KFOR CHRONICLE - ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.eduufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/AA/00/06/51/90/00014/01-31-2007.pdf · 1/31/2007 · 4 [Inside KFOR] KFOR Chronicle, January 2007 Text by Capt

2 KFOR Chronicle, January 2007

Commander KFOR:Commander KFOR:Lt. Gen. Roland Kather, DE Army

Chief Public Information:Chief Public Information:Col. Rainer Senger, DE Army

Chief Internal InformationChief Internal Information& Editor in Chief :& Editor in Chief :

Maj. Alexander Unterweger,AUT Army

[email protected]

Journal is tJournal is t1st Lt. Maksym Klunnyk, UKR Army

Photographer & LayoutPhotographer & LayoutMr. Armend Aqifi

The KFOR Chronicle is printed by KOSOVA SOT

Tel: 038 548 402

The KFOR Chronicle is produced and fully funded by HQKFOR. It is published for KFOR

forces in the area of responsibility. The contents are not necessarilythe official views of, or endorsed

by, the coalition governments’defense departments.

Editorial content is edited, preparedand provided by the InternalInformation Section of HQ

KFOR’s Public Information Office(PIO) in Pristina, Kosovo.

PIO HQ KFOR reserves the rightto edit content to conform to styleand space requirements. Articlesrun on a space-available basis.

HQ KFORCanada EstoniaHungaryNetherlandsNorwayPortugalUnited Kingdom

MNTF (C)Czech RepublicFinlandIrelandLatviaSlovakia Sweden

MNTF (E)United Statesof AmericaArmeniaGreece LithuaniaPolandRomaniaUkraine

MNTF (S)Germany AustriaAzerbaijanBulgariaGeorgiaSwitzerlandTurkey

MNTF (W)ItalyArgentinaHungaryRomaniaSloveniaSpain

MNTF (N)FranceBelgium DenmarkGreeceLuxembourgMoroccoMongolia

Nations within KFOR:

Special thanks to OR-6 Christin Michaud, USAFfor her invaluable support

KFOR CHRONICLE

Cover photo by1st Lt. Maksym Klunnyk

Contact KFOR Chronicle:Phone Int: +389 2268 2897Kos.: (038) 503 603 2897

KPN: 2897, 2402FAX Int: +389 2268 2752

E-mail:[email protected]

Internet: www.nato.int/kfor

[Commentary]

Dear friends,Time flies. It's up to you to be the navigator!The KFOR Chronicle team looks forward to giving you aperfect time-management tool with this 2007 calendar.Best wishes,Alexander Unterweger, MajorChief Internal Information

Presenting the first copy of the 2007 KFOR Chronicle calendar to COMKFOR

3KFOR Chronicle, January 2007

[This Month’s Features]

Photo competition ...................... page 8 - 9

Weapon destruction ...................................... page 4 - 5

TOA MNTF East .......................... page 10 - 11

TOA MNTF North ................ page 18 - 19

Cultural HeritageMosque Pristina ........................... page 20 - 21

4

[Inside KFOR]

KFOR Chronicle, January 2007

Text by Capt. Adam Folcker, Swedish Army. Photos by 1st Lt. Maksym Klunnyk

There is a hail of sparks as the angle grinder cuts through metal. The gun falls apart, marking the fact another illegalweapon has been destroyed and Kosovo has been made a little bit safer.The occasion was the destruction of more than 1,200 illegal weapons in the Swedish Camp Victoria in Ajvalija/Ajvali on

December 9. The weapons had been seized earlier by KFOR and the Kosovo Police Service and now that the legalprocess concerning the weapons' disposition was finished, they could be destroyed. The Multinational Task Force Centre

Swedish Bravo Company got the task. During the preceding weeks, the company collected the weapons from KosovoPolice Service (KPS) storage sites in different parts of Kosovo. The cutting up of the weapons was carried out by Explosive

Ordnance Disposal soldiers using angle grinders and blow torches. "This is a symbolic act that shows improvement to asafe and secure environment in Kosovo. KFOR will ensure that all illegal weapons found in Kosovo are securely taken care

of", said the Commander MNTF C Brigadier General Per Lodin as he inaugurated the ceremony in front ofa large gathering of media representatives.

