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www.nato.int/kforNov. 30, 2005

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This homage to the Kosovo Forcewas written by Mr. Mexhid Havolli,a member of the Film CityHeadquarters Support Group team.Mr. Havolli supports KFOR throughhis efforts in the HSG SupplyWarehouse.Photos by Armend Aqifi

The Mo the r a The Mo the r a H o m a g e f o r t h e a l l K F O R s o l d i e r s w h o l o s t t h e i r

CommanderCommander KFOR:KFOR:LTG Giuseppe Valotto

Italian Army

Chief PublicChief PublicInformation KFOR:Information KFOR:

COL Pio SabettaItalian Army

Chief InternalChief InternalInformation KFOR & Information KFOR &

EditorEditor in Chief:in Chief:MAJ Dr. Jo SCHÖPF

Austrian [email protected]

Journal is tJournal is t1st LT Maksym Nedria

Ukrainian Army

PhotographerPhotographerMr. Armend Aqifi

LayoutLayoutKosova Sot

HQ KFORCanada EstoniaHungaryNetherlandsNorwayPortugalUnited Kingdom

MNB (C)LeadingLeadingNation:Nation:Czech RepublicContributingNations:FinlandIrelandLatviaSlovakia Sweden

MNB (NE)Leading Nation:FranceContributingNations:Belgium DenmarkGreeceLatviaLuxembourgMorocco

Contributing nations inKFOR:

The KFOR Chronicle is produced by HQ KFOR.

It is fully funded by KFOR,authorized and published for

KFOR forces in the area of responsibility.

The contents are not necessari-ly the official views of,

or endorsed by, the coalitiongovernments’ defence

departments.The KFOR Chronicle is

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Thank you for your supportTech. Sgt. ClaudetteHutchinson, US AF

KFOR CHRONICLE

Cover photo byMr. Armend Aqifi

MNB (E)Leading Nation:United States ofAmericaContributingNations:ArmeniaGreece LithuaniaPolandUkraine

MNB (SW)Leading Nation:ItalyContributingNations:ArgentinaAustriaAzerbaijanBulgariaGeorgiaGermanyHungaryRomaniaSloveniaSpainSwitzerlandTurkey

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It was 2002. Mark’s five-member family was living in an apartment on the seventh floor in big citylooking to the east. Mark's father died two years earlier after suffering a heart attack. They wereliving in harmony and happiness.

All of the sudden out of the blue, the phone rang waking up Mark in the morning. He thought,despite the good news that you might get from a phone call, the ringing of the phone in the morn-ing is quite scary and at that time makes you shiver. He woke up in military style - fast and pickedup the phone headset. From the other side he heard: Please report to your military unit, you areassigned to your new mission in Kosovo - good luck. Mark was shocked and mixed with sur-prised. He had no knowledge for the region in the Balkans. He used to hear and read about thispart being a crisis area in this part of Europe - a region of great contradictions with small nations,but very capricious (he thought).OK, nevertheless this new reality, offered a new chance for him to give his peacekeeper's help.His mother woke up too with that unusual morning phone ring, his wife (she was working inaccounting service) went to work, as usual, early in the morning, two-year old daughter and five-year old son were still sleeping and flying in their child dreams. Mother was taking care of them.She is at the age of 65, but still in good health. She loved very much her niece and nephew. Mark said to his mother: "Mom, today afternoon I will go to my new mission in Kosovo, I love youvery much; you will take care of children," he exclaimed

(It was a history of a great way).Mark was serving in the motorized unit, driving a transportation truck. However, he lost his lifeduring an accident. It was a terrible loss. The family was informed and burial ceremony was car-ried out with the greatest honors. All mother's pain for the losses of their sons have never gone away. They were looking just likethe moon looks during bright nights, shining in the idle of the night. They live with painful mem-ories for their sons who lost accidentally their lives (they are in considerable number).They are always remembered with special love, sharing the pain with their mothers and families.Life resembles to a very strange phenomenon; sudden spiritual clashes happen. Life has its sur-prising motives; new hopes come up and grow its outer beauty. Deeply inside our soul, wind blowfilling us with emotions and remembrance for all those who build bridges of happiness and nowfly with the wings of divine inspiration towards eternal peace as their cause of life.

nd the Moonnd the Moonl i v e s w h i l e t h e i r p e a c e k e e p i n g m i s s i o n i n K o s o v o

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By MAJ Valerie-Claire Bermond, FRArmy

Photos by Armend Aqifi

Operation Balkan Hawk Exercise IIconcluded on October 28. The series ofoperational nicknamed DETERMINAT-ED EFFORT 2005, which were plannedsince summer 2004 started in March ofthis year. NATO forces were deployedto Kosovo to take part in a routinelyscheduled operational rehearsal toensure NATO troops and the ReserveForces Headquarters remained pre-pared to respond to any crisis in theBalkans. During the different phases ofthe rehearsal the German and theItalian Operational Reserve ForceBattalions were deployed into Kosovotheatre. Like those previously conducted overthe course of the year, this rehearsalsent a renewed clear message ofNATO's and the international communi-ty's strong resolve and commitment tomaintain peace and stability in the over-all Balkans region. These maneuvers were conducted inorder to rehearse the techniques oftroop maneuverability, flexibility and theability for several nations to operatetogether as one team. The aim of theseexercises was to practice Peace

