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http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=10605 Stars And Stripes Sunday, September 22, 2002 24th MEU in Kosovo for NATO exercise By Kevin Dougherty, Stars and Stripes -The MEU’s five-week deployment to the theater is partially in support of an exercise dubbed Dynamic Response 2002, being held in Kosovo and in Bosnia. The annual NATO-led exercise, or “operational rehearsal,” focuses on integrating a strategic reserve force with existing theater forces. About 2,000 Marines are expected to participate. -As they milled about, Martin stood off to the side, chatting about the Stinger missile launcher, his crew, Army hospitality and of the urge to move on to South Central Asia. -“We’ve been waiting” to get into the ring, Martin said. “I would like to get out and do some real-life stuff.” -He said the mountains of southern Kosovo are beautiful to fly through and provide valuable training opportunities for what may lie ahead. CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo — The U.S. Marines took several dozen journalists from Kosovo and Macedonia through basic training Friday. In this part of the world, heads often turn when the leathernecks surface. The U.S. military mission in Kosovo may be an Army gig, but the locals take note when the Marine Corps shows up in force. And so it was up to Capt. Daniel McSweeney to outline the basics of what the corps and, in particular, the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, is all about. “We are a rapid deployment force, capable of operating from over the horizon,” McSweeney. “In other words, from a distance.” The MEU’s five-week deployment to the theater is partially in support of an exercise dubbed Dynamic Response 2002, being held in Kosovo in Bosnia. The annual NATO-led exercise, or “operational rehearsal,” focuses on integrating a strategic reserve force with existing theater forces. About 2,000 Marines are expected to participate. Dynamic Response “is a regularly scheduled exercise,” McSweeney said as he stood in front of a projection screen. “Nothing in the outside world has triggered this.” After a short briefing by Lt. Col. Jay Kennedy, commander of the Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 263 (Reinforced), the gaggle soon departed a small tent for the big show: a flight line filled with helicopters. Along the way, they lingered for a closer look at gadgets, including a surface-to-air missile launcher nicknamed the Avenger. Marine Sgt. Arvil Martin, the launcher’s team leader, watched as most passed without pause. As they milled about, Martin stood off to the side, chatting about the Stinger missile launcher, his crew, Army hospitality and of the urge to move on to South Central Asia. The Marine unit is heading in that direction sometime in mid-October. “We’ve been waiting” to get into the ring, Martin said. “I would like to get out and do some real-life stuff.” Before they do, hundreds will head to a mountainous region south of Prizren, headquarters of Multinational Brigade-South, commanded by the Germans. The terrain around their temporary base camp is roughly similar to parts of Afghanistan, in terms of altitude. Kennedy, the helicopter squadron commander, said the location “is an added side benefit” for him and his men. “In high altitudes, there are things you have to do differently,” Kennedy said. Helicopters “handle differently. You just have to be prepared for it,” he said. Maj. Bill Duffy, a CH-53E Super Stallion pilot, had just landed his helicopter on the flight line. He said the mountains of southern Kosovo are beautiful to fly through and provide valuable training opportunities for what may lie ahead. Capt. Ryan Shadle, a CH-46 Sea Knight pilot, shared his sentiments. “It’ll be interesting,” Shadle said of the pending deployment to South Central Asia. “I’m not quite sure what will happen once we get back to the boat.” For now, the focus is Kosovo and Dynamic Response. As a couple of helicopters took to the air, journalists scrambled for photos. Most seemed pleased, though a few were hoping for more. “I thought there would be more action, more weapons,” said Oliver Brankovic, a veteran journalist with Macedonian National Television. “This is NATO, the biggest force. I wanted to see a demonstration, but we only saw weapons.” __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Finance - Get real-time stock quotes http://finance.yahoo.com --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: archive@jab.org EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.bacIlu Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
