Guardian East MAY 2015 Volume XIX, Issue VI MNBG-E Monthly magazine 1 Inside Inside Multinational Battle Group-East Southern Command Post 4 Spartan 6 21 Command Team Update 6 DANCON Brings out 22 Nations 22 KFOR Soldiers Celebrate School’s 10th Year Anniversary 8 Turkish Army Transfer of Authority in Kosovo 10 Soldiers in Kosovo Donate to Children Around the Battle Group 24 The Guitar Man Forward Command Post 26 Soldiers Remember the Holocaust 13 Command Team Update 28 Service to God and Country 14 Operation Gold Rush 32 Multinational Airborne Operation over Kosovo Task Force Medical 16 Command Team Update MWR 18 Task Force Medical Teaches Students about Dental Hygiene 35 May Trips Guardian Magazine welcomes commentaries, articles and pho- MNBG-E CDR tos from readers. Submissions should be sent to the editor at Col. Clint J. Baker [email protected] by the 20th of each month and include details such as the who, what, when, where and why of the MNBG-E CSM photos. Please include the person’s name, rank and contin- Command Sgt. Maj. gent of who took the photos for photo credit. MNBG-E re- Ildefonso e. barraza serves the right to edit any submissions. Public Affairs Officer Guardian Magazine is produced Maj. Adam D. Hallmark for personnel of Multinational Battle Group-East and is an autho- Executive Editor rized publication for members of the Department of Defense. Con- Capt. Judith A. Marlowe tents of Guardian Magazine are not necessarily the official views Managing Editor of the U.S. government, the De- Sgt. Melissa C. Parrish partment of the Army, or MNBG-E. Layout and Design ardian nrecaj Contributing Journalist Multinational Battle Group-East soldiers from Kosovo Force 19 A father and his son, a student who attends Loyola-Gymnasium Ardian Nrecaj rotation participate in their second Danish Contingent (DANCON) school in Prizren, Kosovo, pose in a KFOR Black Hawk helicopter, March at Camp Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny (CMLT), Kosovo, April 16. A crew of four aviation Soldiers from Multinational Battle Apr. 26. More than 500 soldiers from 22 different nations marched Group- East flew to the school to celebrate the school’s anniversary by 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) and 50 kilometers (31.2 miles) with a allowing students to sit in the Black Hawk, many of them for the first minimum of 10 kilograms (22 pounds) on their back. (Photo by time, take photos and ask questions about the helicopter and 2 Ardian Nrecaj) being a soldier. (Photo by U.S. Army Capt. Judith Marlowe) 3 SPARTAN 6 ith the passing of April, we’ve a busy time than previous months. Of note this month was the combined Forward and Southern Command Post now logged another month in the operation - Operation Gold Rush. This day-long rapid deployment training event featured our UH-60 Black Hawks books for the KFOR 19 deploy- from the Southern Command Post as well as Slovenian Mi-8 and Croatian UH-1 Super Huey helicopters. Aboard this Wment. Spring “officially” arrived in March, fleet of multinational aircraft were members of the Forward Command Posts’ Hungarian company who, under sim- but only within the last few weeks have we ulated circumstances, were assembled rapidly and forward deployed to a volatile scene. This training event was quite seen the temperatures that normally come successful and worked to exercise and validate the battle group’s ability to respond quickly to an event that may require with it. Although we finally welcomed the our expertise. Rounding our highlighted operations this month was Task Force Medical’s visit to a local elementary Spring season this month, we unfortunately school in order to teach children the proper method of conducting dental hygiene. Task Force Medical, along with had to say goodbye to a few people who made Soldiers from the Forward Command Post, conducted such an event earlier this year, which was hugely successful. As their presence felt and have been key to our a result, Task Force Medical took the initiative to conduct this most recent iteration, which, again, was hugely success- success here. ful amongst the local populace. In mid-April we bid farewell to the battle April has indeed been a busy month, but our time and mission here in Kosovo is not yet over. During the next few group’s senior enlisted Soldier, Command months we will begin to focus on those tasks required in order to re-deploy to our various home stations, but the Sgt. Major Mitch Rucker. Command Sgt. mission here remains top priority. I continue to be impressed with the degree of professionalism and selfless service Maj. Rucker deployed with the battle group’s that all members of the battle group continue to display on a daily basis and I am confident that KFOR 19 