Clothing company pays homage to first all-Black paratrooper regiment

@SSG Carlos Madden
"As the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the country and stories circulated about the police killings of George Floyd, and Breonna Taylor along with the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, four veterans whose early military careers were with the 82nd Airborne Division asked themselves how they could promote unity.

Former Special Forces officer Ruben “Rubz” Ayala joined forces again with retired Master Sgt. Chris “Smurf” McPhee, Master Sgt. Kuther “Rod” Graham and 1st Sgt. Curtez “Curt” Riggs to start Triple Nikel Apparel.

The clothing company pays homage to the 555th Parachute Infantry Regiment, the Army’s first all-Black paratrooper regiment created during segregation in 1943 and was known as the Triple Nickles.

The brand was picked up by Kohl’s last month to be featured in more than 600 stores nationwide.

Ayala said he and another one of his cofounders are part of the Triple Nickle Association, and they reached out to the organization’s president to ensure it was OK to use the name.

“They blessed the idea and said they needed young blood to carry the legacy and just asked that we spell the name differently,” Ayala said. “That’s how we came up with the name because it’s a good story.”...