The RI national Guard is deployed in Kosovo. Here's what they are doing

Frank Lennon
Updated ·5 min read
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This past week, Maj. Gen. Chris Callahan, adjutant general and CO of the Rhode Island National Guard, provided a status report about service members deployed to Kosovo, in southern Europe. Heading his report “Update from the field — soldiers doing great things,” Callahan described the activities of the men and women of the 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment, Rhode Island Army National Guard (Task Force Rogue).

After a challenging training program at Fort Bliss, Texas, 1/126 deployed this spring to Kosovo, a landlocked country within the borders of the former Yugoslavia. Kosovo, a mountainous and hilly land, is bordered by Serbia to the north and east, North Macedonia to the southeast, Albania to the southwest and Montenegro to the west.

The Rhode Islanders assumed the duties of the 1st Battalion, 131st Aviation Regiment of the Alabama Army National Guard on June 8 at Camp Bondsteel, in the southeast corner of the country. It is the largest American base in the Balkans.

Sgt. Kimberly Sheridan, religious affairs specialist, serves as the battalion guidon bearer as Lt. Col. Jeffrey A. Sills, left, commander of the 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment, Rhode Island Army National Guard, and Command Sgt. Maj. Jodie M. Dove unfurl the unit colors during a transfer of authority ceremony at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo, in June.

During their time in Kosovo, 1/126 will support major operations such as rappelling, air assault training, sling loading resupply and real-world medical evacuation missions.

By way of background, the Guard members are part of a United Nations peacekeeping force made up of a large number of contributing nations. At one point that number was 34, including Sweden, Switzerland and Ireland, which are not NATO members. Italian Army Maj. Gen. Angelo Michele Ristuccia commands the operation.

Serbia’s Slobodan Milosevic began exploiting the fears of the Serbian minority in Kosovo in the late 1980s. Ethnic Albanians form the overall majority (93%) of Kosovo’s population of about 2 million. Most Albanians are Muslim and speak Albanian.

In 1998, Milosevic unleashed a brutal campaign, committing widespread atrocities against Albanian civilians in Kosovo. This triggered a NATO military response aimed at halting the violence. The reaction included air strikes against Belgrade and other Yugoslavian targets. After 78 days of bombing (March to June 1999), Milosevic threw in the towel.

A Black Hawk helicopter from Company A, 1/126, against the terrain of Kosovo.
A Black Hawk helicopter from Company A, 1/126, against the terrain of Kosovo.

The U.N. Security Council then adopted Resolution 1244 suspending Belgrade’s governance over Kosovo, and placing Kosovo under the administration of the United Nations. Resolution 1244 also started a political process to determine Kosovo’s future status.

Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia on Feb. 17, 2008.

Companies deployed on this mission include the Headquarters Company; A Company (lift company); C company (medevac) and D company (maintenance).

Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall to be displayed at Rocky Point Park in September

The American Veteran Traveling Tribute Memorial Wall will be open and free to visit 24/7 from Friday, Sept. 8, until 5 p.m. on Sept. 10. Rhode Island lost 209 service members in the Vietnam conflict; their names will be read at 2:09 p.m. each afternoon.

The display continues the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Paris Peace Accord, the withdrawal of the last U.S. troops from Vietnam, and the return of our POWs.

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The display is an 80% scale replica of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. The wall will be spread along more than 300 feet of the Rocky Point Park coastline in Warwick. The Gaspee Day Committee, the City of Warwick, Operation Stand Down Rhode Island (OSDRI) and RI 250 are hosting the event.

“There are more than 20,000 Vietnam-era veterans who live in Rhode Island … it is important for us to commemorate their service,” said Gaspee Days Committee past president Mark Russell.

A fundraising campaign to defray the costs of bringing the memorial to Rhode Island will kick off soon. Net proceeds will go to OSDRI, Rhode Island’s largest nonprofit veterans organization, which provides assistance with basic needs to local veterans.

To make a donation or to learn more about sponsorship opportunities, visit the events page of Operation Stand Down Rhode Island, www.OSDRI.org.

Providence VA to host Adaptive Summer Sports Clinic for New England veterans

George Saint Hilaire, an Air Force veteran from Sanford, Maine, and Carol Miller, first mate of the Miller Time out of Galilee, head out from Point Judith for a past deep-sea fishing clinic. This was part of an Adaptive Summer Sports Clinic hosted by the Providence VA Medical Center.
George Saint Hilaire, an Air Force veteran from Sanford, Maine, and Carol Miller, first mate of the Miller Time out of Galilee, head out from Point Judith for a past deep-sea fishing clinic. This was part of an Adaptive Summer Sports Clinic hosted by the Providence VA Medical Center.

The Providence and Boston Healthcare Systems will host a joint Adaptive Summer Sports Clinic, July 24-27, for veterans enrolled in VA New England Health Care. 

Nearly 40 disabled veterans will travel to Rhode Island for the clinic, which features adaptive sporting events including cycling, deep-sea fishing, golf, kayaking, sailing and surfing. Events are scheduled in Middletown, Newport, Point Judith, Bristol and Providence.

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Participants' conditions include amputations, traumatic brain injuries, burn injuries, psychological trauma, certain neurological conditions, spinal cord injuries, visual impairments and other military-related injuries.

The VA also hosts an annual winter sports clinic, which we described in the April 24 column. Veterans who would like to participate should inquire at their local VA facility, or visit www.wintersportsclinic.org, follow @Sports4Vets and @DAVHQ on Twitter, Sports4Vets and DAV on Facebook, @sports4vets and @davhq on Instagram, and #wintersportclinic across all platforms, or visit https://linktr.ee/davsocial

Tina Lavallee, an Army veteran from Foster, golfs at Buttonhole course in Providence as part of a previous Adaptive Summer Sports Clinic hosted by the Providence VA Medical Center.
Tina Lavallee, an Army veteran from Foster, golfs at Buttonhole course in Providence as part of a previous Adaptive Summer Sports Clinic hosted by the Providence VA Medical Center.

Announcements

Sunday, July 30, 9:30 a.m.; Service For Korean War veterans: Cornerstone Methodist Church, 1081 Main St., Coventry. The nondenominational service will honor all veterans of that conflict on the 70th anniversary of the armistice. Please RSVP to Janie Deptula, at 825-6685 or email (Janie.deptula@gmail.com).

Friday, Aug. 4, 11 a.m.; Rhode Island National Guard Annual Summer Reunion: Quonset Officers Club, 200 Lt. James Brown Road, North Kingstown. Cost of the hot buffet is $37 per person (cash bar). The club needs a final head count four days prior, so please make payments early. Cut-off date is July 30.

Spouses, significant others, family members and friends are always welcome. It's an opportunity to reunite with friends with whom we served over the years.

Make checks payable to Bob Antonelli and mail to 9 Hurlburt Ave., Johnston, RI 02919. For details, call Bob at (401) 837-6028 or (401) 996-3764, or email bob02909@cox.net.

To report the outcome of a previous activity, or to add a future event to our calendar, please email the details (including a contact name and phone number/email address) to veteranscolumn@providencejournal.com.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: The RI national Guard is deployed in Kosovo. What's their mission?