Nov. 30, 20054

‘BALKAN ‘BALKAN KFOR Rehears

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Support Operations, to familiarizetroops with the terrain and with envi-ronmental and logistical concept. In thissense, KFOR has imagined differentkind of scenarios, in order to be able toreact to any kind of situation, riots orthreats. These rehearsals, planned during fewmonths, showed that KFOR units intheatre are fully mission-capable andlogistically self-sustaining by land, airand sea routes.It has also demonstrated NATO's abili-ty to reinforce already in-theatre,NATO-led forces and, if necessary, theEUFOR in Bosnia-Herzegovina, at veryshort notice with so-called “Over TheHorizon Forces” (OTHF). The OTHFconsist of multi-national, trained unitswith a wide range of military capabili-ties. These reserves are designed to bea mobile, versatile force to augment in-theatre forces in order to deal with anymilitary contingency. The Commander of Allied Joint ForceCommand (JFC) Naples, who is theJoint Force Commander responsiblefor the NATO-led Balkan Operations,has coordinated the operationalrehearsal. At this occasion, the multi-national NATO Headquarters inKosovo, KFOR, has control overassigned units.

HAWK II’HAWK II’als Completed


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By LT Sara de MiguelSpanish Army

Photos by CCT KFOR Italian Army

Brigadier General Claudio Mora suc-ceeded Brigadier General NorbertStier as Commander of MNB SWduring a ceremony at Field CampPrizren on November 21.During a solemn parade, COMKFOR,Lieutenant General GiuseppeValotto, presided over the ceremony.The ceremony started with aninspection of the parade, followed byspeeches from the guests of honor.The outgoing MNB SW CommanderBG Stier summed up the perform-ances of MNB SW during the last sixmonths, by expressing his sinceregratitude to the soldiers, and to themilitary, civilian and religious person-nel who have been part of the out-standing commitment.During the ceremony, BG Stier andCOL Antonio Alecci received numer-ous awards. First, Spanish BrigadierGeneral Jose Prieto awarded them,on behalf of the Spanish Army Chiefof Staff with the Peace Support

Operations Badge in recognition oftheir distinguished collaboration with

Spanish Army's units in Kosovo dur-ing these six months. Then, German

Change of Command inChange of Command in

6

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LTG Kammerhoff, on behalf of theFerderal Republic of Germanyawarded them with the MissionMedal of the Bundeswehr for theparticipation in a Bundeswehr mis-sion abroad in the context of theinternational security presence inKosovo. Italian DCOM JOHQ, onbehalf of the Italian Ministry ofDefence, awarded them with theCommemorative Cross for theMilitary Peacekeeping Mission inKosovo. And the last medal camefrom COMKFOR LTG Valotto. And,of course, LTG Valotto awardedthem with the Non-Article 5 NATOmedal.The commanders of the nationalcontingents were also changed. LTGKammerhoff, Commander ofBundeswehr Operations Commandfrom Potsdam transferred the com-mand of the German KFOR contin-gent from BG Stier to COL GerdKrop. Major General TommasoFerro, Deputy Commander of ArmedForces Command transferred thecommand of the Italian KFOR contin-gent from COL Alecci to BG Mora.

MNB SWMNB SW BG Mora was born on July 31,1956 and joined the ItalianArmy with the "Asagio"Mountain Artillery Battalion asDeputy Battery Commander.After that, he was promoted toBattery Commander in thesame assignment and later upto Operations Officer. Afterseveral courses and hardwork he commanded the 3rdMountain Artillery Regiment inTolmezzo. His last assignmentwas commanding the "Julia"Alpini Brigade.He is married and has onedaughter.

Nov. 30, 2005

Border ControlBorder Control

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Text and photos by OR-9 Hans Didi

The morning is chilly. 1st LT Dirk I. isbriefing his soldiers on the upcomingmission. “At 0630 hrs we will deployto Morina Pass with four Germanand Turkish military police soldiers,respectively, as well as a dog-han-dler with a drug sniffer-dog. There,we will check vehicles entering fromAlbania for potential drugs andsmuggled goods. UNMIK hasrequested our presence and sup-port”, he said. Since past experience has shownthat these missions can be quitedangerous, it was compulsory tobear rifles during this mission.Morina Pass is located on the road toKukes in Albania. Turkish soldierspositioned themselves at the road-side to take over security. UNMIKPolice manages the frontier station.This day, the MPs are demonstratingpresence, while conducting controlsin co-operation with UNMIK borderpolice and the Albanian borderpolice. Staff Sgt Mario S. asks a driv-

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er to open the trunk of his vehicle.“The trunk, the hood and other com-partments are always opened by thedriver, because you never knowwhat is inside,” he explains. The carcontains an unusual type of cargo,fish. In this case checking the trunkwas not a pleasant task for the StaffSergeant. A van loaded with bags ofsugar. The driver opened the reardoors, and then steps aside. This iswhen Staff Sgt Sven D. and his drugsniffer-dog, Kizmo, was “sent in” forthe first time. However, the dog didnot bark and the van was allowed tocontinue the trip. It's now 09:35 hrs and the first busapproaches the border, on its way toAlbania. First, border police checkedidentification papers. Then, all pas-sengers got off and remove their lug-gage from the bus, and formed a lineon the pavement. Staff Sgt Sven D.prepared his dog. Intensively, Kizmochecks the pieces of luggage, on theground, but found nothing. The busand its passengers were “clean”. First Lieutenant Dirk I. ended the

mission. “The mission was certainlyworth conducting”, he said. “Wehave checked a number of vehicles

and have demonstrated KFOR pres-ence at the border”’

at Morina Passat Morina Pass

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The Czech KFORThe Czech KFOR

