Kosovo deployment nearing end for Wisconsin aviators

By Spc. Joshua Barnett

MNBG E Public Affairs

CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo - Task Force Talon, the Multinational Battle Group East aviation unit that includes West Bend-based aviation Soldiers from the Wisconsin Army National Guard, transferred authority for its peacekeeping mission to Task Force Cash during a Sept. 1 ceremony.

"This ceremony not only marks the end of our deployment in Kosovo, but it marks the end of a journey that lasted two years for us," said Lt. Col. William G. Watson, Task Force Talon commander, from the North Dakota National Guard. "We met in fall of 2010 at the joint assessment and I knew we had a good team right from the beginning."

The outgoing task force was made up of Army National Guard Soldiers from New Jersey, North Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming. The Wisconsin Soldiers - from Company F, 2nd Battalion, 238th Aviation Regiment and Detachment 1, Company B, 248th Aviation Support Battalion - supported the Kosovo Force (KFOR) medevac mission and the headquarters, lift and maintenance units. They have been deployed to Kosovo for a year in support of NATO's Operation Joint Guardian, a peacekeeping mission to ensure a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement for all residents of Kosovo.

"Our multinational battle group is quite unique," said MNBG E Commander Col. Jeffrey J. Liethen of the Wisconsin National Guard. "It consists of a diverse group of soldiers from nine nations, and each soldier brings special skills and capabilities to the battle group. Although we each come from different backgrounds, we share the same common goal of wanting to provide a peaceful and safe society for the people of Kosovo."

Aviation duties for this mission have now been assumed by National Guard Soldiers from Arkansas, California, Hawaii and South Carolina.

"Col. Watson and his team, thank you for the tremendous support that you have given us during the [relief in place] process," said Lt. Col. Matthew A. McDermott, Task Force Cash commander. Relief in place is the transition process from the departing unit to the incoming unit that includes final training and local mission familiarization. "The things you have gone over with my team truly will set us up for success for our rotation."

According to Liethen, Task Force Talon flew more than 2,800 accident-free hours during their year in Kosovo. They transported more than 2,600 passengers and 238 tons of supplies and equipment, completed 30 medevac missions and trained nearly 5,000 U.S. and multinational Soldiers on how to safely load and unload lift and medevac aircraft.

The Task Force also provided direct support to important KFOR missions - including the Rudare roadblock removal - through troop insertion, medevac support and by providing continuous overhead surveillance to provide real-time tactical information.

Behind the scenes, the aviation maintenance and headquarters companies provided operational aircraft, supplies, equipment, information and personnel support. The personnel section identified more than $125,000 in pay and bonuses due to Task Force Talon Soldiers. The logistics section maintained accountability of more than $65 million in equipment. A recent Aviation Resource Management Survey found Task Force Talon to be in 100 percent compliance regarding safety, operations and training, maintenance and facilities programs.

The Wisconsin National Guard aviation Soldiers are expected back in West Bend around mid-September. The approximately 30 Soldiers left Wisconsin Sept. 24 of last year for about two months of training at Camp Atterbury, Ind., prior to deploying to Kosovo in November. They are among the elements of the Milwaukee-based 157th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade that assumed command of Multinational Battle Group East last Dec. 10.