As more confiscated weapons are released from the legalprocess, they will be destroyed. The scrap metal value for

the destroyed weapons will be given to the KPS. Itrepresents a small sum financially, but it carries a great

symbolic value and will hopefully help the Kosovo societymove toward greater law and order.

In a joint operation December 19-21,Kosovo Police Service and KFOR

seized a substantial amount ofammunition, weapons and other

military items. On December 24 the Explosive

Ordnance Demolition team from theFinnish KFOR contingent

demolished 13 RPG antitankgrenades, 116 fragmentation grenades(75mm) and other ammunition.They were destroyed by controlleddetonations.

[Inside KFOR]


6

[Inside KFOR]

KFOR Chronicle, January 2007Photos by Combat Camera Team

Shooting competition at Rezor Back RangeCOMKFOR General Katherattended a shooting competitionat Rezor Back range.

First COMKFOR press conference of the yearDuring the first press conference of the yearGeneral Kather answered questions by localmedia.

JAN 8 JAN 8

Long-duration patrolFrench troops briefed COMKFOR before along-duration patrol.JAN 10 JAN 10

Celebrating Orthodox ChristmasCelebrating Orthodox Christmas,COMKFOR and SRSG, Dr. Joachim Rueckerpaid a visit to Decane/Decan monasterywhere they met with Bishop Theodosje.

COMKFOR and SRSG visited Gate 1SRSG, Dr. Joachim Ruecker and COMKFORmet with boundary police at Gate 1.JANJAN 111 1

Visit to Camp Nothing HillGeneral Roland Kather and SRSG Dr.Ruecker visited Camp Nothing Hill.JANJAN 111 1

Commander's conferenceCOMKFOR held a Commander's conferencein Mitrovica/Mitrovicë.JAN 9 JAN 9

Visit of the FrenchChief of Defense

French Chief of Defense,General Georgelin wasbriefed by COMKFORduring his visit in KFORHQ.

JANJAN 12 12 Hungarian medal

parade

General Kather said"goodbye" to the Hungarian guard before their end of tour.

JANJAN 14 14

JAN 7 JAN 7

JAN 6 JAN 6

7

[Inside KFOR]


Lieutenant General Karl-HeinzLather visited KFOR

Deputy Commander AlliedLand Component CommandHeidelberg, Lt. Gen. Karl-Heinz Lather attended an officecall at Film City.

JAN 15 JAN 15

British Chief of the Army visitBritish Chief of the Army, General SirRichard Dannat visited KFOR.JAN 17 JAN 17

Meeting with KEK's Managing DirectorCOMKFOR and KFOR Chief of Staffvisited KEK. During the visit they talkedwith KEK's Managing Director, Mrs.Pranvera Dobruna Kryeziu.

JAN 19 JAN 19

Visit of the new SACEURSACEUR, General John Craddock visitedKFOR for the first time along with JFCNaples Commander, Admiral Ulrich.

JAN 16 JAN 16

Wreath-laying ceremony at KFOR HQGeneral Kather salutes fallen Sloveniansoldiers during a wreath-laying ceremony atthe KFOR HQ.

JANJAN 19 19

President Rugova's memorialCOMKFOR paid his respect during theanniversary of President Rugova's death.JANJAN 21 21

European Unit representatives visitMr. Pedro Serrano, European Unitrepresentative visited HQ KFOR.JAN 18 JAN 18

JANJAN 21 21 JANJAN 24 24

SerbianParliament

elections

COMKFOR visited aSerbian pollingstation inLipljan/Lipjan duringthe elections to theSerbian Parliament.

Joint New Yearreception

General Kather attendedthe New Year receptionwith SRSG at hotel"Victory" inPristina/Prishtinë.

