KFOR CHRONICLE The KFOR Magazine for KFOR Soldiers KTM EXERCISE FOX II DANCON MARCH www.nato.int/kfor May 2015
CONTENT Camp Kodra in Thessaloniki, Supporting KFOR. 03 04 06 10 MAP KFOR MNBG s and JRD s LMT JRD-C FEELING THE PULSE OF KOSOVO KTM EXERCISE FOX II 08 12 MASS CASUALTY EXERCISE MASCAL EXERCISE FOR KFOR KTM CHANGE OF COMMAND VISITS TO KFOR HQ A VISUAL OVERVIEW. 14 18 23 SLOVENIAN CHALLENGE THE WARRIOR S COMPETITION CAMP KODRA SUPPORTING KFOR 21 PROFILES JUSSI HÄMÄLÄINEN ROBERT SIMONIČ PICTURE OF THE MONTH YOUR CHANCE TO BE A PART OF IT! 16 20 COM 22 DANISH CONTINGENT DANCON MARCH KFOR COMKFOR RECEIVES PORTUGUESE DECORATI- ON SUDOKU AN ACTIVITY FOR THE BRAIN. 2 KFOR CHRONICLE 05/2015
KFOR MNBG s and JRD s KFOR MNBG s and JRD s JRD - N JRD - C MNBG - W MNBG - E JRD - S EXAMPLE, ENDEAVOUR, ENTRUST KFOR CHRONICLE 05/2015 3
MASS CASUALTY EXERCISE MASCAL EXERCISE FOR KFOR KFOR troops train for mass casualty emergency situation On the 29th of April 2015 KFOR troops rehearsed their readiness and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in case of an intervention for a mass casualty (MASCAL) emergency situation. A combined KFOR and EULEX Task Force comprised of KFOR Military Police, a KFOR Fire Brigade Unit and a EULEX (European Union Rule of Law) helicopter, tested their capabilities during a staged incident. The scenario for the exercise was set up in an open field close to Camp Prizren in the southern part of Kosovo where along a roadside, multiple vehicles simulated a large scale road accident involving civilians. An emergency phone call was made by a driver who was involved and the ground and air medical evacuation teams converged on the spot in order to provide first aid to the injured. The medical professionals immediately set up a triage. prioritising casualties according to their injuries. On-site treatment was provided to injured people as well PICTURE: AFRIM HAJRULLAHU (2) 4 KFOR CHRONICLE 05/2015
MASS CASUALTY EXERCISE as others who were stabilised. One individual was loaded into the helicopter to be evacuated by air for more advanced care. The realistic make-up worn by the injured, added to the dramatic effect. They were simulated injuries with abdominal wounds, burns and more serious injuries. The best way to make sure that something works is to rehearse and to do drills, KFOR JMED Branch Chief, Colonel Dr. Andreas Hölscher said. KFOR Commander, Major General Francesco Paolo Figliuolo appreciated the outstanding effort provided by the Field Hospital of Prizren. I have been really impressed by the professionalism of the KFOR MED teams including their stabilisation of casualties and their conduct of field operations, he said. Captain Alessandro Eterno OF-2 ITA A PICTURE: AFRIM HAJRULLAHU (3) KFOR CHRONICLE 05/2015 5
LMT JRD-C FEELING THE PULSE OF KOSOVO LIASON AND MONITORING TEAMS Feeling the pulse. Seeing the hidden. As the eyes and ears of KFOR these are the main tasks for LMTs. LMTs are non-kinetic forces and instead of normal military tactics and techniques they use unique and different ones. Having a very high level of situational awareness LMTs are one of the main assets for COM KFOR in assessing the operational environment. LMTs access all open source information and identify the icebergs. This is done by conducting Key Leader Engagements (KLE), pulse patrols, meetings, and face to face communication with citizens. They are the eyes and ears of KFOR on the ground. They conduct familiarisation patrols of village roads and outlying regions. A focused monitoring and liaison team has to provide early warning in order to help form the operational picture for all KFOR troops. With their unique capabilities, LMTs are great assets in the commander s hand to improve Situational Awareness, gathering overt information and liaising with local authorities, population and International Organizations. Even though all KFOR units are responsible for contributing to Situational Awareness, the LMTs are one of the key players to feel the pulse of the population of Kosovo by identifying new risk areas, possible threats and hotspots. More than a one way communication from the public through KFOR, LMTs are also responsible for making the public PICTURE: LMT JRD-C 6 KFOR CHRONICLE 05/2015