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By CPT Pavel Löffler, MNB C PIO,CZ Army


Camp Sajkovac November 22, 2005.The 16th anniversary of the formerCzechoslovakia Velvet revolution iscelebrated in all cities, towns and vil-lages of the Czech Republic.Soldiers of the Czech KFORContingent celebrated this event witha medal parade at the CampSajkovac.Mr. Martin Belcik, Czech DeputyMinister of Defence attended theparade. He arrived in Kosovo inorder to personally award the Czechsoldiers with the Non Article 5 NATOmedal.Following the short outdoor prayerby the KFOR chaplain, Mr. MartinBelcik said: "Taking advantage ofthis occasion let me thank you, sol-diers of the Czech Contingent, foryour excellent fulfillment of the mis-sion. I would like to express myappreciation and recognition of yourwork and your creditable commit-ment for the benefit of KFOR. Youhave been representing the CzechRepublic and its Armed Forces in anoutstanding way. Thank you for thatagain and congratulation with yourNon Article 5 NATO medal award."Then, COL Ales Vodehnal, MNB CCommander gave his speech."Soldiers, using the opportunitygiven to me let me remind you thattoday's ceremony is held at the timewhen all the people in the CzechRepublic celebrate the 16th anniver-sary of the Velvet Revolution whichhas actually ended the totalitarianregime in the formerCzechoslovakia. This has enabledour nation to return to the democrat-ic world, which we have always con-sidered the Czech nation belong."COL Vodehnal stated in his speechthat the presence of the Czech rep-resentatives during this mission isone of the signs that they have suc-cessfully fulfilled all democratic stan-dards to include their membership inorganizations once as NATO and theEU. "The role of the Czech Contingent

within the KFOR and MNB C struc-tures is now even more importantsince the Czech Republic hasbecome a MNB C lead nation. It isactually happening for the first timein its history. Let me also thank theother MNB C nations. Without thegreat support of the Finnish, Irish,Latvian, Slovakian and Swedish sol-diers our task and the role of the

MNB C lead nation would be muchmore difficult to conduct," said COLVodehnal.Almost 300 Czech soldiers receivedthe Non Article 5 NATO medal. Theceremony ended with the Czechnational anthem and all guests andparticipants were invited for thereception organized by the CzechContingent.

Contingent Medal ParadeContingent Medal Parade

By 1st LT Maksym Nedria,Ukrainian Army


Winter in the mountains can be quiteunforgiving. "The weather high in themountains is very changeable," said1st LT Vasilijs Kolegovs, scout pla-toon leader, Baltic Squadron, LatvianContingent, MNB NE. "Although, the situation within AORseems to be calm, it is like theweather, you never know what chal-

lenge will occur during the day.When we go out of the camp early inthe morning, we must be prepared,and we are. We are able to stay inthe mountains without assistance oradditional supplies for 7 days on ourown," said 1st LT Kolegovs.Surviving in the mountains is espe-cially difficult for residents within theAOR of Latvian Contingent. Eachwinter it becomes more difficult toaccess villages within the ZubinPotok municipality. This is why, the

Latvian patrol, under the commandof 1st LT Kolegovs, delivered fieldrations and canned goods to thefamilies in three of these villages onNovember 10. Unfortunately, due toa shortage of transportation, thelocal social welfare office cannot pro-vide the necessary support to thesefamilies in the mountains. "My hus-band died in an accident two monthsago. I have an 18-month old baby-girl and I really need this food tomake a reserve for winter," said a

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L a t v i a n s oL a t v i a n s o

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single mother from the small villageof Oklace, as soldiers delivered thefood to her house.1st LT Kolegovs explained to eachfamily the kind of food the soldiersbrought them, what they should usefirst, as well as the expiration date forcanned products. He also asked thepeople about their needs and con-cerns; he will then provide this infor-mation to the social service office ofthe municipality."I want to give an advise to my suc-

cessor," said Sgt. Andis Ofkants,section leader, Baltic Squadron. "Heshould be prepared to work withlocal people. He should know everyfamily in his AOR. Every day heshould come to the people andspeak with them. That is the way tokeep the situation under control. Hewill not hear but feel if something willgo wrong." The patrolling and distribution of thefood ended without incident."Latvian Contingent was deployed

to Kosovo in 1999. We have learnedmany lessons since that time. Mysoldiers were prepared for the war,however, here you should not onlybe military but also a diplomat andfight in the people's minds not only inthe field," said CPT Ilmars D�enevs,Contingent Commander. "This willensure the necessary conditions fora successful mission which one dis-cipline, professionalism and team-work, are carried out."

c i a l p a t r o lc i a l p a t r o l


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Text by 1st LT Maksym NedriaUkrainian Army

