KTTS NEWS STORIES (March 31, 2008) In a couple of months, one-thousand Missouri National Guard members will be part of the NATO peacekeeping force in Kosovo. Some of those who have been training them for this trip are veterans of Kosovo--such as Sergeant Roger Yarborough from Farmington.. He says they'll meet a variety of people...
(Click here for comments from Sgt. Yarborough)
Yarborough says the situation is similar to the one Iraq. He says its all apart of setting up a constitution they can work with.
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One Thousand Missouri National Guard members will be shipping out to Kosovo as part of a Nato peacekeeping force. Sargeant Roger Yarborough from Farmington has been to Kosovo and will be training the troops. He says their mission will be similar to the troops in Iraq...
Yarbrough says the situation will be difficult, requiring the troops to work in urban settings.
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The Missouri National Guard will deploy One-Thousand troops to Kosovo in a couple of Months. In the meantime the troops will be trained by Veterans to the area. Sargeant Roger Yarborough from Farmington says he's been there and says Kosovo is in bad shape in some places...
Yarborough says in many areas the buildings have been completely leveled. The troops are being sent to Kosovo as part of NATO peacekeeping force. KFOR-10's Deployment Ceremony - March 22nd Click here for Missouri Senator Ike Skelton's comments during the deployment ceremony... This is the largest deployent of Missouri National Guard Soldiers since World War I... Click here for KTTS Reporter Bill Cantrell's interview with Sgt. Mitchell Cameron... Press Release from the Missouri National Guard: Public, Families invited to Kosovo deployment ceremony DATE: Saturday, March 22 TIME: 11 a.m. LOCATION: Hearnes Center, University of Missouri, Columbia The public and Families are invited as the Missouri Army National Guard honors 1,000 Citizen-Soldiers, from 300 communities across the state, as they deploy in support of peacekeeping operations in Kosovo. The Soldiers will be honored at a consolidated departure ceremony on March 22, at the University of Missouri’s Hearnes Center in Columbia at 11 a.m.
This is the only gathering of the entire Kosovo Force 10 mobilization in the state of Missouri. The Missouri Guard’s 110th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, of Kansas City, is leading the Multi-National task force with its mission to support the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR). Brig. Gen. Larry Kay, Missouri Army National Guard assistant adjutant general, is the task force commander for KFOR-10.
Many Soldiers have been training since February, while most are still engaged in pre-mobilization training in Missouri at Camp Clark, Camp Crowder and Fort Leonard Wood.
In April, the three main body groups of the mobilization will report to Camp Atterbury, Ind., for mobilization training.
After Camp Atterbury, the task force will travel to the Joint Multi-National Readiness Center (JMRC) in Hohenfels, Germany, where Soldiers and leaders will be placed in realistic tactical situations that might arise while in Kosovo. After final validation at JMRC, the task force will deploy to Kosovo. The task force is expected to finish its mobilization in late March 2009.
Several units from the task force will hold smaller, community level, departure events across the state before the Citizen-Soldiers depart for Indiana. (2/1/2008) Missouri Guard trains for Kosovo Force deployment
JEFFERSON CITY - The Missouri Army National Guard is training approximately 1,000 Soldiers for a deployment in support of peacekeeping operations in Kosovo, expected to last until March 2009.
The Missouri Guard’s 110th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, of Kansas City, is leading the Multi-National task force with its mission to support the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR). Brig. Gen. Larry Kay, Missouri Army National Guard assistant adjutant general, is the task force commander for KFOR-10.
"I deeply appreciate the Citizen-Soldiers of our Missouri National Guard and their commitment to our country," Gov. Matt Blunt said. "I know they will serve with dignity and honor as they help with peacekeeping operations in Kosovo. May they remain in our hearts and prayers as they continue to serve a grateful state and nation.”
Missouri’s training will begin for some Soldiers as early as February, when mission leadership begins their deployment. The three main body portions of the mobilization each come on duty in increments in March. The Citizen-Soldiers will conduct reserve component pre-mobilization training in Missouri at Camp Clark, Camp Crowder or Fort Leonard Wood.
In April, the three main body portions of the mobilization will report to Camp Atterbury, Ind. for mobilization training, where training will be focused on placing Soldiers in an environment similar to that in which will they will encounter while deployed.
“Missouri National Guard Citizen-Soldiers are among the most talented and dedicated in service and are well prepared to meet the call to strengthen freedom’s hold in Kosovo,” said Maj. Gen. King E. Sidwell, Missouri National Guard adjutant general. “We are fully prepared to meet this important mission and will continue to have a strong force ready for response at home if needed.”
After mobilization training at Camp Atterbury, the task force will travel to the Joint Multi-National Readiness Center (JMRC) in Hohenfels, Germany, where Soldiers and leaders will be placed in realistic tactical situations that might arise while in Kosovo. After final validation at JMRC, the task force will deploy to Kosovo.
The task force is expected to finish its mobilization in late March 2009.
“We are committed to providing Kosovo an opportunity to have a safe and secure environment,” said Kay. “We will ensure the rule of law is followed and there is freedom of movement for the people of Kosovo.”
According to Sidwell, KFOR is significant due to the size of the task force which will impact 1,000 Citizen-Soldiers of the Missouri Army National Guard’s current strength of approximately 8,600 Soldiers. This is the Missouri National Guard’s largest single unit deployment of Soldiers since World War I. According to NATO reports, the peacekeeping operation in Kosovo has been in place since June 1999. The Kosovo Force first deployed in the wake of a 78-day air campaign launched by the NATO Alliance in March 1999 to halt and reverse the humanitarian catastrophe that was then unfolding.
Currently, NATO has approximately 16,000 troops deployed in Kosovo. KFOR’s presence remains crucial to guarantee security and stability in Kosovo as the diplomatic process led by the United Nations to define its future status moves forward. The Alliance has promised to support the security provisions of any final settlement.
This mobilization will impact Missouri Army National Guard units throughout the state to include: 110th MEB, of Kansas City: Joint Force Missouri Headquarters, of Jefferson City; 70th Troop Command, of Jefferson Barracks (St. Louis), 1st Battalion - 129th Field Artillery, of Maryville; 1128th Forward Support Company, of Marshall; the 735th Quartermaster Company, of De Soto; 135th Signal Company, of Lexington; 135th Rear Operations Center, of St. Louis; the 70th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, of Jefferson City; and the 3175th Military Police Company, of Warrenton. While these units will be mobilizing, individual Soldiers from all over the state will be needed to support this mission.