LMT JRD-C aware of the role KFOR plays within Kosovo. LMTs are also creating and maintaining permanent and trusted links between KFOR and local authorities, leaders and international organizations at regional and municipal levels. LMT team members communicate positively, dynamically and openly in order to gain and preserve the confidence of the Kosovo people in KFOR. They have a good sense of public relations and possess the ability to adapt quickly to each situation. They are experienced in their tasks and have backgrounds from different branches and units. Joint Regional Detachment Centre (JRD-C) is comprised of ten LMTs from five different countries (ITALY, TURKEY, FINLAND, HUNGARY and SLOVENIA), with 100 members. JRD-C s area of responsibility has over one million Kosovo citizens living in it and includes thirteen municipalities. The biggest is the capital of Kosovo, Pristina and the others are Podujevo, Libljan, Obilic, Glogovac, Gracinaca, Kosovo Polje, Klina, Skenderaj, Istog, Pec, Decane and Junik. From its HQ, JRD-C commands, organizes and coordinates all LMT activities. The HQ is responsible for co-ordinating and shaping the KLE effort and liaison with all key regional stakeholders within its AOR. Captain Necmettin BERK OF-2 TUR A PICTURE: LMT JRD-C (2) KFOR CHRONICLE 05/2015 7
The Portuguese change of command ceremony, from Lieutenant Colonel José NEVES to Lieutenant Colonel Jorge FERREIRA, was marked by a parade of the Portuguese contingent and singing of the Portuguese national anthem. This parade displayed the pride and professionalism of the Portuguese soldiers. The ceremony concluded with the command of the KTM being transferred from Lieutenant Colonel Jose NEVES KTM CoC KFOR TACTICAL MANOEUVRE BATTALION CHANGE OF COMMAND CEREMONY On the 6th of April 2015, Camp Slim Lines Pristina, hosted the Change of Command ceremony of the Kosovo Tactical Manoeuvre Reserve Battalion (KTM). PICTURE: KTM (2) 8 KFOR CHRONICLE 05/2015
KTM CoC to Lieutenant Colonel Jorge FERREIRA. KTM has soldiers from both the Portuguese and Hungarian armies who work together as a multinational battalion. During the international ceremony, COM KFOR made a speech where he congratulated the outgoing commander on the work performed and welcomed the new commander. Major General Carlos SANTOS, representing the Portuguese Chief of Defence, attended the ceremony in addition to many military authorities representing the KFOR contributing nations. Lieutenant Colonel José NEVES, in his farewell speech, spoke about his appreciation of the Hungarian and Portuguese soldiers, which work together as two nations-one force. He wished his successor much success as the new KTM Commander, and he finished saying that it was a privilege to participate in this mission supporting peace in the Balkans. The new Portuguese contingent belongs to the Machine Gun System Battalion (GAM), from the Pandur Mechanized Brigade - Portuguese Army. In the coming months Lieutenant Colonel Jorge FERREIRA will lead KTM as the Tactical Reserve (TACRES) unit of KFOR, ensuring that they uphold the KFOR motto of EXAMPLE, ENDEAVOUR, ENTRUST. Captain Bruno Miguel dos Santos Ribeiro OF-2 PRT A PICTURE: KTM KFOR CHRONICLE 05/2015 9
FOX II On the 17th of April 2015 KFOR Tactical Manoeuvre Battalion (KTM) conducted a Crowd and Riot Control (CRC) training exercise in Camp Vrelo. The full operational capability exercise known as FOX II was designed to maintain the KTM capability, to test the recently arrived KTM units and to enhance the operative integration and flexibility of the units involved in the training. The training scenario was based around a violent protest in an urban area which had to be managed by KFOR units. The FOX II scenario proved to be very realistic with rioters throwing Molotov cocktails and providing stiff resistance to the KTM troops. However the Portuguese and Hungarian troops of the KTM Battalion proved to be too strong for the rioters and KTM EXERCISE FOX II PICTURE: AFRIM HAJRULLAHU (2) 10 KFOR CHRONICLE 05/2015
FOX II managed to successfully restore the freedom of movement. The exercise was a huge success and tested many more areas of the KTM Battalion than just crowd control. The HQ staff was exercised in planning and conducting an operation, commanders at all levels were tested in maintaining command and control of their troops and the individual soldiers on the ground were tested in their crowd control drills. In addition to this both the Portuguese and Hungarian contingents were able to test their interoperability. The exercise received very positive feedback from all who attended. At the end of the exercise COM KFOR expressed his gratitude to all who participated in the exercise on what proved to be a very well thought out and planned training opportunity for all involved. Captain Pierto D Angelo OF-2 ITA A PICTURE: AFRIM HAJRULLAHU (3) KFOR CHRONICLE 05/2015 11