Photos by Armend Aqifi andRomanian Contingent

The Carpathians' Eagles assumedauthority of Romanian ContingentAOR, MNB SW in August. "We arethe first detachment of MountainHunters deployed to Kosovo. Thenumber of mountain troops is ninety,"said CAP Daniel Olteanu,Contingent Commander.The Mountain Hunters are one of theoldest types of units in the RomanianArmed Forces. This is a specialbranch that is dedicated to mountainwarfare. On November 3, 1916 the1st Mountain Corps was established,opening a significant chapter in thehistory of the elite branch "Vanatoride Munte" (Mountain Hunters).The Mountain Hunters are an elitepart of the infantry. Under the com-mand of the Ground Forces, theirspecialties are fighting in mountain-ous and difficult terrain. However,they handle combat as well in forest,hills or even flat ground and desert.The Mountain Hunters are dividedinto three categories, 3rd class, 2nd

class and the most elite, 1st class.Being 1st class Mountain Huntersrequires a 1st class climbing license,a transmissions license, a gradua-tion of the Mountain Special Missionscourse of the Mountain HuntersApplication School in Predeal and agraduation of the cold survival-train-ing course.Most of the mountains troopers areselected from a rural backgroundand they are native of areas aroundthe Carpathian Mountains, where theMountain Hunters' base is located.Therefore, most of them already had

experience in rock climbing and ski-ing. The Mountain Hunters thrive inrough environment. They are welltrained to move stealthy throughmountainous terrain; they have bothphysical and psychologicalendurance. They can operate com-pletely alone behind enemy lines,however, teamwork and unit cohe-sion are key to their success.Nowadays, the Mountain Hunterstrain on a regular basis with specialunits, such as the US Navy SEAL,SAS, KCT, RMC, Italian Alpine war-fare forces, Greek and Turkish

VVVVaaaannnnaaaattttoooorrrr iiii ddddeeee MMMMuuuunnnntttteeee -- the Mountainthe Mountain

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Special Forces.According to the ContingentCommander, in Kosovo,Carpathians' Eagles integrate intothe routine KFOR duties, such aspatrolling principle and secondaryroutes; fixed and mobile check-points; fixed observation posts;escorting local population and guard-ing of Camp Gorazdevac."Besides combat duties, RomanianContingent provides medical assis-tance for Italian and Romanian per-sonnel of the camp, as well for localpopulation. More than five hundredresidents of the AOR have receivedthe medical assistant from the begin-ning of our mission," said CPTOlteanu."Daily, Romanian soldiers providesecure environment for the localpopulation. We are small detach-ment but our contribution here isvitally important within this multieth-nic AOR. We are the link betweenthe communities and we are the linktoward peaceful future for populationof Kosovo," said CPT Mihail Zafiu,operations and public relation officer,Romanian Contingent.

HuntersHunters

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Your duties in Kosovo may take you through some dangerous driving conditions this winter. Stay alert, slow downand stay in full control at all times - three key elements to safe winter driving. The following defensive winter driv-ing tips may help you to avoid a road traffic accident.

Do not drive if you do not have to!Do not drive if you do not have to! If driving is a must leave early. Give yourself extra time for travel.

TTake good care of your vehicleake good care of your vehicle during the winter and pack the right supplies.

Fuel tFuel tank:ank: Keep your tank sufficiently full - at least three quarters of a tank is recommended. A full tank ofdiesel/gas gives your car more weight. If you are caught in a snowstorm or traffic delay, it could also mean staying warm instead of freezing.

Seat belt:Seat belt: Keep your seat belt buckled at all times

WWeather and travel conditions:eather and travel conditions: Always check before heading out. Drive according to current road andweather conditions. In case travel conditions are too dangerous wait until they improve.

REDUCE REDUCE YOUR SPEED!YOUR SPEED! When approaching shaded areas, bridges and overpasses, which are likely to beicy before the road does and stay frozen long after the sun has risen. Also, slow down while approaching inter-sections covered with ice or snow. Avoid sudden changes in speed or direction. Decelerate well in advance of astopping point or turn. Posted speed limits are for ideal travel conditions only.

Ice:Ice: "Black ice" is invisible! Watch out for black and shiny looking areas of the road. You can lose control of yourcar suddenly. Slow down, keep your foot off the brake while crossing these areas.

Snowy Roads:Snowy Roads: Snow on the road can be soft and smooth. Or, it may be hard-packed, full of hard tracks andslippery as ice. Wet snow as in spring or when the temperature is rising makes slushy roads. Heavy slush canaffect your ability to steer. Slow down!

VVisibility:isibility: It's critical for drivers to see and be seen in low-light conditions, and when blowing snow and darkness impair your visibility. Turn on your vehicle's full lighting system in poor visibility.

SSteering:teering: Be patient. Steer with precise and smooth movements. Always look far ahead as you drive so you canrecognize dangerous situations and react in time. Changing lanes too quickly, accelerating or jerky steering whilebreaking can cause skidding. Pass other cars only when it is safe to do so.

SSppacing:acing: Keep a safe distance between you and the car ahead of you. In winter, and especially during poorweather conditions, at least 4 seconds to give yourself adequate time to stop. Stopping distance on an icy roadis double that of stopping on a dry one. For example, from around 45 meters (140 ft) at the speed of 60 km/h, to80 meters (over 260 ft) on an icy road surface.

