Th e KFOR magazine for KFOR soldiers December 2018 KKFORFOR ChronicleChronicle CChristmashristmas GGreetingsreetings ffromrom aallll iinn CCampamp FFilmilm CCityity hhttp://jfcnaples.nato.int/kforttp://jfcnaples.nato.int/kfor hhttp://www.facebook.com/NATOKFOR/ttp://www.facebook.com/NATOKFOR/ hhttps://ttps://fl iic.kr/ps/39kEDhc.kr/ps/39kEDh ttwitter.com/NATO_KFORwitter.com/NATO_KFOR Th e KFOR Magazine for KFOR Soldiers December 2018 CONTENT 05 Dec. 2018 KFOR Multinational Battle Group West performed helicopter training in order to improve their capabilities in a medical emergency situation. COM KFOR MNBG W COMKFOR’S Christmas Address Change of Command page: 3 page: 4 KTRBN KFOR CFC UNITED IN COMMITMENT! Christmas Atmosphere page: 5 page: 6,7 J6 A VISUAL OVERVIEW INFOSEC page: 10,11 page: 8,9 KFOR ANNUAL EOD Amateur Photo Competition 2019 ERW Disposal Continues in Kosovo page: 12,13 page: 14,15 JRD N JRD W CIMIC activities CIMIC activities page: 16 page: 17 ACCI ISR BN “CI ALL CALL!” Change of Command page: 18 page: 19 Soldier of the Month KFOR POLISH CONTINGENT Vasileios Magoutis National Independence Day page: 20 page: 21 PICTURE OF THE MONTH PROFILES „Downtown Pristina„ Lavdim Toci Maj. Johannes Straeter Csaba Sós page: 22 page: 23 2 KFOR CHRONICLE 12/2018 Th e KFOR Magazine for KFOR Soldiers December 2018 COMKFOR’S CHRISTMAS ADDRESS hristmas time is the moment we turn Cto our family, our loved ones and those things that matter most in our life. The end of the year is also a moment to stop and take stock of what we have achieved so far and think about the future. Most of us this year will not be able to share all of this physically with our loved ones. We will, however, be celebrating Christmas and the New Year with our extended family of 28 Nations, the large but close knit community of KFOR. Many of you have been here for a considerable time, long before I arrived in November. Yet I already feel part of the family, thanks to your warm welcome and the strong feeling of belonging that permeates KFOR. So I feel already very close to you and feel I will be spending the coming holiday season with comrades whom I value and admire. Speaking of achievements, I am proud of what KFOR has accomplished so far, a feat I have only recently been able to be part of. Teamwork makes the diff erence. The standing of KFOR is still at its highest and we continue to make the diff erence. Be proud of it as you take stock of what you have achieved this year. This is not for free: it is built on your continued dedication and selfl ess contribution; even on Christmas Eve, some of us will be on duty, to ensure the mission and the protection of the Force is carried out at any time. This is why I want to thank you, soldiers and civilian staff working in KFOR, for what you have been doing to ensure a safe and secure environment for the people of Kosovo and our own protection, and that you will be doing even during the festive season. Remaining united in this commitment is based on your important contribution. You would not be able to contribute so splendidly, were it not for the support of our families, full of pride and support for us. It is therefore to them that I give the sincerest thanks and off er season’s greetings in this period of the year. As the most senior NATO Offi cer in the Force, I ask each of you to thank them for their support. What we achieve, we achieve thanks to them. You make the diff erence because they make the diff erence to us. My warmest wishes to the entire KFOR family for a Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year. Season’s Greetings to all of you, KFOR Comrades! KFOR CHRONICLE 12/2018 3 Th e KFOR Magazine for KFOR Soldiers December 2018 CHANGE OF COMMAND MNBG-W one of the areas with the highest quality of life.” This too could be possible for Kosovo. Speaking to the parade and guests, the Commander of Kosovo Force (COMKFOR) Major General Lorenzo D’Addario, thanked Col. Cucchini and his soldiers for their commitment. COMKFOR alluded to the perception that KFOR has the ability to contribute to Kosovo’s safety and security, stating “That perception is in the hands of your Commander’s and Soldiers. You TOA IN MNBG-W: The 5th MNBG-W initiated many projects are my eyes and ears as well as “Alpini” Infantry Regiment and conducted intensive joint the face of KFOR seen by local conducted a Transfer of training with other stakeholders. people every day.” MG D’Addario Authority (TOA) ceremony These activities were undertaken fi nished by wishing good luck to with the 8th “Pasubio” in order to increase the capability Colonel Gianfranco Di Marco and Artillery Regiment. and capacity of some critical the soldiers of the 8th