VISITS TO KFOR HQ - A VISUAL OVERVIEW 24 th April 2015. The Ambassador of Hungary to Kosovo, H.E. László Márkusz 27 th of April 2015 The UK Ambassador Ruairi O Connell PICTURE: OR-4 Di-Giovanni Giuseppe (2) 12 KFOR CHRONICLE 05/2015
VISITS TO KFOR HQ - A VISUAL OVERVIEW 28 th April 2015 - The U.S. Navy Admiral Mark E. Ferguson III, Commander JFC Naples 22 nd May 2015 - The Operations Chief of the Turkish General Staff, Lieutenant General Erdal Öztürk PICTURE: OR-4 Di-Giovanni Giuseppe (3) KFOR CHRONICLE 05/2015 13
SLOVENIAN CHALLENGE SLOVENIAN CHALLENGE CUP THE WARRIOR S COMPETITION PEC/PEJA. Soldiers must be fit at all times to face the challenges their duty requires. The purpose of the Challenge Cup, is to ensure that soldiers maintain this level of fitness. The Challenge Cup competition was set up on the 11th of April by the Slovenian contingent of MNBG-W, in Camp Villaggio Italia. Every year the different units of the Slovenian armed forces challenge each other to this competition that includes many activities to test different skills. The Slovenian contingent based at Camp Villaggio Italia organised this event and extended an invitation to all KFOR units. Thirteen teams of five members each, belonging to six different nations (Slovenia, Italy, Austria, Moldova, Hungary and Portugal) took part in the race and at the end of the competition every member had marched 12 kilometers in body armor, with rifle and carrying a backpack weighing 30 Kilos. The race tested endurance and teamwork and included- the pushing of an armored vehicle for 25 meters (APC VALUK 12 tones), a 400 metre stretcher run (weighted with 75 kilos), pistol and rifle shooting, precision hand grenade throwing, first aid and communication procedures, weapon and vehicle recognition. There was also a challenging obstacle crossing which tested team work and concentration and proved to be very difficult. The competition was professionally organised by the Slovenian contingent, under the supervision of the Lt. Col. Bostjan Bas (MNBGW-DCOM and SVN SNR) and Slovenian CSM Klemen JAUNIG. Despite his busy schedule, COM KFOR also watched part of the race while he passed through Camp Villaggio Italia to meet the PICTURE: MNBG W (2) 14 KFOR CHRONICLE 05/2015
SLOVENIAN CHALLENGE MNBG-W Commander, Col. Carlo Cavalli. He also met some of the organisers and participants of the competition. The Challenge Cup was won by the Slovenian team led by SGT Blaz BERGLEZ, with the second place going to the MNBGW-HQ Staff team led by the MNBGW-COS Lt. Col Berthold Sandtner. The Challenge Cup competition was a resounding success and the Slovenian contingent can take great pride in having run a very professional and enjoyable competition, enjoyed by all who took part. Captain Francesco D Aniello OF-2 ITA A PICTURE: MNBG W (3) KFOR CHRONICLE 05/2015 15
DANCON DANCON MARCH On the 26th of April at CAMP MARECHAL DE LATTRE DE TASSIGNY, Kosovo - more than 500 soldiers from 22 different nations gathered on a sunny day to participate on the Danish Contingent (DANCON) March. Even though the march was scheduled to kick off at 9 a.m. soldiers started gathering as early as 6 a.m. to sign in for the march. Soldiers had a chance to march 25 kilometres (15.5 miles) and 50 kilometres (31.2 miles) with a minimum of 10 kilograms (22 pounds) on their backs. For U.S. Army Spc. Shane Dirksen, a battle desk radio transmission operator with Multinational Battle Group-East, and a native of San Jose, California, this was his second DANCON, as he did his first 25 kilometre march in January. This is the second time doing the DANCON but it s the first time going for 50 kilometres, said Dirksen. Dirksen explained that the 50 kilometre march was tough for him, but the first march had prepared him for what to expect during the second one. The 25 kilometre was really challenging for me, because I was not really prepared for it, said Dirksen. but it really helped me with the 50 kilometre march. Dirksen had advice for anyone planning to do the DANCON march in the future. Make sure you eat breakfast, he said. My biggest mistake from the first march was not eating breakfast and I needed more carbohydrates the night before. It also helped having a lot of snacks along the way, taking the right breaks and drinking plenty of water made a huge difference. Dirksen added that he would do the march again if he had the opportunity. It was a very good experience, and it was also cool meeting all of the soldiers from different nations and getting to know a lot of people, said Dirksen. Next time I will compete for a better time. Danish Army Sgt. 1st Class Uffe König, CMLT Force Protection chief of guards, explained the reason the Danish army conducts the march. It is a charity for the Danish veterans and their children, and of course for bonding among different nations, said König. We conduct this march approximately four times a year. We are only here [in Kosovo] for three months, so every three months there is a new team preparing the march. PICTURE: MNBG E 16 KFOR CHRONICLE 05/2015
