Cross Country: Multinational air operation takes flight in Kosovo Flight crews from Croatia, Slovenia, Switzerland and the U.S. fly their respective helicopters over Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo, during a Sept. 16, 2015, multi-ship aviation exercise, held to test the flight crews’ ability to communicate with each other during an operation. The 1.5-hour flight started at Camp Bondsteel, taking the helicopters north past Camp Film City in Pristina to Camp Marechal de Lattre de Tassigny. (Photos by Sgt. Erick Yates (left) and Capt. Dave Chace (right)) Guardian East September 19, 2015 Volume 20, Issue 9 The official newsletter of Multinational Battle Group-East C roatian, Slovenian, Swiss and U.S. Army flight crews soared over Kosovo for a mul- tinational, eight-ship helicopter mission, testing their ability to communicate during a large aviation exercise Sept. 16, which took them over several Kosovo Force installations. e event incorporated three NATO member nations, and allowed the allied aviation flight crews, planners and leaders to build interoperability be- tween one another. e MNBG-E Southern Command Post, also known as its aviation Task Force Hurricane, put the 1.5-hour training event together to establish operating procedures for multinational flight crews conducting combined missions. e multi-ship ex- ercise was a way for NATO aviation forces in Koso- vo to measure one another’s capabilities. “is training helps establish relationships with forces conducting air operations,” said U.S. Army Reserve Capt. Kevin Dowdey, a UH-60 Black Hawk pilot deployed to Kosovo with A Company, 2nd Battalion, 238th Aviation Regiment “is is a good opportunity to measure the ca- pabilities of each other and learn how to coordinate conducting missions together,” he said. e pilots from the other participating nations also said the multi-ship op- eration was a good way to see how all the forces could iden- tify procedural barriers and accomplish the mission. “It would be good to see more missions like this,” said 2nd Lt. Tobija Cukjati, a heli- copter pilot for the Slovenian Armed Forces. is training allows for everyone to get familiar with communicating, and see the simi- larities and differences each military force has when doing air operations, he said. “We started off with the basics for this exercise today,” said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael Behu- niak, a Connecticut National Guard pilot from 1st Battalion, 169th Aviation Regiment. If all the air elements assigned to Kosovo have to work together, everyone has to be able to under- stand one another so the mission can be conducted properly and safely, he said. Part of the mission for KFOR’s multinational forces is to work with civil au- thorities and ensure a safe and secure environment, and free- dom of movement, in Kosovo. Staff Sgt. Kathryn Rylander, a flight crew chief also from the 2-238th, said that training with multinational forces to conduct a large multi-ship air operation is a rare opportunity worth seeing put into action, once the planning is complete. MNBG-E’s aviators plan to conduct similar air exercises in the future, incorporating additional layers of complexity in order to increase each mis- sion’s training value. By Sgt. Erick Yates Multinational Battle Group-East “is training helps establish relationships with forces conducting air operations.” Capt. Kevin Dowdey U.S. Army, UH-60 Black Hawk Pilot
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Cross Country:Multinational air operation takes flight in Kosovo
Flight crews from Croatia, Slovenia, Switzerland and the U.S. fly their respective helicopters over Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo, during a Sept. 16, 2015, multi-ship aviation exercise, held to test the flight crews’ ability to communicate with each other during an operation. The 1.5-hour flight started at Camp Bondsteel, taking the helicopters north past Camp Film City in Pristina to Camp Marechal de Lattre de Tassigny. (Photos by Sgt. Erick Yates (left) and Capt. Dave Chace (right))
Guardian EastSeptember 19, 2015
Volume 20, Issue 9
The official newsletter of Multinational Battle Group-East
Croatian, Slovenian, Swiss and U.S. Army flight crews soared over Kosovo for a mul-tinational, eight-ship helicopter mission,
testing their ability to communicate during a large aviation exercise Sept. 16, which took them over several Kosovo Force installations.
The event incorporated three NATO member nations, and allowed the allied aviation flight crews, planners and leaders to build interoperability be-tween one another.
The MNBG-E Southern Command Post, also known as its aviation Task Force Hurricane, put the 1.5-hour training event together to establish operating procedures for multinational flight crews conducting combined missions. The multi-ship ex-ercise was a way for NATO aviation forces in Koso-vo to measure one another’s capabilities.
“This training helps establish relationships with forces conducting air operations,” said U.S. Army
Reserve Capt. Kevin Dowdey, a UH-60 Black Hawk pilot deployed to Kosovo with A Company, 2nd Battalion, 238th Aviation Regiment
“This is a good opportunity to measure the ca-pabilities of each other and learn how to coordinate conducting missions together,” he said.
The pilots from the other participating nations also said the multi-ship op-eration was a good way to see how all the forces could iden-tify procedural barriers and accomplish the mission.
“It would be good to see more missions like this,” said 2nd Lt. Tobija Cukjati, a heli-copter pilot for the Slovenian Armed Forces. This training allows for everyone to get familiar with communicating, and see the simi-larities and differences each military force has when doing air operations, he said.