Braking:Braking: Avoid using brakes while turning. Avoid un-necessary stops or situations where you may have to brakesuddenly on a slippery surface. You may loose control. Make sure you know how to use your braking system inall road and weather conditions. Brake gently and in an on/off pattern. Use brakes with caution. Brakes require an especially light touch on thepedal. Abrupt braking can cause brake lock-up, which causes you to lose steering control.Attention:Attention: If you have ABSABS (automatic braking system) continuous pedal pressure will be better than on/offbraking. For a proper use of antilock brakesantilock brakes you should apply constant, firm pressure to the pedal. During anemergency stop, push the brake pedal all the way to the floor, even in wet or icy conditions.

By MAJ Jo SchöpBy MAJ Jo Schöpf, PhD, f, PhD, AUT AUT AAPhotos by Photos by Armend Armend Aqifi and KFORAqifi and KFOR IMPIMP

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Skidding:Skidding: In a breakaway, it's important to get back control of your vehicle. If it swerves sideways, decelerateby taking your foot off the brake, step on the clutch or shift to neutral. Then steer in that direction where you wantthe vehicle to go.

SSpecial Tpecial Tip:ip: Use your four-way flashers if you are moving much slower than other traffic, making an unusualmaneuver, or being stopped in or near a traffic lane.

Never forget:Never forget: Don't panic if you get stuck or stranded. If you are in an area with cell phone service and havea cell phone, call for help. Stay in your vehicle for warmth and safety while waiting for help to arrive. Be careful if you have to get out of your vehicle. Use the door away from the road.

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By Maj. Jo Schöpf, PhD, AUT APhotos by Armend Aqifi and

Austrian MOD

On October 26 Austria celebratedthe 50th anniversary of its ArmedForces with a huge anniversaryparade in Vienna. The first one con-ducted on the "Wiener Ringstrasse",since 1995. At exactly 14:45 hrs thecommanding general LG Mag.Edmund Entacher reported to theAustrian head of state Dr. HeinzFischer the beginning of the greatparade. More than 4,000 soldiers,over 100 military working dogs andhorses, approximately 195 tanks,484 military vehicles and 100 air-crafts participated at the parade witha total length of 7,510 meters.Thousands of visitors enjoyed thecelebration in the town center ofVienna, which lasted for more thanone hour. There was also a lot to seeindeed, such as soldiers of the WW IIAllies, trooping the colours, action

For Austria, 2005 is a year of various jubilees and anniversaries:

60 years since the end of World War two and the re-establishment of the Austrian Republic

50 years since the Treaty of Vienna that granted Austria its sovereignty and ended thedecade of Allied occupation, also 50 years of membership in the United Nations and

10 years of membership in the European Union, as well as 10 years of participation inNATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP).

>>> Page 20 >>>

shows, Euro fighters, Black Hawks,radar sets, anti-aircraft weapons,equipment of the engineers, fieldkitchens, frogmen, special forces,alpine troops, Military music andmany more. More than 1.1 millionvisitors participated at the anniver-sary celebrations held in Innsbruck,Graz and Vienna.The Austrian "Task Force Dulje" alsocelebrated this very special AustrianNational day with a parade held inCamp Casablanca. At 11:00 hrs,local time, the task force commanderLTC Reinhard Kunert welcomednumerous guests of honour. TheAustrian National ContingentCommander COL (GS) MarkusKoller and Mag. Alexander Bayerl,Head of the Austrian Office inPristina held the speeches that day.After that, the military working dogsperformed an impressive actionshow. Then, the 1st Armored InfantryCoy held a parade on the TegethoffSquare. Finally all military vehicles ofthe Austrian, German and SwissContingents were on display. Thecelebration was a big success andended late into night.

“Bella gerant alii, tu felix Austrianube!” (Emperor Maximilian I)“Let others wage war, you - happyAustria - marry!”

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LTC C.M.B.Wichers, NL RoyalMarechaussee, has been in theatresince October 10. I am proud toserve here till April 10, 2006. In my opinion KFOR has at least twomissions, first to ensure the safe andsecure environment and second toensure all soldiers return home aftersuccessfully accomplishing theirKFOR mission. The Military Policeprovides valuable support to all com-manders and KFOR soldiers by pre-venting, warning and reportingwrongdoings. The MPs act as thespecial police advisor to all com-manders.One responsibility of every ProvostMarshal is to discuss these issues atmonthly meetings with all KFORpolice unit commanders. Besidesconduct normal patrolling activities,MPs plan and conduct separate pre-ventive traffic controls Kosovo-wide.At the moment we prepare an over-sight with all the route traffic acci-dents hotspots in Kosovo and contin-ue to pay close attention to them.Also, we hope to work with KPS onthis project in the future.We would like to inform everyoneabout how to prevent an accident.However, in case of an unforeseenaccident or incident the attachedcard will provide necessary instruc-tions on what to do. Also, you shouldinform the MP station who will alsoaddressed this issue.Most importantly, every KFOR sol-

dier should be aware that an MPfrom every nation can stop them,and have their ID cards checked;and every KFOR soldier is allowed tocheck IDs. If an MP officer found evi-dence of wrongdoing, this officerreports the evidence to the nationalMP. For instance, in case of suspect-ed drunk-driving this will result in thecar being stopped until the national

MP arrives to investigate. However,since the allowed amount of bloodalcohol is 0.0 KFOR soldiers mayuse instruments of the controlling MPto prove their innocence to preventunnecessary waiting time. For secu-rity and safety reasons KFOR andNATO rules take precedence overnational law.