8

[Inside KFOR]


9

[Inside KFOR]


Text by Major Alexander UnterwegerPhotos by Armend Aqifi

In the KFOR Chronicle Christmasedition a photo contest was announcedfor our highly esteemed readers. Therules to take part in it were very simple:KFOR soldiers should send usphotographs of troops involved inKFOR mission activities, humanitarianefforts, leisure pursuits and site-seeingexpeditions. All photographs must be ingood taste and depict a positive KFORimage. The deadline was January 12.The prizes for the contest were donatedby the KFOR Headquarters Morale andWelfare Activities branch (MWA). My

special thanks goes to MWA - to OR-8Alex Petz for his quick and generoussupport.More than 100 amazing photos weresent to our e-mail account. We werevery pleased about their quality andvariety. In the first step the KFORChronicle team sorted out the best 15and afterward the winners were chosenin a secret voting by most members ofthe PIO branch.Congratulations to the winners of thephoto contest! The first prize went toOR-6 Jorge Ferreira from Portugal(KTM), with his photograph showing asoldier on duty at sunset. Jorge, havefun with your new digital camera!The second prize, a 4 GB MP3 playeriPod Nano went to OR-9 Guiseppe

Carlucci from Italy (MNTF W).His photograph shows an Italiansoldier with two children in a warmand peaceful atmosphere. OR-3 Rudolf Folberger, a Czechsoldier (MNTF C), won third prize inthe photo contest - a 4 GB USB Datastick. His black-and-white photographwith the car and the turtle on it isfascinating.During an award ceremony onJanuary 18 at HQ KFOR the prizesand certificates were presented to thewinners. There was also time toexchange experiences about takingthe pictures.From my point of view the photocontest was a great success - not onlyfor the winners but also for the otherparticipants for taking such goodphotos. Thank you very much for

your participation and maybeyour photo will be the winner ofthe next photo contest …

[Inside KFOR]


Text by OR-7 Renee Kirkland, U.S. Air ForcePhotos by Combat Camera team

The transfer of authority ceremony for Multinational Task Force East tookplace at Camp Bondsteel on December 6. U.S. Army Brigadier GeneralDouglas B. Earhart assumed command from Army Brigadier General DarrenG. Owens during a ceremony presided over by Commander Kosovo ForcesLieutenant General Roland Kather.General Kather praised the actions of the task force during its time in Kosovo.He said that MNTF E always sent a clear message to those who would threatenthe safe and secure environment and that KFOR was willing and determined torespond immediately to any kind of violence - and that people got the message.Soldiers of the 29th Infantry Division also replaced those from the 36th InfantryDivision. Brig. Gen. Owens tasked the soldiers with carrying on therelationships built by their predecessors with the Kosovo citizens. They wereasked to be part of this time of hope, a time where people can hope for a betterfuture for all the citizens of Kosovo.The 29th Division joins soldiers from Greece, Armenia, Romania, Poland,Ukraine and Lithuania in their mission to secure the MNTF E area ofresponsibility.Brig. Gen. Earhart purposed that the 29th Division's patch could serve asa symbol of hope to the people of Kosovo. "It represents the blue and the

gray - the north and south - two cultures with divergentperspectives and beliefs. There was atime when it seemed these two groupswould never settle their differences,but these people now worktogether toward a commongood in the United States".

11

[Inside KFOR]


Text by Maj. Zsolt Balazs, HungarianArmy

Photos by OR-9 Giuseppe Carlucci,Italian Army

The Christian and Orthodox Christmasalongside the Muslim Bajram are veryspecial feasts for a lot of people inKosovo.KFOR MNTF W intended to makethese events happier for them bydelivering Christmas presents to manyfamilies of different ethnic andreligious groups. Between December12 and January 7 the CIMIC (Civil-military Cooperation) branch doubledits effort by delivering children's toys,traditional Italian Christmas cakes andchocolates to 11 schools, mosques,parishes and orphanages in their Area

of Responsibility ofMNTF W. The

number ofchildren, whowere provideda piece oflove, in this

period of theyear, is

approximately 4,500. The MNTF Wcommander wanted all municipalitiesto be involved in this activity, so it wasdone even in Klina/Klinë, Djakovica/Gjakovë, Decani/Decan and Pec/Pejëmunicipalities.To make these present-givingcelebrations more solemn, thecommander MNTF W BrigadierGeneral Attilio Claudio Borreca waspersonally present on every event, andgave meaningful speeches in thehonor of the people of Kosovo. He

