Dancon March in Kosovo
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
KFORThe KFOR Magazine for KFOR CHRONICLE Soldiers April 2016 INTERNATIONAL DAY OF MINE AWARENESS EXERCISE FOX II www.nato.int/kfor CONTENT PICTURE: MNBG-E April 13th 2016, Turkish Maneuver Company (MNBG-E) conducts Change of Command Ceremony. FIRE FIGHTERS KFOR Helicopter Crew Assists EOD Local Authority to Fight Fire International Day of Mine 03 04 Awareness NL AT KSF Training and Doctrine DANCON 06 Command Dancon March in Kosovo JRD-C 08 Kosovo Police Workshop COS 09 The General’s Perspective KFOR HQ 10 A Visual Overview KTM 12 Exercise FOX II KFOR 14 Units Change of Command LMT Croatian Delegation Visits 16 KFOR CULTURAL CORNER 18 Gadima Cave PICTURES OF THE MONTH 19 Your Chance to be a Part of it! PROFILES 20 Will Bastic MEDICAL ADVICE 21 Vasiliki Letsou 22 Allergic Rhinitis MP MESSAGE & KFOR RADIO 23 90.2 FM and 96.6 FM 2 KFOR CHRONICLE 04/2016 FIRE FIGHTERS KFOR HELICOPTER CREW ASSISTS LOCAL AUTHORITY TO FIGHT FIRE Multinational Battle Group-East assisted local re ghters near Vidomiric, Mitrovica municipality, on April 19, 2016. Local authorities contacted KFOR, through EULEX, to request assistance in ghting a wild re, which threatened to cause loss of life and property. Bondsteel and the citizens of Vidomiric were permitted to return to their homes. rough these activities such as extinguishing re, KFOR continues to preserve a safe and secure environment and ensure freedom of movement for all people in Kosovo. Maj. James Jenkins, OF-3 USA-A Reports from the ground re crew indicated that the wild re ames were as high as 10 meters with heavy smoke obscuring visibility and that the citizens of Vidomiric were asked to evacuate, as a precautionary measure. MNBG-E utilized an UH60L Blackhawk helicopter with a water bucket to assist getting the re under control by dropping 2,400 gallons of water at a designated location. A er MNBG-E completed the water drops, ground re crews con rmed e ectiveness of reducing the ames and smoke resulting in increased visibility. e MNBG-E aviation crew then returned to Camp PICTURE: OF-3 Jenkins (3) KFOR CHRONICLE 04/2016 3 EOD INTERNATIONAL DAY OF MINE AWARENESS On the 4th April each year, the international community celebrates International Day of Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. In Kosovo, this day represents the start of the Humanitarian Demining season and the Mine Action Centre from Kosovo Security Force, with KFOR EOD assets in support, marked the event with a disposal activity. Since the end of the Kosovo war in 1999, men, women and children have been working to rebuild their war-torn region. Duval Thomas Sgt. PICTURE: Sta A quick drive through the main cities proves there is optimism exactly how many of these UXOs the Orahovac Demolition Range in the rebuilding as many of the are hidden within Kosovo, teams for a joint operation to dispose of streets are lined with smiling faces of explosive ordnance disposal more than 60 UXOs. and newly constructed stores. members from Kosovo Force and The operation also marked the While the people of Kosovo NATO are working together with beginning of the demining season work diligently to rebuild their the Kosovars to eliminate the in Kosovo. countryside, remnants of war threat. “By getting rid of the UXO’s we continue to resurface. Every year, On the 4th April, multinational are taking a danger away from hundreds of pieces of unexploded EOD teams from the Kosovo the public space,” said Maj. Alex ordnance and munition left Security Forces (KSF), Spora, Swiss EOD detachment over from war are unearthed Switzerland, Ukraine, Moldova, commander. “This is what the and exposed to unsuspected and U.S. armies came together at basic function of an EOD team is. pedestrians. While no one can calculate We try to protect the Kosovo population from the explosive hazards being left out in the country.” Among the pile of explosives turned over to the KSF and NATO were a mixture of anti- 4 KFOR CHRONICLE 04/2016 EOD tank mines, grenades, mortars, and rocket propelled grenades. Each pile of UXO’s highlights a different era of war in the Balkan regions. “We cannot forget that Kosovo and a major part of the Balkans has been a battlefield for centuries which means we have old munitions dating back to 1912, 1914 into the 1990’s,” said Spora. For many Kosovo soldiers like Cpl. Roland Reshitaj, of KSF EOD Company, forgetting that his land was once a battlefield is not an option and instead said he uses it as motivation when doing his job. “Every demolition makes Kosovo a safer place,” said Reshitaj. “When we do a demolition, in our mind we think we are doing our job right and we are so proud.” While the KSF have an invested interest since it is their region and their people, Spora and the