HQ KFOR PrHQ KFOR Proovvost Marshalost Marshal

By LT Sara de MiguelSpanish Army

Photos by 1st LT Maksym NedriaUkrainian Army

On November 4, 1918, after fortymonths of ordeal, the armistice ofVilla Giusti ended the Great War.Italy emerged from the devastatingconflict exhausted but victorious.The sacrifice of the Army in Isonzo,Carso, Pasubio, Ortigara, Grappa,Piave; the abnegation of the Navy,who ensured the control over theAdriatic sea and the valour of the firstpilots, showed the strength of theItalian Armed Forces. With the victo-ry of 1918 Italy was finally unifiedand the national Risorgimento wasaccomplished. In the day of theNational Unit, the Armed Forcesrenew their gratitude and memoriesto those soldiers who were the pro-tagonists of a fundamental event inthe History.Italian Army celebrated the National

II ttaa ll iiaann NNaatt iioonnaall UUnnii ttyy KFOR CHRONICLE


Unity and Armed Forces Day onNovember 6 in Camp "VillaggioItalia", Belo Polje.The ceremony was presided over bythe highest Italian national authorityin Kosovo, COMKFOR LieutenantGeneral Valotto, in presence of mili-tary, civilian and religious authoritiesattending such an important day.After the inspection of the troops, theceremony started by honoring theColours of the 5th "Alpini Regiment",under the command of ColonelOrnello Baron.In speeches of the President of theItalian Republic and the ItalianMinistry of Defense they expressedtheir sincere and affectionate greet-ings to the soldiers and how theNation is particularly close anddeeply grateful to them.In his speech, LTG Valotto, talkedabout the big transformation that hastaken place in the Italian Army in thelast two decades. He also mentionedthe countries where their Army iscurrently deployed throughout theworld.After the ceremony, the guests wereinvited to view the static exhibitionshowing various Italian military mate-rial and equipment. To conclude theday, a generous cocktail was served,profiting on the wonderful Italian foodmade in Villaggio Italia.

aanndd AArrmmeedd FFoorrcceess DDaayy


KFOR CHRONICLE

Text and photos by 1st LT Maksym Nedria,Ukrainian Army

Emulative spirit joins challengers. Everyone tried to dotheir utmost to get the best result while considering theothers as counterparts. That was the aim of the organiz-ers, to provide an opportunity to youngsters from differ-ent ethnic communities, a common experience andmutual emotions.The orienteering competition was held on November 19in Kamenica. "Many organizations contributed to theevent, they are OSCE offices in Pristina and Gnjilane,KFOR HQ J9, MNB E Civil Affairs, Kosovo YouthAssembly and Kosovo Mountain Sport Federation.Kosovo Albanians and Kosovo Serbs participatedtogether," said one of the organizers, LTC Jose Pardode Santayana, HQ KFOR J9 CH LNO.Before starting the competition, each participant wasgiven a map with a route and compass. The route had15 control points, which they had to locate."You will also get the description of the places where thecontrol points are established from the field judge, suchas top of a hill, crossroads and stream. The runnershave to depart every 2 or 3 minutes and make thecourse alone without help from other participants.Length of the route is 4 km. The winner will be the par-ticipant, which will find all of the control points in a short-est time," LTC de Santayana briefed the participants.According to LTC de Santayana, 60 young peoplebetween 15 and 19 years old took part in the training.Forty-three of them arrived for the competition. They are

24 Nov. 30, 2005

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from Podujevo, Gnjilane and Kamenica municipalities."This is the first time I took part in an orienteering com-

petition. The weather is not very favourable but I amready to face this challenge. My friends are here andnobody is going to stay out the event," said TatjanaAndrojevic, Big Ropotovo village, Kamenica municipality."I am an orienteering runner since 1983. I am a memberof an orienteering club in Madrid and I practice this sportwith my family, my wife and four children. In my club, I amresponsible for the training of new members. I believethat orienteering sport is very educational both physicallyand intellectually," said LTC de Santayana.The winner crossed the finish line in 34 min. It wasChristian Gashi from Gnjilane. Cross-country and harshweather conditions made him really tired, nonetheless, inseveral minutes he was smiling and shared his experi-ence. Valmir Krasniqi placed second time with a 40 min20 sec. Third place won Ibadete Ajeti from Podujevo, whofinished her race in 46 min 57 sec."The J9 is now working together with OSCE to bring fiveparticipants for a week of orienteering to Spain inFebruary. The aim of this trip is to give the necessaryknowledge and motivation to the participants, so that theycould conduct this kind of sport in Kosovo themselves inthe future," said LTC de Santayana."Developing multinational welfare activities in Kosovo, wekeep the children from the streets, we contribute into thefuture of Kosovo and we help the local community," saidCOL Charles Iadimarco, US Army, Chief Civil Affairs,Camp Bondsteel.