12

[Inside KFOR]



[Inside KFOR]

emphasized how important it is for thefuture of this region to work togetherand build good relationships betweenthe different ethnic groups. Furthermore throughout December theCIMIC branch received blankets,pullovers, gloves and towels from theHungarian Army and gave them ashumanitarian aid to those who are inneed - approximately 100 families inthe Klina/Klinë municipality. Forcontributing this delivery, a Hungariancompany deployed in MNTF W HQ,Camp Villaggio Italia, has beencooperating with the G-9 branch. Thisactivity is not finished yet, and willcontinue in 2007. In addition to all of this, the CIMICbranch continues its regular activity of distributing heating oil to schools andchurches throughout Kosovo.We are happy and proud! We have helped them, and looking forward to doingit again.

[Inside KFOR]


October 2006 - "Blue Backup"MNTF S

November 2006 - "Island Sky"MNTF E

November 2006 - "Balkan Hawk VI", MNTF C

November 2006 -“CleverMNTF W

October 2006 - “Just in Case"

Text and photos by OR-6 Jorge Ferreira,Portuguese Army

Since our arrival to the theatre, 1st Para Battalionhas performed 10 operations and six preventionsKosovo-wide in order to fulfill our mission. Ourmain effort was in November when we he had toface five operations and one prevention - some of

them with only 15 minutes notice to move.

[Inside KFOR]

KFOR Chronicle, January 2007 15November 2006 "North Wind"MNTF S

November 2006 - "Reindeer"MNTF C

November 2006 - "Bull West"MNTF N

January 2007 - “West of the Divide"MNTF E

January 2007 - "Serbian Election"MNTF N

November 2006 - "Black Masked Man"MNTF W

Ferret"

Photo by OR-6 Paulo Costa, Portuguese Army


Ahoy

Sveiki

Dia duit


© A

rmen

d A

qifi,

KFO

RC

hron

icle

Hej

Say HELLO Say HELLO to MNTFto MNTF C!C! Terve

Ahoy

Text by OR-6 Christin Michaud, U.S. Air ForcePhotos by Armend Aqifi

Soldiers from 11 nations stood at attention information on January 23 for the MNTF Ntransfer of authority ceremony at Camp deLattre de Tassigny.The ceremony conveys the authority andresponsibility of command from one General toanother. COMKFOR Lieutenant GeneralRoland Kather presided over the ceremony inwhich Brigadier General Jean-Mark Duquensepassed on the symbolic flag signifying the endof his tour of duty to incoming commander,Brigadier General Bertrand Clement-Bollee.Until modern times, it was not uncommon forwarriors in the field to be unable to identify or to

recognize theirleaders. Aformal changeof commandceremony, affords them theopportunity to witness theproceedings and, perhaps moreimportant, to see at close rangetheir new leader. The ceremony allows soldiers to honor thedeparting commander, and publiclydemonstrate loyalty to the new."A change of command is alwaysan emotional time, filled witha whole spectrum offeelings - fromadmiration for the outgoing commander, toanticipation ofwhat to expect from the

[Inside KFOR]


[Inside KFOR]

KFOR Chronicle, January 2007 19

i n c o m i n gc o m m a n d e rand what he

will expect from you",COMKFOR told the troops. General Kather personalized

the ceremony by thanking Brig. Gen.Duquesne and his soldiers in French for theirservice and dedication to KFOR. The ceremony was also an opportunity for

Brig. Gen. Duquesne to do his final passand review to salute and thank the

officers, NCOs and soldiers of the11 nations under his command

during the past four months. "You have accomplished and

will continue toaccomplish a great job",

said the outgoingcommander. "Calm,vigilance andreactivity were theguidance I gave my

staff and units four months ago - still, I amfully convinced that they perfectly define thecore of our mission".As he bid farewell to the soldiers, he not onlyhanded over the responsibility of MNTF N toBrig. Gen. Cement-Bolle, but the future of theKosovars as well. "I hand over to you thisresponsibility … in support of peace andfreedom", Brig. Gen. Duquesne added. Brig. Gen. Clement-Bollee, in his speech to thetroops, said he had one common goal: "tomaintain confidence in the future". He askedthe soldiers to consider and implement threekey principles: vigilance, exigency andopenness. "Naturally, today my thoughts are with theinhabitants of Kosovo, particularly with theyouth who represent the future", Brig. Gen.Clement-Bollee said. Soldiers represented KFOR with precision andhonor during the ceremony, the same way theystand ready at a moments notice to defendKosovo's freedom and assist in maintaining asafe and secure environment.

