The story of Valdata Mehanja ʹ Kosovo refugee who became American Army pilot

When senior officer Valdita Mehanja climbed to the scene of the American Army Air Force Museum to get the degree of flying school in September, she closed a long journey.

Born in Kosovo, Mehanja and her family left the country when she was only seven years old. She grew up as a refugee in Germany.

When he was a teenager, he returned to Kosovo to try to resume his home life with his family. They waited in line for help. They had no food, no money. It was hard to find work. Roads were destroyed, their homes had to be rebuilt. Mehan still attended school.

Being a refugee in Germany was hard, but I have to say, it saved us. Because we were able to learn another language. We were able to become stronger translators and competitors when it came to finding work”, she said, broadcast KOHA.

She has worked as an interpreter at a thermal power plant and then started working as IT at a time when the United Nations developed people's skills programmes in Kosovo. Because she learned something new, she was also able to work supporting work in Iraq.

I was already witness to three wars and was only 22. We still believed that going to Iraq was safer than in Kosovo”, Mehanja said.

Mehanja has reflected on the war in Kosovo as the terrible “time of” ethnic cleansing.

There are different ways of facing wars. If you weren't with the Serbs, you were against them. You wouldn't have a job. We were suffering for bread. Many of us were in terrible condition. My brothers and I looked through the garbage. There was something left.

My older sister and mother went to Red Cross, where people from Alabama sent food. I appreciate it because it helped us. A bag of beans helps a lot when you ske anything”, she has said, praising the United States' contribution to Kosovo.

The possibility of working in Iraq in 2004 included the establishment of the internet in space where there were missions, supporting the US training programme for Iraqis. Military needs were used for travel. At one time she traveled on a mission to Tirrit. On the way back to Baghdad, the convoy was attacked. Mehan was not well with the use of weapons. She knew that in such attacks people drowned. A helicopter came to his aid. With that, Mehanja thought that “this is what I want to do”.

For someone whose happy life “” was having food and buying a pair of jeans, the idea of serving one day in the American Army was far away. But she believed she could find her way there. (complete Time Text)