KFORThe KFOR Magazine for KFOR CHRONICLE Soldiers January 2014 KFOR AIRPORT HANDED OVER TO MUNICIPALITY New Armoured Water shortage crises Infantry Vehicles for in Kosovo the KTM www.nato.int/kfor CONTENT PICTURE: Hajrullahu Afrim Dog 31 is realigned to become a FOP. COM KFOR AIRPORT HANDOVER 03 New Years Address 04 Mission Accomplished MOROCCAN TROOPS DEPART Ceremony at Camp Novo Selo DOG 31 06 Realignment Operation KTM 08 Receives new Armoured JRD 10 Vehicles Merging Ceremony KFOR ROAD WORKS 12 JENG Road Engineering WATER SHORTAGE 13 Water Crisis NATO MEDAL 14 USA Soldier Decorated KFOR NCOs 16 Visit to Prizren COM KFOR VISITS NGOs 17 GENAD coordinates visits to improve cooperation KFOR LOGISTICS TRAINING 18 Camp Film City PROFILES 20 Christian Graber Jamal Zouir SUDOKU 21 An activity for the brain PICTURE OF THE MONTH 22 23 Your chance to be a part of it! 2 KFOR CHRONICLE 01/2014 COM KFOR ADDRESS COM KFOR’s NEW YEAR ADDRESS Th e beginning of a new year always brings encouragement and hope of improvements in our endeavors. Th is year will be no diff erent. Th is is valid in general but also in particular for KFOR, as we are a force that operates in a very dynamic and ever evolving environment. Th e period between my arrival in September 2013 and the end of the year saw many developments. Th ese developments included the unfi xing of PEC Patriarchate , the stand down of the MCAD mission, the establishment of NLAT, the fi rst time municipal elections were held in all the territories of Kosovo, including the North, the continuation of the dialog between Pristina and Belgrade we cannot do this in a stagnant state. As the conditions in and the introduction of customs taxes at the crossing Kosovo evolve we must evolve with them. points DOG 31 and Gate 1. Our KFOR team consists of a multi-national Th e New Year has already seen the introduction of organization of soldiers from over 30 diff erent countries, many changes, for example, the integration of the former all with diff erent traditions, language and skills. We have MUP members from the North into the Kosovo Police already commenced 2014 in a very proactive way and structure, which is assessed as a very positive step towards we can look forward with strong determination and a the full establishment of the rule of law in the North. commitment to continue to cooperate with all actors and Since the fi rst days of 2014, KFOR has burst into action International Organizations who contribute to peace and conducting many positive developments. Th e changes stability for Kosovo and the whole region. taking place right now are related to the withdrawal of We should all look forward to this New Year with the the Moroccan and French forces. KFOR is re-aligning same great, strong hope and determination to make a our current forces by establishing Forward Operation better Kosovo by doing, “More Together”. Post 31 to maintain continuous control as well as mobile forces in the northern Kosovo areas. Happy New Year to You all. KFOR is readjusting our static positions guarding Camp CABRA that are no longer tactically necessary. Th e overall eff ect will result in unity of command, greater operational fl exibility and improvement of our capacity in the North. KFOR has also changed the structuring of our JRD’s. At the end of 2013, JRD’s Center and West were merged into MAJOR-GENERAL one and just recently, JRD’s East and South were merged Salvatore FARINA as well. Th ese new JRD’s will maximize availability COM KFOR and usability of information resources in order to provide timely warning of any signifi cant deterioration in Kosovo. It will also optimize the Command and Control procedures and streamline KFOR’s territorial organization. We as a KFOR team stand committed to contribute to a Safe and Secure Environment and provide Freedom of Movement for a better future for the people of Kosovo but KFOR CHRONICLE 01/2014 3 GJAKOVË/DAKOVICA AIRPORT HANDOVER MISSION ACCOMPLISHED FOR THE “A.M.I.KO.” AIRPORT Airport Facility delivered to the Kosovo Authorities PICTURE: MNBG-W On 18th December 2013, the airmen succeeded in equipping an The name of the airport “A.M.I.Ko” Italian military airport at Gjakovë/ operational airport. (Aeronautica Militare Italiana in Dakovica was officially handed Kosovo) was chosen by the Italian Air over to Kosovo. The handover document was signed by Colonel Antonio Felicissimo, the last Commander of Kosovo Task Force Air and by Mr. Bazmend Mejzini, the Kosovo Government representative. The ceremony took place in the presence of Major-General Salvatore Farina, KFOR Commander, Major-General Roberto Nordio, Commander of the Italian Air Operational Command as well as a broad range of civil and military dignitaries. The Italian Air Force operation in Gjakovë/Dakovica began in the summer of 1999 when, in only 52 days and in a tense and dangerous operational environment, PICTURE: DELLE CAVE Giovanni 4 KFOR CHRONICLE 01/2014 GJAKOVË/DAKOVICA AIRPORT HANDOVER and