KFOR CHRONICLE


By TECH SGT ClaudetteHutchinson, US Air Force

Photos by 1st Lt Maksym Nedria,Ukrainian Army

Their eyes have lost their luster. Andtheir vacant and distant stares areenough to melt even the coldestheart. The people in Kosovo yearn for life'smost basic needs, silently crying forhelp from anyone who will hearthem. But their silent cry has not goneunnoticed. The Airmen, Soldiers,Marine and Sailors of the KosovoForce are listening. They providingmuch-needed humanitarian aid tolocal families like the Novo Brdomunicipality. Steering the project in the Novo Brdomunicipality is Army 1st Lt. MelanieMeyer. She is the public informationliaison officer deployed from the135th Mobile Public AffairsDetachment at Camp Dodge, Iowa.Although she inherited the project,

she now calls it her own. "Growing up, my parents alwaystaught me the gift of giving. Theywere foster parents. So I remembermany children coming to our homewith absolutely nothing. I realized atan early age how lucky I was, andvowed I would always do whatever Icould to help the less fortunate,"

Lieutenant Meyer said. Since taking over the project inFebruary, the Americans have com-pleted more than 10 missions withinNovo Brdo. They work closely withthe UN Military Mission in Kosovoand social welfare offices in themunicipalities. The cooperation between the UNand American KFOR volunteers hasmade a significant impact for thefamilies. "This is a multi-ethnic project. Ialways work through the municipali-ties to ensure the donations arebeing distributed fairly to all ethnicgroups. They provide me with a list ofthe most vulnerable families whoneed assistance," the lieutenantsaid. Nivechita Haran, the UN military mis-sion's Novo Brdo municipality repre-sentative, credits Lieutenant Meyerfor making the project so successful. "It is well organized and the peopleare very happy with the help. Manyfamilies come back to say thanks. Itis very special for their children toreceive much-needed items," shesaid. Donations come from program sup-porters in the United States.Donations are sent the by service-member's families, friends, churchesand more than 14 humanitarianorganizations. They send betweenfive and 10 boxes of supplies eachweek. "It is truly beyond belief the way com-

KFOR CHRONICLE


munities back home got together tohelp communities here. A lot of thesepeople have nothing and would notbe able to survive without someassistance," the lieutenant said. Coordinating a project of this magni-tude is no small feat. It takes cooper-ation between UN and KFOR per-sonnel, local municipalities and U.S.aid agencies. But the reactions from the peoplegetting the help are worth every chal-lenge. "I feel very passionate about thisproject. Coordinating these missionsis a lot of work, but the reward ofseeing the faces of the people lightup is worth the effort," LieutenantMeyer said. There is still a lot to do. But each daythe municipality inches closertowards self-sufficiency. Ms. Haran said the United Nationswill turn over responsibilities for coor-dinating humanitarian efforts to theNovo Brdo municipality social wel-fare office. It has performed well andis ready to take over, she said. "I think Lieutenant Meyer and herteam has done a fantastic job.Please continue, because you careabout the people and this is veryimportant to them," Ms. Haran said. The lieutenant has no plans of lettingup. "We plan to continue providinghumanitarian aid in the Novo Brdoregion for as long as we can,"Lieutenant Meyer said.

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By MAJ Claudio C. CervigniCICKO 11

The Argentinean Eleventh JointEngineers Company (CICKO 11)deployed to Kosovo on May 15 as apart of the MNB SW.Combining the personnel of threeArmed Forces, this very specificcompany has managed to adaptquickly to the new operative andgeographical conditions. Actingunder tactical control of aMultinational Engineer Task Force"Astro", the CICKO 11 is situated inan old hunting residence of MarshalTito, near Pec.Reconstruction and improvement ofbuildings, civilian and military routes,bridges reconnaissance, check-points and patrolling are some of thetasks of the contingent. These tasksincorporate the valuable experienceof operating in a complicated envi-ronment, while sharing knowledgewith members of other contingents.Besides, the Argentinean Contingentalso dedicated to humanitarian proj-ects. The "Bedri Pejani" college is amultiethnic institution that provideseducation of primary and secondarylevel. Unfortunately, the conditions ofthe college are not good enough.Therefore, soldiers of the contingentdonated money to purchase twomodern computers, as well as to payfor their Internet connection, which

has been cut for three years. Theceremony of donation was held onOctober 18.College director and Principal of themunicipality did not hide their praisesand gratefulness during their

speeches. But, the smiles of the chil-dren and students gathered for theceremony were the best reward forthe Argentineans. Local media cov-ered the event.

AA S m a l l G e s t u r e S m a l l G e s t u r e a G r e a t C o m m i t m e n ta G r e a t C o m m i t m e n t

By TECH SGT ClaudetteHutchinson, US Air Force

It was a ghoulish night in Film City onOctober 31, as HQ KFOR US per-sonnel celebrate the tradition ofHalloween. This Halloween was a special onefor the Americans currently workingat HQ KFOR. It provided them aunique opportunity to share this cus-tom with friends and coworkers fromvarious other nations. However, while today Halloween iswidely adopted and celebrated in theUS, its origins are not very American,but originate from the Irish Celts. Many Halloween customs predateChristianity, going back to Celticpractices associated with Nov. 1, thebeginning of winter and the CelticNew Year. Held on Oct. 31, the eveof All Saints' Day, the holiday grewout of the Celts celebrating a newyear. Witches and other evil spirits werebelieved to roam the earth on thisevening, playing tricks to mark theseason of diminishing sunlight.Today, survivals of these early prac-tices are found in countries of Celticinfluence, such as the United Stateswhere children go door to door inscary costumes demanding "trick ortreat."Nevertheless, this opportunity totransform into the scariest witchesand goblins; prince and princessesor their favorite superstars is not loston just the children. The tradition hasseeped deep into the fabric of the