members of the Kosovo Force team share the weight of keeping the Kosovars safe. “We share the common language as EOD techs, we share common burdens and challenges, this is what makes us brothers in arms,” said Spora. With the demining season just starting the KFOR and KSF EOD teams are preparing for a busy season but are prepared to tackle the challenges that lay ahead, shoulder to shoulder. “The KSF teams are very professional, they’re very capable, and they have a very good relationship with the KFOR EOD teams. We work very well together,” said Spora. “Glad to be part of this operation,” said Reshitaj. “I am so happy to work with the other countries.” Staff Sgt. Thomas Duval OR-6 USA-A (3) Duval Thomas Sgt. PICTURE: Sta KFOR CHRONICLE 04/2016 5 NL AT PUBLIC COLLABORATION OF NLAT AND KSF TRADOC IN SHAPING THE FUTURE OF KSF Established on the 4th of July 2013, this through the provision of charge of education, training and NATO Liaison and Advisory Team advice and support at brigade level development, and standardization (NLAT) supports the ongoing and above. In this scope, NLAT of the KSF doctrinal publications. development of the Kosovo collaborates with KSF Training and TRADOC, consisting of di erent Security Force (KSF) within its Doctrine Command (TRADOC), centres such as Basic Training, current mandate. NLAT achieves a brigade level institution in Specialist Training, Leadership PICTURE: Lt Col Halil Sıddık AYHAN (2) PICTURE: Halil Sıddık AYHAN Col Lt 6 KFOR CHRONICLE 04/2016 NL AT and Professional Development, Collective Training Centre and University Study is responsible for conducting basic, specialized, leadership and collective training for the KSF active and reserve personnel alike. KSF TRADOC Deputy Commander, Col Irfete Spahiu met with the Chief of NLAT Command Advisory Branch Col Cem Sen (TUR A) and Chief of Subject Matter Experts Branch Col Wolfgang Mika (GER A), and (2) PICTURE: Halil Sıddık AYHAN Col Lt the advisors. She expressed her gratitude to the NLAT personnel completed the march even though are eager to learn military skills for their outstanding contribution the route was steep and Cadets until it is mastered. e students and support in training the KSF carried the mandatory 15 kg back are also aware that these training personnel. She also stressed that pack, ri e and helmet. As NLAT skills will develop their con dence closer cooperation with TRADOC, advisors, we appreciated the physical to perform their operational tasks advisors and subject matter experts strength, discipline, motivation of in the future. It is an undeniable from NLAT embodying an array of the Cadets and a er the challenge fact that the collaboration of the 14 di erent nations has helped KSF we departed with positive hopes for professional NLAT Advisors and progress in its path to a professional the future o cers of the KSF. the highly quali ed KSF instructors force. In April, NLAT Advisors attended is key to the success of TRADOC. On the 11th March, NLAT Advisors various courses in TRADOC. and the KSF Cadets currently ese courses were Basic NCO enrolled in the University Study Training Course, Sta Command Centre conducted a 20km route Procedures and Language Courses. Lt Col Halil Sıddık AYHAN march. All participants successfully It was observed that the students OF-4 TUR A KFOR CHRONICLE 04/2016 7 DANCON DANCON MARCH IN KOSOVO e famous and popular “DANCON March” was held at Camp Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny with more than 950 participants (EULEX KOSOVO, KFOR troops) on the 3rd of April 2016. aiding another if the need arises and to triumph together as we reach our goals,” said M.H. Klausen, re team leader for the Danish contingent. “A marching soldier is older than the wheel and in this simple discipline we can strengthen ourselves as an individual and our bond as fellow brothers in arms.” For each one of the participants who nished the DANCON March within a predetermined time the reward was a medal, a diploma and a nice day with their comrades. e DANCON March is a tradition Kosovo, the DANCON march In the advertised categories in the Danish Defence Forces and it served as a milestone and an the rst three participants who was initially held in 1972 when the opportunity to bond with their successfully completed the march Royal Danish Army was deployed allied partners. “We are deployed as got recognition. e awards were handed by Major Peter Kaplers, who 25 km (men): 25 km (women): is the Danish Senior Representative in Kosovo. OR-9 Marek MAZUR (POL) 2h31m OR-3 Petra ZNIDARIC (SVN) 3h56m OF-1 Oleksandr NEDASHOVSKYI (UKR) OR-3 Arnò CARMEN (ITA) 4h05m Congratulations to all the 2h45m OR-4 Arlae VALENZUELA (USA) 4h09m participants, and well done to the OR-7 Sándor KOMOR (HUN) 2h49m Danish Platoon for organising the event.