women in blue should be proud of the operation in the Balkan area, for what they did, and above all, for the way they did it. Today we are not celebrating the end of a mission but rather a mission well accomplished”. The handover of Gjakovë/Dakovica airport represents yet another Italian contribution to growth and development within the Balkan region. The donation increases the potential for economic development and increased employment and therefore it constitutes a very effective method of building greater stability and progress within Kosovo. OF-2 Gianluca GRECO Chief PAO KFOR MNBG-W PICTURE: MNBG-W An aerial view of the airport at Gjakovë/Ðakovica. Force authorities for its similarity to the Italian word “amico”, translated as “friend”, with the intent of pointing out the friendship that links the people of Kosovo with the Italian air force staff. Thanks to the airports proximity to the Albanian and Montenegrin borders and to the generally favorable climatic conditions, A.M.I.Ko gradually became an alternative to the airport in Pristina and it therefore constitutes a very significant infrastructural asset for Kosovo. A.M.I.Ko airport was the only military landing field in Kosovo for NATO forces. It provided technical and logistical support to civil and military airplanes flying for KFOR and for the medical evacuation of KFOR personnel. During the period 1999 to 2013 the airport handled 29,000 aircraft, 209,000 passengers and 39,000 tons of freight on behalf of KFOR. Colonel Felicissimo stated during PICTURE: DELLE CAVE Giovanni his handover speech that “the men The Italian Commander completes the handover with Mr. Bazmend Mejzini. KFOR CHRONICLE 01/2014 5 MOROCCAN CONTINGENT DEPART MOROCCAN CONTINGENT BIDS FAREWELL TO KFOR The ceremony to mark to departure of the Moroccan contingent from KFOR was held on Saturday 18 January at Camp Nevo Selo. contingent from KFOR in the presence of COM KFOR, Major- General Salvatore Farina. The ceremony went through all the traditional rituals of Moroccan festivities. The parade was performed by the Moroccan Contingent detachments, French Army personnel and the U.S. Army detachments emphasising the great cooperation between the different military forces within KFOR. At 1300hrs, guests were assembled and listened attentively to the speech of the Moroccan Contingent Commander, Lieutenant Colonel PICTURE: Vittorio SIMONELLI (2) Vittorio PICTURE: Hicham Lamrani, who welcomed all COM KFOR addresses the parade the participants and thanked them for participating in the ceremony to A large number of guests, including and other multinational partners mark the end of the commitment of the Special Representative of the belonging to KFOR HQ and other the Moroccan contingent in KFOR. UN Secretary General Mr. Farid KFOR units gathered to attended COM KFOR, Major-General Zarif, the Ambassador of France the Moroccan ceremony to mark Salvatore Farina, in his speech, praised in Kosovo, Ms. Marsye Daviet the withdrawal of the Moroccan the work done by the Moroccan Royal 6 KFOR CHRONICLE 01/2014 MOROCCAN CONTINGENT DEPART PICTURE: Vittorio SIMONELLI (2) Vittorio PICTURE: Armed Forces between 1999 and people of Kosovo. In making this and now continuing the process of 2014. Major-General Farina stated contribution, COM KFOR stated that handing over security responsibilities that the Moroccan Armed Forces some have paid the ultimate price, and to the local security structures and have demonstrated a remarkable level he remembered OR-9 Yousseff Kadir ensuring that they are able to execute of professionalism in the theatre of who died in an unfortunate vehicle their mission. operations having perfectly performed accident on 05 December 2013. The ceremony concluded with their tasks, showing qualities of COM KFOR added that Morocco is COM KFOR decorating Moroccan discipline and professionalism while very much part of the KFOR success staff with the NATO Non-Article 5 making a significant contribution story of building strong partnerships medal for the Balkans. Following the to building a better future for the with the institutions in Kosovo ceremonial event, and in a typically Moroccan atmosphere of hospitality, all guests enjoyed the outstanding traditional Moroccan cuisine. The symbolism of this historic event will remain entrenched in the hearts of all Moroccan participants as yet another page of the glory of the Royal Armed Forces is written. The sacrifices, bravery and sense of duty of the Moroccan contingent was remembered whether it was in defending their country’s unity and stability, or while performing international security, humanitarian and peace-keeping operations with NATO. jamal Zouir of-1 mar-a KFOR CHRONICLE 01/2014 7 DOG 31 REALIGNMENT KFOR REALIGNS DOG 31 TO A FORWARD OPERATIONS POST KFOR has commenced the re-alignment of Dog 31 in order to be better able to respond to any threat to the maintenance of a Safe and Secure Environment (SASE) or Freedom of Movement (FOM) in the area.