American tradition for both childrenand adults alike. On this day mostpeople take the opportunity toexplore their inner demon, by trans-forming into evil creatures that roamthe night. It is also a tradition in themilitary to start the day with a 5K fun-run, and if mission permits, somepeople are given the opportunity todress in costumes, and take part in"trick or treat," events with the chil-dren.This was also evident during theHalloween celebrations at HQKFOR, as Soldier, Sailors, Marineand Airmen from various nationsshed their military camouflage andtook on appearances of witches andvampires, a feline and a Geisha girl.Superman also made an appear-ance, to save the day.

"It was very nice to celebrate thisoccasion with the Americans. When Ireturn to France I will tell my childrenthat I celebrated real AmericanHalloween," said Maj. Valrie-ClaireBermond, HQ KFOR PIO deputyspokesperson (French Army). Maj.Bermond was the winner of the bestmakeup contest. The US Morale, Welfare andRecreation Center coordinatorplanned and coordinated the event,beginning with the 5K run. This and other traditional US cus-toms, and holiday events areplanned and held at the center peri-odically. This allows US HQ KFORpersonnel to continue to embracetheir customs and traditions duringtheir mission abroad. It also providesa sense of "home away from home,"while they continue their very impor-tant mission here in Kosovo, of sup-porting NATO in providing a safe andsecure environment for the people ofKosovo. As the celebrations ended,everyone seemed to take pleasure insharing this unique American experi-ence.Now, it was midnight, and the witch-es scurried off on their brooms,felines scampered to their homes,and vampires dodged the light ofdaybreak; miraculously, reappearingas Sailors, Soldiers, Airmen andMarines.

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Name: Vasilijs KOLEGOVSRank: 1st LieutenantAge: 33Unit In Kosovo: Platoon leaderUnit In Latvia: Mobile infantry battalionAbout the mission: Challenge, challenge, challenge…new environment, many nations, many points of view about the solving of some problems and tasks, many previous experiences, many different techniques, procedures and so on, but one goal - peace and security for a better future. In this mission three key words for me are: team, trust and attitude.Here in Kosovo, people should live together for their children, regardless of nationality, religion and political preferences. NATO shows us the best example how different nations and religions may cooperate for common aim.Family reaction: I am soldier and my destiny is to be where it is necessary for my country and my army. My family respects my missions and supports me. I am proud of them. I am married; my daughter is 11 years old, she is amazing. My wife understands how important this mission for people of Kosovo and I am blessed for that. I miss them and look forward to reuniting with my family.After Kosovo: …new challenges.

Peacekeeper’s Profile

Name: Serge NICOLASRank: MajorAge: 42Unit in Kosovo: JENGUnit in France: EMF4 (G3 Section Chief in Land Headquarters)

Spare time: You can meet me in the gym, in the French NSE or inone of our restaurants.

About the mission: I am a staff officer in the JEng Branch and I havebeen here since 24 July 2005. This is my second tour in Kosovo, myfirst one was in 2003, and it is the second time that I have worked asproject officer for all main supply roads in the theater. That means Icheck more than 800 km of roads and manage all the necessary con-struction work. Of course I miss my family and I am eager to see mywife and my three children in south west of France where we live.


Name: Olaru Constantin DANUTRank: 1st LieutenantDate of Birth: 13 July 1976Unit In Kosovo: 1st Romanian Mountain CompanyHome Unit: 30th Mountain BattalionAbout mission: This is my first mission and I think I will gain a lot of useful experience. I believe that this mission will give me, as well my brothers-in-arms, more self-confident. It will enhance the company's value and will allow us to perform our duties better. The presence of our company in Kosovo contributes towards a better future for the population. We are honored to live together and to work side by side with the Italian soldiers from 4th Italian "Carri" battalion.Family Reaction: I am very glad, because my family's reaction is very supportive. It was a great challenge for my wife to accept our separation, because our daughter is only 1 year old. When I left our home my daughter was starting to walk. Now, she runs and asks about daddy.After the mission: Like every soldier abroad, I wish to accomplish the mission successfully and return to my country ready for the next mission.


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Name: Frank PRENDERGASTRank: OR-9Home Unit: 1st Field Artillery RegimentActual Branch: Battery Sergeant with Number 1 Gun Battery Previous activity: Three tours to LEBANON. Two tours to CYPRUS. One tour to IRANCountry: IrelandWhere I live: Ballincollig 10km west of Cork city. Where I work: Site Manager, Headquarters Support Group. Why I'm in Kosovo. To gain experience and test myself working with multnationals as a sergeant major. How was the reaction of my family: My wife and children (3) gave me all their support in coming to Kosovo. Although it was heartbreaking to leave them, regular phone calls keep me up to speed with what is happening in their lives. They knew I would be home on leave as well. I take this opportunity to thank them for their support. Knowing the situation was calm here helped a lot as well.Future plan after my tour: Resume my post in the Regiment; get back to golfing and watching my children play sports.


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