Artillery institutions in Kosovo, such as the Regiment for their upcoming tour. On the 11th of December 2018 Kosovo Police and Fire Fighters After a six-month deployment in in Camp Villaggio Italia, Col. and the Mountain Rescue Teams Kosovo, the 5th Alpini Regiment, Ruggero Cucchini handed over operating Kosovo-wide. which included soldiers from the Unit Colours, signifying that In his speech, the outgoing the 232nd Signal Regiment that Col. Gianfranco Di Marco is now Commander Col Cucchini provided technical support the Commander of Multinational remarked on the progress in the during the mission, are fi nally Battle Group-West (MNBG-W). security situation in Kosovo that ready to return home. Everyone has been made over the past 19 will take back with them many Along with the change of the years, stating “The children in 1999 experiences that improved their MNBG-W commander, the Italian had only hopes; every day they professionalism, which is one manoeuver company, or PAPA reached their schools walking of the most rewarding aspects COY, and several staff positions on long and dangerous tracks. of serving in an international also rotated with elements of the Today Kosovo security has hugely environment! 8th Artillery Regiment. improved and please allow me The mission of the MNBG-W a little bit of pride for the work soldiers is to provide a safe that men and women from our Cpt Francesco D’ANIELLO and secure environment and Battle Group and from all KFOR OF-2 ITA ARMY guarantee freedom of movement have done during these years.” in western Kosovo. However, Col Cucchini went on to draw they also participated in many similarities with the multi-ethnic civil-military or “CIMIC” projects. communities of Kosovo and his The MNBG-W CIMIC section home in Italy, remarking “We provided support to more than come from Alto Adige-South Tyrol, ten schools, providing school a land of Germanic Culture where and sports supplies, computer the ethnic communities, even with equipment, and even renovations their strong identities, integrated in some buildings. Moreover, with each other to make this place 4 KFOR CHRONICLE 12/2018 Th e KFOR Magazine for KFOR Soldiers December 2018 UNITED IN COMMITMENT! KTRBN day long Cross Training Exercise Fire Phobia situation, learning with A COY from KTRBN with the how to react and counteract the exercise taking place in the former use of molotov cocktails in a CRC KFOR Camp Vrelo near the military situation. KTRBN medical centre APOD. personnel and soldiers from KTRBN This joint training consisted of a A COY then had to conduct triage, complex multi-faceted exercise; treat injuries (5 serious and 13 the exercise design ensured that minor)and arrange the evacuation the subordinate co-operating of the seriously injured by road. forces and HQ elements had to This part of the exercise was of face a series of unexpected events tremendous benefi t in testing the intended to stretch C3 elements skills of kinetic forces and medical from both KFOR and EULEX forces. support staff alike. Joint training: United In Both parties had to execute Relief The EULEX counter-terrorist team, Commitment! in Place in several times; this formed by a Polish company, was Second and Third meant that each partner had to exercised through the storming Responders Conduct become familar with the other’s of a building to root out the Cross Training procedures and drills and led to the perpetrators of the IED. The development of agreed operating skills and drills shown by EULEX With the intention of increasing procedures. This was seen by both personnel were of a very high capability and capacity and EULEX and KFOR as an excellent quality and resulted in a successful enhancing interoperability learning opportunity. assault on the building where the with our partners inside and The exercise scenario included terrorists had taken cover outside KFOR, training in the a Mass Casualties (MASCAL) The evaluation of the exercise KFOR Tactical Reserve Battalion situation, where an Improvised concluded that interoperability (KTRBN) continued in November Explosive Device (IED) in the between KTRBN and the EULEX as usual. In addition to the joint form of a detonated roadblock forces has increased as a result Cross Training with EULEX, a exploded, injuring a large number of the cross training and that complex Fire Phobia Training of friendly forces. Subsequent they could cooperate and work Exercise in the form of a Crowd rioting, involving molotov together in a real life situation. In Riot Control (CRC) scenario was cocktails, rocks and other objects fact, one could say they are United conducted with the Slovenian used by the Opposing Forces In Commitment! Contingent.