make a turn. Most of those points are on the traffic circle surrounding the Lincoln Memorial, according to an Army map shared with reporters.
Although the Army has said it would pay for any damage to the roads, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said in late May she was still "concerned."
Soldiers said they were aware of the controversy surrounding the parade and concerns that it doubled as a birthday celebration for the president but said their work in Washington was focused on their duty as members of the military.
"It's a coincidence that it happens on the same day," said Reid, the Bradley operator.
Chu, a Stryker driver, said his "main mission" is celebrating the Army's birthday. "Any other ones, that's just an added bonus."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Soldiers excited (and nervous) to drive tanks in DC military parade