“We started off with the basics for this exercise today,” said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael Behu-
niak, a Connecticut National Guard pilot from 1st Battalion, 169th Aviation Regiment.
If all the air elements assigned to Kosovo have to work together, everyone has to be able to under-stand one another so the mission can be conducted properly and safely, he said.
Part of the mission for KFOR’s multinational forces is to work with civil au-thorities and ensure a safe and secure environment, and free-dom of movement, in Kosovo.
Staff Sgt. Kathryn Rylander, a flight crew chief also from the 2-238th, said that training with multinational forces to conduct a large multi-ship air
operation is a rare opportunity worth seeing put into action, once the planning is complete.
MNBG-E’s aviators plan to conduct similar air exercises in the future, incorporating additional layers of complexity in order to increase each mis-sion’s training value.
By Sgt. Erick Yates
Multinational Battle Group-East
“This training helps establish relationships with forces
conducting air operations.”Capt. Kevin Dowdey
U.S. Army, UH-60 Black Hawk Pilot
Guardian East is a weekly newsletter produced for personnel of Multinational Battle Group-East. Its content are not necessarily the official view of the U.S. Government, the Department of the Army, or MNBG-E. Readers should send commentaries, articles and photos to [email protected].
More than 200 German, Polish and U.S. service members walk along the Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo, during a Sept. 12, 2015, suicide awareness event held by the MNBG-E unit ministry team. The event was held for the MNBG-E community to come together to honor the memory of suicide victims and raise awareness of outreach opportunities. (Photo by Sgt. Gina Russell)
Alabama National Guard Soldiers from the 666th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company conduct joint training with Kosovo Security Force soldiers on electronic explosive device procedures Sept. 9, 2015, at an EOD training site in Prizren, Kosovo. The Soldiers attended the training to ensure their teams are familiar with each other’s procedures. (Screenshot by Sgt. Erick Yates)
Judge Advocate Corner:
Information about your reserve-component mobilization orders
This column does not cover everything, but high-lights major considerations of the type of order under which most service members could be deployed to Koso-vo. Soldiers may not realize the type of Title 10 orders they mobilize under can affect their military benefits.What is it?
Service members are currently mobilized under 10 USC § 12304b, not to be confused with 10 USC § 12304(b). It is a preplanned mission in support of a combatant command. If you mobilized under any oth-er Title 10 Section, you may be entitled to other ben-efits. What does it do?
It limits active duty to not more than 365 consecu-tive days, without consent of the members.
It falls under Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) protec-tions, which are reemployment rights to a civilian job upon returning. As long as five conditions are met, one would receive the same benefits had one been contin-uously employed. For more information, go to: www.esgr.mil/USERRA/What-is-USERRA.aspx
The time spent on active duty during these orders (10 USC § 12304b) counts against the cumulative 5-year period under USERRA. The cumulative length of service that causes a person’s absences from a posi-tion may not exceed five years. There are eight excep-tions, but these orders do not qualify as an exception. 38 U.S.C. § 4312(a) (2) and 4312(c). Some active duty time does not count against the 5-year cumulative period under USERRA. For example, if you deployed previously to Iraq on Title 10 orders under Sections 12302, it did not count against your 5-year period.What does it not do?
This mobilization is not considered a contingency operation and therefore limits eligibility for certain benefits. Service Members are not eligible for:• Reduction in eligibility age for retirement. 10 U.S.
Code § 12731(f)(2)(A)• TRICARE prior to active duty as it is not included
under 10 USC § 1074. http://www.tricare.mil/Li-feEvents/Activating/PreActBenefits.aspx
• Transitional Assistance Management Program (TAMP) benefits after release from active duty, since it is not considered a contingency operation. TAMP offers transitional TRICARE coverage to certain separating active duty members and their eligible family members. TRICARE eligibility under the TAMP is good for up to 180 days. 10 U.S. Code § 1145 http://www.tricare.mil/TAMPIf you have questions, you can contact the MNBG-E
Legal Assistance Office on Camp Bondsteel at DSN 314-781-3209.
By Capt. Timothy Haga
MNBG-E Judge Advocate, Ops Law and Legal Assistance
Join us for National Hispanic Heritage Month
The DoD celebrates National Hispanic Heri-tage Month each year Sept. 15–Oct. 15.
This year is the 47th year that we recognize the diversity of U.S. citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America and celebrate their histories and cultures.
The theme of this year’s observance is “His-panic Americans: Energizing our Nation’s Di-versity” which points to the vibrant and thriving contributions of Hispanics to our diverse nation.
Through their traditions, innovation, leader-ship, and courageous service as members of the Armed Forces, Hispanics have greatly enriched
our nation and continue to represent the Total Force with abiding patriotism and heroism.
Join us in recognizing the immeasurable con-tributions made by Hispanic Americans and to celebrate the diversity of the DoD workforce.
By Master Sgt. Jenny Whichard
MNBG-E Equal Opportunity
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