20

[Cultural Heritage]


Text by 1st Lt. Maksym Klunnyk, Ukrainian Army

Photos by Armend Aqifi

Regardless of the many differences in eachculture, one thing remains the same: eachtown or city has a city centre - the root of itshistory. Kosovo also has a central city andprimary places where the history of Kosovobegan. One of the main historic religious points ofKosovo is the Mosque of Sultan MehmetFatih. This mosque is located in downtownPristina/Prishtinë, the main city of Kosovo.Local citizens call it Grand or Main mosque.

When you see thismosque you realizeimmediately thatit is truly the mainand the oldest one.The mosque is very old- it was completed in 1461after 20 years of construction. During our visit tothe mosque I metwith the mufti ofP r i s t i n a / P r i s h t i n ëmunicipality, Mr.Burhanudin Hashani.

21

[Cultural Heritage]


He hospitably welcomed us and shared insight into thehistory of the mosque.According to his words, the general area of the mosquehas high ceilings measuring 20 meters, and an interior of196 square meters, while the minaret is approximately 45meters in height and the walls are almost two meters wide. "Inside the mosque you can see beautiful Islamic frescosthat still look original. Over the years they have only beenrefreshed", he said.This mosque is unique. Since the beginning of its time, themosque has been protected by law and wasn't damagedvery much during more than 500 years of history. It looksalmost the same as it did in the beginning. By the way, it was built with stones 80 centimeters in

width, 1,5 meters long, and approximately 70centimeters in height. For your imagination: one stonelooks like your desktop. Could you imagine how "easy"it was to build such a beautiful and big mosque in the15th century? I saw one of the stones the mosque was built with, infront of entrance to the mosque. "Currently the stoneis used to display the coffin for people to pray beforethe funeral ceremony", said Mr. Hashani.When you enter inside its beauty, oldness anduniqueness will really impress you. Immediatelyyou will understand that the mosque of SultanMehmet Fatih is definitely the Main mosque ofKosovo.

22

[Inside KFOR]


[Inside KFOR]


[Inside KFOR]


Text by Maj. Herve Grimonprez, French Army Photos by OR-5 Jerome Lagarde, French Army

Since December 3 the second rotation of Mongolia has beenparticipating in the peacekeeping operation in Kosovo. We are the 4th platoon of a Belgian company. This gives usa unique opportunity to be a part of the NATO mission. Thefirst rotation was here more then a year ago. The servicemenof our platoon come from the 150th and 330th PeacekeepingBattalion. Some servicemen already served in Iraq andSierra Leone. Others just graduated from sergeant academy.In this way Mongolia wants to do its part in internationalpeacekeeping.Before our arrival in Kosovo, we trained for two months inBelgium. Weapon handling, radio, checkpoint and patroltechniques were thoroughly trained. The 2/4th Lancers, aBelgian tank battalion, provided all of the equipment andpersonnel. After a week of training we had some relaxationon Sunday. We visited the major cities of Belgium likeBrussels, Antwerp and Bruges.We also visited a Belgianpark. At the end of ourtraining, we passed a testto check if we matchedNATO standard, which we did.

We also had anopportunity toorganizea traditionalMongolianmeal. This wasa chance tostrengthen the bondbetween our platoon and the host unit.On December 3, our plane landed in Pristina/Prishtinëairport. After the handling of the luggage, we proceeded toCamp Belvedere. The compound has good accommodationsand we were very pleased with them. The first day weparticipated in the games of St. Barbara, which was a goodopportunity to introduce us to the French contingent.Afterward we started with the real work: patrols, updatingvillage files and guarding the compound. Every day welearn new things and are amazed about the friendliness ofthe local population.We hope our mission will be successful and our presence

appreciated by our colleagues and local population.We wish you all the best!


