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`Joint Resolve' tests ability to reinforce Bosnia

EAGLE BASE, Bosnia (Army News Service, Dec. 10, 2002) -- U.S. soldiers and international military forces serving in the Balkans concluded a five-day exercise last week designed to demonstrate an ability to reinforce peacekeeping contingents throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina.

British Operational Reserve Forces of the 1st Battalion, Staffordshire Regiment (Prince of Wales), serving in Kosovo, deployed to Bosnia and trained with Stabilization Force, or SFOR troops, as part of Exercise Joint Resolve XXVII.

This quarterly exercise involves the rapid deployment of a tactical reserve to respond to potential threats affecting the safe and secure environment in Bosnia. Despite a restructuring in the composition of peacekeeping forces, SFOR still maintains a robust ability to respond to military contingencies in the community, officials said.

A quick reaction force, aviation assets, and a tactical reserve of infantry and Italian Carabinieri (paramilitary police) companies provide theater commanders with strength and mobility when and where needed, SFOR officials said.

The American-led Multinational Division (North) area of operations was reinforced by the British ORF, in addition to French peacekeeping forces from Multinational Division (Southeast), and MND (Southwest).

The exercise tested the mobility and deployability of soldiers, officials said, and familiarized patrols with different area of operations, commonly referred to as opstinas.

"Joint Resolve is a very ambitious military exercise that enhances our ability to rapidly respond across boundaries," said Brig. Gen. John T. von Trott, MND (North) and host commander. "The cooperative efforts of all the multinational elements paid off and ultimately benefits all of the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina."

Working side-by-side, joint patrols made their way throughout MND (North), manning checkpoints, inspecting weapons storage sites, and promoting the turn-in of illegal weapons by civilians.

Exercise Joint Resolve concluded with a joint military capabilities exercise at Camp McGovern. The Carabinieri S.W.A.T. team conducted a fast rope exercise from U.S. UH-60 Black Hawks of Task Force Talon stationed at Eagle Base. Once on the ground, they were joined by members of the 104th Cavalry to subdue a large and unruly crowd of role-playing civilians. Meanwhile, the ORF and MNDs conducted joint patrols with U.S. Task Forces Saber (104th Cavalry) and Blue Steel (109th Infantry) near Lukavac and Srebrenica.

A company and battle group headquarters of the British Kosovo Force, or KFOR soldiers, under the command of Lt. Col. Barney Haugh, arrived at Eagle Base on Nov. 30. The Staffords are part of the United Kingdom Battle Group operating in Pristina.

(Editor's note: Information provided by the Task Force Eagle Public Affairs Office.)