will end headquarters element from Alaska where he its service on the same high note on which it began. Last, but certainly not least, to our families and loved ones back had previously served as the senior enlisted home, thank you for your continued support of your Multinational Battle Group-East Soldier. Soldier for 1st Battalion (Airborne), 501st Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division. His transition into his role here in Kosovo was seamless as he brought with Respectfully yours, him more than two decades of frontline leadership experience with paratrooper units, which served to keep the battle group run- ning like a finely tuned automobile. More than that, he was instrumental in providing mentorship and advice not only for me, but for multitudes of other senior and junior of- ficers and non-commissioned officers here in Kosovo. As Command Sgt. Maj. Rucker goes Clint J. Baker on to tackle his next job as the senior enlisted Colonel, U.S. Army advisor for 2nd Brigade, 82d Airborne Divi- Commanding sion, words cannot express the deep gratitude and thanks we here in Multinational Battle Group-East wish to convey to him. We wish good luck and Godspeed to Command Sgt. Maj. Rucker and his family as they begin the next chapter of their lives at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Taking his place is Command Sgt. Maj. Ildefonso Barraza. Coming to us from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alas- ka, Command Sgt. Maj. Barraza most recently served as the senior enlisted advisor for the 725th Brigade Support Bat- talion (Airborne), 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division. I look forward to finishing out the deployment by serving next to him and taking advantage of his counsel. On behalf of the entire battle group, I would like to formally wish Command Sgt. Maj. Barraza a warm welcome to our ranks. Also departing our ranks during the month of April was Turkish Army Capt. Himmet Sevinc. During the last year, Capt. Sevinc served as the commanding officer of our Turkish company, which serves as part of our Southern Com- mand Post. During his tenure, the Turkish company conducted over 200 synchronized patrols and reconnaissance missions along the Administrative Boundary Line, assisted the battle group with reestablishing a relationship with the Kosovo Border Police and for a solid year, without fail, ensured one squad was ready to move in 15 minutes or less as part of Camp Bondsteel’s Perimeter Defense Force. Capt. Sevinc is the epitome of what a good leader is and we will miss his leadership. However, taking his place is Turkish Army Capt. Hanifi Savas who has already demonstrated him- self to be a highly competent junior officer and leader of troops. Hitting the ground running, Capt. Savas will no doubt continue to impress as his company builds upon the many successes it has established. 4 Aside from the departure and arrival of key leaders within the battle group, the month of April was no less 5 DANCON brings out 22 Nations ing the right breaks, drinking plenty of water “It was a pretty tough competition, but I came made a huge difference.” in first and all the hard training paid off,” said Danish army Sgt. 1st Class Uffe König, Rantfl. “This is my third competition but it is CMLT Force Protection, chief of guards my first time on the podium.” explained the reason the Danish army con- Rantfl explained that the march was a chal- ducts the march. lenge to him and a good way to stay fit. “It is a charity for the Danish veterans and “My legs are pretty sore, but we had a beauti- their children, and of course for bonding ful weather,” added Rantfl. “It was an awesome among different nations,” said König. “We time and I feel happy.” conduct this march approximately four Dirksen added that the he would do the times a year, we are only here [in Kosovo] for march again if he had the opportunity. three months, so every three months there is “It was a very good experience, and it was a new team.” also cool meeting all the different nations and “I think it went pretty well, people are hap- getting to know a lot of people,” said Dirksen. py and have sore feet so it was a success,” said “Next time I will compete for a better time.” König. Austrian army Capt. Christian Rantfl came in first place for the 25 kilometer march. Multinational Battle Group-East soldiers from Kosovo Force 19 rotation participate in their second Danish Contingent (DANCON) March at Camp Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny (CMLT), Kosovo, Apr. 26. More than 500 soldiers from 22 different nations marched 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) and 50 kilometers (31.2 miles) with a minimum of 10 kilograms (22 pounds) on their back.