[Inside KFOR]

Text by Lt. Liuzzi Fabio, Italian ArmyPhotos by Lt. Giovannoli Denis, OR-9 Maresciallo Capo

and OR-9 Giuseppe Carlucci, Italian Army

On November 27, in the Jablanica/Jabllanicë village,Pec/Pejë municipality received a new bridge. "This bridge has been realized by Italian Engineers ofMNTF W in favor the inhabitants of Jablanica/Jabllanicëvillage" - this is the sentence written on the board nearby thebridge and it summarizes 69 days of hard work, 35,000 Euroand many nights of study for the bridge project!The work started on September 16 by MNTF W Engineer

Company whose commander, CaptainUmberto Curzio, was the project officer.The bridge crossed over the PeckaBistrica river and links two villagesJablanica/Jabllanicë and Lesane/Leshan; it is 35 meters long and it can

support up to 30 tons.MNTF W Commander Brigadier General Claudio Borrecaheaded the inaugurating ceremony. Chief of Executive ofPec/Pejë municipality, Mr. Ramiz Zeka and city officialsattended the ceremony.

"Thanks to the bridge project Jablanica/Jabllanicë pupilswill be able to reach their school saving seven kilometers ofwalking", said Mr. Zeka, showing all his happiness andgratitude to Italian MNTF W soldiers and to KFOR both forthis work and for every other task carried out for the welfareof the Pec/Pejë municipality.In a very happy environment a little child together with Brig.Gen. Claudio Borreca cut the strip of the inauguratingceremony symbolizing that the bridge has been doneabove all for the new generations, for childrenwho will bring a peaceful, productiveand cooperative future toKosovo!

[Inside KFOR]

Text by OR-7 Renee Kirkland,U.S. Air Force

Photos by 1st Lt. Maksym Klunnyk,Ukrainian Army

Surrounded by snowcapped mountainsand clear skies, Camp Breza was alivewith the sounds of joyous spirits asUkrainian soldiers celebrated the 15thanniversary of their armed forces.Multinational Task Force EastUkrainian soldiers gathered in theremote camp in Brezovica/Brezovicë,

along with the new MNTF East commander, BrigadierGeneral Douglas Earhart and guests, on a makeshift paradeground to receive commendations for their service to the

Holiday in mountainsHoliday in mountains


[Inside KFOR]

KFOR Chronicle, January 2007 27

Kosovo mission and to the mission of their government. Thesoldiers were awarded NATO Non-Article 5 medals andanniversary medals from the Ukrainian Defense Ministry."The award of these medals confirms the appreciation KFORhas for the Ukrainian peacekeeping efforts and givesassurance in continued strengthening of military cooperation",said the Ukrainian compound commander, Lieutenant ColonelOleksandr Pavliuk. In his speech to his fellow soldiers Lt. Col. Pavliuk recountedthe beginnings of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. "On December

6, 1991 the Ukrainian parliament passed a law whichlaid the foundation for the creation and developmentof the armed forces … Today, the armed forces are ina transitional period of creating a new, modern,combat-ready, professional armed force that isstructured to respond to the needs and standards ofNATO membership", he said.Brig. Gen. Earhart commended the work of theUkrainian detachment."In a very short time, the Ukrainian Armed Forceshave made their mark by contributing to peacekeeping

operations around Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Here in Kosovo, you have made a positive difference in thelives of the citizens in your area of operations, and I am proud

to have you serving as part of ourorganization. Your contributions herein Kosovo and in other trouble spotsin the world will help secure peacefor future generations".The formal ceremony concludedwith a demonstration of hand-to-hand tactics and a reception featuringnative Ukrainian dishes. More than180 Ukrainian soldiers serve as partof the NATO Kosovo mission.


