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[Operation Desert Storm, Operation Allied Force. Fighting for, then against terrorism; to preserve and then to override national sovereignty; to drive the Yugoslavs out of Yugoslavia; to preserve order in Kosovo by turning the Serbian province over to crime syndicate and ethnic cleansing KLA auxilliaries. Must be hard for the poor GIs to sort out. Good thing all the black and green suit brigades back in Washington have time between press conferences and white tie and tail dinner parties to think these things through.] Stars and Stripes Saturday, April 27, 2002 1st ID is first infantry unit to return to Kosovo By Steve Liewer, Würzburg bureau European edition, Saturday, April 27, 2002 SCHWEINFURT, Germany — With a bit of ceremony and a pep talk from its commander, the first infantry unit to enter Kosovo three years ago is now the first unit to return to the battle-scarred region. The soldiers of the 1st Infantry Division's 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment formed near the flagpole at Schweinfurt's Ledward Barracks on Tuesday afternoon. They listened as their officers handed out awards and saluted as a color guard lowered the flag. Lt. Col. Wayne Grigsby, the battalion commander, told the troops they are well prepared for their six-month peacekeeping mission in the Balkan province. He praised them for their performance during three months of rigorous training, the quality of the unit's noncommissioned officers and the work of their family readiness group in helping to care for loved ones left behind. "There's a lot of pride," Grigsby said. "We're not going to let the Big Red One down." The first few soldiers left Tuesday night, Grigsby said, and most of the rest of the unit will fly to Kosovo in the next week. About 10 percent of the battalion will stay in Germany as a rear detachment to guard the posts at Schweinfurt and to keep families in touch with the deployed soldiers. The deployment is another historic moment for the unit. On D-Day, its soldiers stormed Omaha Beach. Three years ago, it was the first U.S. unit to arrive in Kosovo after the end of the NATO bombing campaign that drove Yugoslavian forces from the province. Now, it is the first infantry unit to return. One big difference between the two missions: In 1999, the battalion had only three days' notice before it left for Kosovo. Its members have known about this one for more than a year. "Because we knew we were in the rotation, we started [preparing] six months early," said Jo Eells, director of Schweinfurt's Army Community Service Center, which trains the family readiness groups. Following Tuesday's ceremony, Grigsby and unit leaders briefed the troops one final time about the deployment. Grigsby said the unit's rear detachment will send daily e-mail updates to every family. The readiness group has also established a free cyber cafe in Schweinfurt so families can keep in touch via e-mail even if they don't have home computers. "When I was in Desert Shield, the first contact I had with my loved ones was after 90 days. Ninety days!" Grigsby said. "In Kosovo, immediately we have connectivity with our loved ones. That is huge." Still, no one doubts a six-month separation will be stressful. Pfc. Luis Aguilo, 23, has served in the Army for eight months. He arrived in Germany with his wife and two children just two weeks ago. This is his first deployment. "I'm a little nervous," Aguilo said. "[My wife] has adapted very quickly. There's always the feeling like 'I miss you,' but I know she's pretty tough. She understands, and she knows it's my job." The battalion will take over for the 10th Mountain Division's 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment at Camp Monteith, in Gjilane. During the next two weeks, more 2nd Brigade units from Schweinfurt will join them: the 1st Battalion, 77th Infantry Regiment; the 1st Battalion, 77th Armored Regiment; the 1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery Regiment; the 9th Engineering Battalion; and the 299th Field Support Battalion. A team of medical personnel from the Würzburg-based 67th Combat Surgical Hospital has been downrange since early April. Some members of the 1st ID staff and the 101st Military Intelligence Battalion, both from Würzburg, also will head downrange in May to join Task Force Falcon. So will elements of the 121st Signal Battalion from Kitzingen, the 2nd Battalion 1st Aviation Regiment from Katterbach, and the 709th Military Police Battalion from Hanau. These units are scheduled to remain in Kosovo until late November, when more 1st ID units — this time from the 3rd Brigade, based in Vilseck, Germany — are scheduled to relieve them. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! 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