CAMP NOVO SELO, Kosovo – Troopers from the Republic of Latvia conduct response to contact whereas mounted coaching at Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo, April 13, 2022. Throughout the coaching, the Troopers from the Maneuver Battalion, Regional Command East, Kosovo Pressure, realized methods to retreat from hostile hearth whereas mounted in addition to methods to retrieve and evacuate wounded.
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CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo — The NATO mission in Kosovo entails bringing collectively army items from dozens of nations to work towards a typical aim. These nations don’t function independently however slightly as a single entity underneath a typical command construction.
One such command is the Maneuver Battalion of Kosovo Pressure’s Regional Command East, comprised of components from the U.S., Latvia, Turkey and Poland — all underneath the command of a U.S. battalion headquarters from the Kentucky Army Nationwide Guard.
“The multinational forces the [battalion] works with are top-notch and the most effective of the most effective,” mentioned Sgt. Maj. Anthony T. Hughes, the operations sergeant main for the first Battalion, 149th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Fight Group, twenty ninth Infantry Division, and Kosovo Pressure Regional Command-East’s Maneuver Battalion. “Language boundaries are damaged by way of by utilizing a typical data of Soldier abilities and expectations that our NATO companions are glorious in demonstrating.”
Sustaining and constructing upon their relationships with multinational companions is an ongoing effort for the leaders of the first Battalion, 149th Infantry Regiment — not only for senior battalion leaders however for all of the Troopers within the battalion.
CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo – Turkish Armed Forces Troopers with the Maneuver Battalion, Regional Command East, Kosovo Pressure, stand in formation for a photograph on Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo, April 16, 2022. The Turkish contingent is working alongside NATO companions to assist the mission of sustaining a secure and safe atmosphere and freedom of motion in Kosovo.
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“The battalion conducts a number of cultural briefs the place every nation is invited to study concerning the subsequent by way of open dialogue and meals that signify the nation,” Hughes defined. “A number of coaching occasions and competitions are scheduled all through the week to construct esprit de corps amongst Troopers from every nation.”
The mission of the Maneuver Battalion, headed by the first Battalion, 149th Infantry Regiment, the “Mountain Warriors,” is to “conduct peace assist operations in [Regional Command-East] so as to preserve a secure and safe atmosphere and freedom of motion whereas supporting establishments in Kosovo, civil businesses, and humanitarian efforts to take care of circumstances for continued civilian dialogue in direction of a political decision,” Hughes mentioned.
Main peace assist operations in Kosovo is in contrast to operations the infantry battalion has carried out prior to now, which generally targeted on counter-insurgency operational areas corresponding to Iraq. Now, their mission entails making certain a secure and safe atmosphere is maintained in addition to safeguarding the liberty of motion for the folks of Kosovo.
CAMP NOVO SELO, Kosovo – Troopers from the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland participated in medical evacuation, or MEDEVAC, coaching with U.S. Army Troopers of the Blue Ridge Dustoff, Job Pressure Pegasus, at Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo, March 21, 2022. Throughout the coaching, contributors realized methods to safely load sufferers onto helicopters whereas “spun up,” in addition to what specialised gear every MEDEVAC helicopter makes use of to deal with and transport sufferers to a better degree of care.
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“This mission requires a special talent set than what a standard infantry unit is accustomed to,” Hughes mentioned. “Coaching on crowd riot management, mounted and dismounted patrols and key chief engagements was a should previous to mobilization to make sure a baseline of the operational necessities had been established and Troopers had been in a position to shortly adapt to mission units upon arrival to Kosovo.”
Hughes mentioned his battalion’s preparation for his or her Kosovo mission required a shift from their conventional duties to a extra particular skillset wanted for the distinctive nature of their Jap European deployment, which began with the unit’s annual coaching at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, final summer time.
“The battalion additionally, carried out two separate pre-mobilization annual coaching occasions, one in October and one in December,” Hughes added. “Every interval allowed the battalion to give attention to obligatory duties together with the [Kosovo-specific] targeted coaching.”
CAMP NOVO SELO, Kosovo – U.S. Army Troopers with 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Fight Group, twenty ninth Infantry Division, Kentucky Nationwide Guard, carried out weapon familiarization coaching on the Latvian major weapon methods underneath the tutelage of Kosovo Pressure’s Latvian Contingent at Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo, April 23, 2022. As a part of the Regional Command East, Kosovo Pressure’s Maneuver Battalion, Troopers from a number of NATO nations work collectively to permit accomplice nations’ armed forces to develop interoperability and improve capabilities.
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Now effectively into their Kosovo rotation, the “Mountain Warrior” battalion headquarters has coordinated and led a number of named operations in preparation for occasions that would have degraded security, safety, and freedom of motion.
“These repetitions have allowed the battalion and every of its [companies] to [solidify a] idea of operations and refine technique with out being overburdened,” Hughes mentioned.
Moreover, “a number of cases of criminal activity on the [administrative boundary line] have been pursued and resulted in arrests to ascertain a sample of dedication to [a safe and secure environment] and [freedom of movement].”
Hughes credit his battalion’s success so far to his Troopers’ ongoing arduous work, dedication and adaptableness whereas working in such a singular atmosphere.
“Mountain Warriors are expert practitioners of their craft and have been strengthened by the addition of Latvian, Polish and Turkish Troopers,” he mentioned. “These Troopers display a dedication to one another each day. This degree of dedication has solely been met by the eye to element and a way of urgency to the folks of Kosovo.”