[Inside KFOR]

Text and photos by Capt. Petri Korhonen, Finnish Army

In the military, pedal power is far from obsolete."A modern bicycle is still very capable for lightmilitary transport duties, and on the paved areas it'salways faster than a foot soldier", says LieutenantSami Lintula, leader of the Finnish Medical Platoon atMNTF C, Camp Ville.This winter his medics and even some brave Swedishsoldiers have been voluntarily practicing different kinds ofpatrolling methods on bikes, quite similar to those that theHelsinki Metropolitan Police use on the streets of theFinnish capital.Those who thought that bikes are passé in the age of carshave had to reconsider it. In the late 1990's the idea of lawenforcement bike-patrols was born simultaneously in manyScandinavian cities. New mountain bikes were found to befast, light and agile - just the right tools police needed for

patrolling downtown urban surroundings, jammed with carsand traffic.Military needs may be little different than the police. Formany decades the Finnish and Swedish Armies have reliedon domestic-made, heavy-duty military-issue bikes whichcan carry an enormous load of gear on their backs. In Kosovo, those green two-wheeled workhorses can beseen all over MNTF C camps. Latest versions come in deepblack - obviously they are reserved for some specialoperations units, as the joking soldiers may claim toastonished visitors.In the wintertime the operational use of bicycles has beenlimited to the MNTF C camp areas. Back at Finland thecivilian bike enthusiasts don't let the icy weather stop them- they simply change to steel-spiked winter tires.But this spring, and due to the fact that the streets ofLipljan/Lipjan are getting better every year, don't besurprised if you see a Finnish bike patrol doing some on-duty pedaling. Last summer the Finnish A-Coy's bikepatrols got a good response from the locals."A bike could be an excellent KFOR vehicle in many cases.It gets you nearer to the people, and what is most important,

it's not a threatening vehicle.Who wouldn't like bikersand their admirable thigh

muscles", asks Lt.Lintula with alaugh.

Pedaling on the streets of Kosovo - why not? Pedaling on the streets of Kosovo - why not? The Finnish Contingent isThe Finnish Contingent isready when the need for quiet, fast and agile movements arise.ready when the need for quiet, fast and agile movements arise.

Text by Mexhid Havolli, PHSG-Warehouse

Soldier Tibor Tarsoly, born in 1977 in Varpalota,Hungary, works in KFOR HQ at the securitysection. During his work and general activity heis also engaged in painting, which he performswith great passion in his free time. Upon myrequest, I held a short conversation with him,which in a way presents the artistic side,inspiration, journey, hope and reviving of artisticfeelings."The art of painting is a special gift, whichrequires commitment and reading of motiveswith an artistic eye", he says. He did this with aspecific elegance, giving a spirit to circumstancesand creating a special world around him. Heexplained how small episodes, to which he didnot pay attention before, used to come in hismind, whereas now they were getting a specificartistic shape and nuances.All paintings have geometrical order. His worksare allusive, covered by a strange feeling of joy,hope and love.He started to paint in his primary school.Different views from life, experience andperspective made an impression on him, which hereflects in painting. They speak a specific artisticlanguage, which has substance. In someoccasions, he organized personal exhibitions inthe city of Gyor, where the artists are alwayswelcome. Welcome to the artistic world of TiborTarsoly in which each painting of him draws yourattention.


[Inside KFOR]

[Just For Laughs]


Line up for roll callIt was early morning at an Army camp and the first sergeant was calling

out names for the daily work parties listed on a piece of paper: "Ames" - "Here!"

"Jenson" - "Here!" "Jones" - "Here!"

"Magersky" - "Here!" "Seeback" - " -- " "Seeback!" - " -- "

"SEEBACK!!!" - " -- " At that point, someone whispered into the first sergeant's ear. He looked again at what the last name

really said, quickly turned over the list and continued calling the names printed on the other side.

Unfaithful wivesPaddy and his two friends are talking at a bar.

His first friend says: "I think my wife is having an affair with the electrician. The other dayI came home and found wire cutters under our bed and they weren't mine."

His second friend says: "I think my wife is having an affair with the plumberthe other day I found a wrench under the bed and it wasn't mine."

Paddy says: "I think my wife is having an affair with a horse." Both his friends look at him with utter disbelief.

"No, I'm serious. The other day I came home and found a jockey under our bed."

Blonde avoiding treesA State Trooper pulls a car over on a lonely back road and approaches the blonde lady driver.