DANCON I think it went pretty well, people are happy and have sore feet so it was a success, said König. Austrian Army Capt. Christian Rantfl came in first place for the 25 kilometre march. It was a pretty tough competition, but I came in first and all the hard training paid off, said Rantfl. This is my third competition but it is my first time on the podium. Rantfl explained that the march was a challenge to him and a good way to stay fit. My legs are pretty sore, but we had beautiful weather and that made it better, added Rantfl. It was an awesome time and I feel happy. Ardian Nrecaj PAO Branch MNBG E PICTURE: MNBG E (2) KFOR CHRONICLE 05/2015 17
CAMP KODRA CAMP KODRA IN THESSALONIKI SUPPORTING KFOR Camp KODRA located in Kalamaria Thessaloniki is the home of the Communication Zone South (COMMZ S). This unit is under the direct command of the JLSG HQ KFOR. Greek Colonel Kostarleos is currently serving as Unit Commander and he leads a staff of four Greek officers and a civilian employee that assist him in all the activities of COMMZ South. The officers of COMMZ S, have to be very efficient and proficient in all Unit activities, due to the small size of the Unit. The Camp was established in 1915 when French troops were stationed there during the World War. It became a NATO base in 1973 when it commenced operations as an Advance Command Post to support NATO operations in Southern Europe. In 1999, KFOR troops were deployed to Kosovo trough Thessaloniki and thus began the strong connection between KFOR and Camp KODRA. With the liaison and coordination of COMMZ S more than 1,350,000 service members, accompanying equipment and supplies have been moved successfully trough Greece taking advantage of the country s vast capabilities. For all these reasons Camp Kodra can be considered the beating heart of KFOR support. The logistical assets used to move this number of troops has been PICTURE: AFRIM HAJRULLHU (2) 18 KFOR CHRONICLE 05/2015
CAMP KODRA considerable. The main activities of COMMZ S are to provide engineering, medical (with a ROLE 4 med-facility), communication, fuel, energy, security, accommodation, transit and cargo transport support to all KFOR contingents. The Sea Port Operations Unit has the responsibility to coordinate the reception, staging and movement of KFOR contingents and their equipment through Thessaloniki, be that by Air or by Sea, de-conflicting all the issues at the Greek border. Camp KODRA is located half way between the airport and the seaport. The camp is located at the end of a new road bypass of Thessaloniki city and access and movement to and from the city airport and seaport is very easy. The Camp infrastructure is maintained at a very high standard and it can accommodate about 40 personnel overnight. KFOR MWA regularly conducts tours to Thessaloniki and KFOR personnel can arrange accommodation in Camp KODRA. Thessaloniki is the second biggest city and commercial centre in Greece, offering a vast range of supplies and services to KFOR. Captain Pietro D Angelo OF 2 ITA A PICTURE: AFRIM HAJRULLHU (3) KFOR CHRONICLE 05/2015 19
Commander KFOR XIX Major General Francesco P. Figliuolo, Italian Army Chief Public Affairs Office & KFOR Spokesman OF-4 Andrea Martellotti, Italian Army COM KFOR PORTUGUESE AWARD COM KFOR RECEIVES PORTUGUESE DECORATION Chief Internal Information & Editor KFOR Chronicle OF-3 John O Brien, Irish Defence Forces o brienj@hq.kfor.nato.int Design & Typography: Mr. Afrim Hajrullahu Photographer: Mr. Afrim Hajrullahu OR-4 Di-Giovanni Giuseppe Cover Photo: Afrim Hajrullahu E-mail and Web kforchronicle@hq.kfor.nato.int www.nato.int/kfor Printed by RASTER Tel.: 038 601 606 NATO Nations within KFOR Albania, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States. At the Kosovo Tactical Manoeuvre Reserve Battalion (KTM) Change of Command ceremony, on the 6th of April 2015, at Camp Slim Lines Pristina, COM KFOR Major General Francesco Paolo Figliuolo, was decorated with the Cruz de São Jorge 1st Class medal. This is a Portuguese decoration only awarded to General Officers and Colonels, who have shown outstanding ability in their technical and professional areas of expertise. The decoration was