Oregon Guard soldiers come home, Colonel: Success in responding to one of Kosovo's biggest terrorist attacks

A welcoming party at Camp Withycombe marked the return home for soldiers attending KFOR's 34th rotation. This mission has been crucial to preserving peace and stability in the Balkans since 1999.

About 300 soldiers turned into two groups. The first group to return consisted mainly of soldiers from 2nd Battalion, the 162nd Infantry Regiment, headquartered in Springfield, along with medical personnel and supporters from the 600-member working group involving soldiers from Oregon, Idaho, West Virginia, New Jersey and Tennessee.

Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Twigg, commander of 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry Regiment, addressed the returning soldiers and their families.

“over the past year, you stood guard in Kosovo as part of KFOR. You built partnerships, maintained stability and represented the United States with professionalism and integrity”, Twigg said.

During their stay, the Oregon soldiers made significant contributions to the mission, said Colonel Peter Helzer, commander of the 41st Infantry Brigade Battle Team.

Oregon soldiers contributed to a powerful international mission, adding over 4,000 security patrols, 13,000 public commitments and 5,000 voluntary hours in support of communities in Kosovo”, Helzer said.

He added that soldiers successfully responded to one of the biggest terrorist attacks in Kosovo, the one in the Iber Lepenci channel.

In addition, soldiers from the 41st Infantry Brigade successfully responded to one of the biggest terrorist attacks in Kosovo in recent years by providing security for critical infrastructure, working with our local and international partners to preserve peace in the region. ”

The greatest learning for most of us, I'm sure, was the importance of building confidence on your team and your partners”, Helzer said. “On this job, relations matter and Kosovo offered an unprecedented opportunity to learn how to connect and do better together. ”

Skills gained during the deployment will have immediate applications in Oregon in support of emergency services and internal operations, Helzer said.

“As part of KFOR, we had to integrate immediately into a complex system of law enforcement, local governance and emergency services to be successful. The organizational, communications and logistics skills we highlighted abroad will certainly make us more effective in case of an emergency here”, Helzer said.

The Balkan region is a historical crossroads of empires and the preservation of stability there prevents a larger disorder that will eventually affect us here at home”, he said.

“Thank you for your commitment and support”, Helzer told the families at the ceremony.

Twig praised the performance of soldiers during the task, telling them that they “reformed the security view, offered real-time assessments that reached the leaders at each level and secured informed decision-making from the foundations”.

He also recognised the sacrifices of families during the deployment.

For families here today, you also served. You took care of things at home, carried the distance burden and supported your soldiers every day”, Twigg said. “Thank you for your sacrifice and sustainability. We wouldn't have done this without you”.

The 41st Infantry Brigade Battle Team, known as “Johnlers”, has headquarters in Klakamas with subordinate units scattered throughout Oregon. The successful deployment of the brigade in Kosovo continues the proud tradition of the entity's service, based on previous deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. /Periscop/