"Mam, is there a reason that you're weaving all over the road"?The woman replied, "Oh officer, thank goodness you're here!! I almost had an accident! I looked up andthere was a tree right in front of me. I swerved to the left and there was another tree in front of me.

I swerved to the right and there was another tree in front of me!"Reaching through the side window to the rear view mirror, the officer replied,

"Ma'am... that's your air freshener."

Oh, I forgot to pay for the snow - enjoy our Welfare tours!

31

[Peacekeepers’ Profiles]


Name: Wolfgang BraunRank: OR-9Nationality: GermanHome Unit: 13th Mechanized Infantry Division, LeipzigUnit in KFOR: COMKFOR Office About the mission: This is my first mission in a multinational NATO settingoutside of Germany. My principal responsibility as the Command SergeantMajor of KFOR is to provide and maintain opportunities for collaborations to allKFOR soldiers. This can be a challenge since 36 nations have differentstandards, requirements and procedures for their soldiers. My first weeks on thejob were very demanding given that I had to gain knowledge of the personnel,as well as the way they operate in a very different multinational environment.However, in the past five months, I have enjoyed interacting and learning fromall the soldiers I have met in the HQs as well as in the task forces. Thisexperience was valuable and of great benefit for me.Family reaction: I would like to thank my family and relatives at home forsupporting me so well for the time I am abroad. My wife and four children werewell prepared to deal without "Daddy" many times before, but they are lookingforward to seeing me at home soon.

Plans after the mission: I will return to my unit in Leipzig, where I will share my experiences with my comrades. I am alsolooking forward to working in my home and garden.One of my long-term objectives is an assignment at the German Infantry School, to share my experiences with young NCOs.Another one is an assignment in the US, where I would like to work at the US NCO Academy.

Name: Giovanni PorcaroRank: OR-9Nationality: ItalianHome Unit: Armoured Brigade "Pinerolo" HeadquartersUnit in KFOR: MNTF W Public Information Office (PIO). MediaOperations NCOAbout the mission: This is my sixth mission in the Balkan region but it ismy first time in the PIO. This is a good experience for me because I havealways worked in the intelligence branch and now I am working in theopposite kind of job improving my point of view. Family reaction: My family: wife, one daughter and one son, neverthelessthey are accustomed for my absences because of my job I have to call themtwo or three times every day to assure them.Plans after the mission: In April, when Armoured Brigade "Pinerolo"Headquarters will finish this mission, I will be retired, because I willcomplete my 36th year on duty. I'm not very happy for this but I wish allmy comrades to have the same satisfaction that God and life gave to me.

Name: ApachesRank: PrivateNationality: FrenchAge: 3 years oldRace: Belgium shepherdHome unit: 132nd Dog Handlers BattalionUnit in KFOR: Dog Handlers Platoon, French Battalion, Multinational Task Force NorthAbout the mission: This is my first mission abroad, and it's very interesting (and funny)to meet people who have never worked with us before. Even if I don't look to be nice, I'ma real peacekeeper. I would do everything for my handler, and I won't let anybody causetrouble as long as I'll be here. I like the Crowd Riot Control exercises very much; theyare a good opportunity to put into practice the long training hours we have daily in ourplatoon. Family reaction: I don't know - I haven't seen them since I entered the Army. Myhandler, 1st Lieutenant Marescaux, is only my family; he is here with me, and we supporteach other. So I'm at the best place! He is really a brother in arms for me!Plans after the mission: I'll have a few weeks rest at my battalion, being checked bystrange servicemen with white coats, in order to be sure I feel good. Then, I hope, we willjoin another theatre as I am at the beginning of my career as a service dog!

Pho

to b

y P

hoto

by

Arm

end

Arm

end

Aqi

fi, K

FO

RA

qifi

, KF

OR

Chr

Chr

onic

leon

icle

Bel

o B

rdo/

Bel

lobë

rdë

Bel

o B

rdo/

Bel

lobë

rdë

Documents

KFOR CHRONICLE - ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.eduufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/AA/00/06/51/90/00014/01-31-2007.pdf · 1/31/2007 · 4 [Inside KFOR] KFOR Chronicle, January 2007 Text by Capt