delivered by Major General Carlos SANTOS, Commander of the Portuguese Pandur Mechanized Brigade, representing the Portuguese Chief of Defence at the TOA ceremony. Captain Bruno Miguel dos Santos Ribeiro OF-2 PRT A Non-NATO Nations within KFOR Armenia, Austria, Finland, Ireland, Moldova, Sweden, Switzerland. The KFOR Chronicle is produced and fully funded by HQ KFOR. It is published for KFOR soldiers in the area of responsibility. The contents are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the coalition governments defence departments. Editorial content is edited, prepared and provided by the Internal Information Section of HQ KFOR s Public Affairs Office (PAO) in Pristina, Kosovo. PAO HQ KFOR reserves the right to edit content to conform to style and space requirements. Articles run on a space-available basis. 20 KFOR CHRONICLE 05/2015 PICTURE: KTM (2)
PROFILES Name: Rank: Nationality: KFOR Unit: Jussi Hämäläinen OR-9 Finnish NSE Military education: I joined the army in 1984 and have 31 years service. During my career I have completed many national and international courses in Finland and abroad. I have completed numerous leadership courses and I am also EOD and MP qualified. I spent six years as a weapons and shooting skills trainer. At home I am a CSM for the army command which gives me a great insight into the whole Finnish defence forces. About the mission: This is my third mission abroad and I have previously served in Lebanon from 1990 to 1991 and I was previously in Kosovo in 2005. I am looking forward to the next six months ahead of me and also the opportunity to serve with many different soldiers from all over the world Family reaction: I am married with three children and my family was very supportive of my decision to serve with KFOR Hobbies: In my spare time I mostly enjoy outdoor activities such as fishing, bow and rifle hunting. Name: Rank: Nationality: Robert Simonič OF-3 Slovenian Military education: I have completed numerous military career courses. Among the most important have been Officers school, Captains career course and the senior staff course. I also have a master s degree in military logistics. About the mission: This is my 3rd mission with KFOR. My first mission with KFOR was in 2007 when I was also in the JOC. In 2012 I worked as a doctrine management specialist and now in 2015 I am once again back in the JOC. As the JOC shift director I get the opportunity to work with and co-ordinate many different soldiers from many different nationalities. In this job a professional approach and good working relationships are very important to help successfully accomplish the many tasks that the JOC receives. It is my job to assess conduct and monitor ongoing operations. Family reaction: I am married to my wife Aleksija and we have two daughters, Lana who is 13 and Tjaša who is 15. Leaving my wife with two teenage girls was difficult but luckily for me my wife is very supportive of my decision to go abroad and has taken on the father role very well. Luckily for us technology has come a long way and we get to Skype and message each other regularly which makes us feel like we are not that far apart. KFOR Unit: J3 JOC Hobbies: I like a lot of sports, but football is my favorite one. But my favorite hobby is spending time with my wife and children. KFOR CHRONICLE 05/2015 21
SUDOKU slightly medium difficult very difficult Rules: The standard consists of a grid Sudoku field with 3 3 blocks, which are each divided into 3 3 fields, a total of 81 fields in 9 rows and 9 columns. In some of these fields at the beginning digits 1 to 9 are registered ( targets ). The task is to fill in the blanks of the puzzle so that in each of nine rows, columns and blocks of each digit from 1 to 9 appears only once. The three areas (row, column, block) are equally units or groups. Solutions April SLIGHTLY DIFFICULT MEDIUM VERY DIFFICULT 22 KFOR CHRONICLE 05/2015
PICTURE OF THE MONTH May 2015 Contribute to the KFORChronicle! Just send your photos to kforchronicle@hq.kfor.nato.int by the 25th of the month explaining where you took the photo and what equipment you used. We will then select one of the submitted images and publish it in the next edition of the Chronicle. You will be immortalised in the KFOR Chronicle! Is that not something to be proud of? PICTURE OF THE MONTH May. 2015 Catch the Light - Pestovë, Kosova. Camera Olympus OM-D EM-5 Lens M. Zuiko Digital 14-150 mm @15 mm Shot at 1/80 f/6.3; ART Filter; ISO 400 Mr. Naim Shala Sincerely The Chronicle Team KFOR CHRONICLE 05/2015 23
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