2-135, Ready for Kosovo

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Ben Houtkooper | Soldiers of the Minnesota National Guard's 2nd Battalion, 135th Infantry Regiment, are sent off after completing their train-up at Camp Atterbury, Ind., on Sept. 10. This will be the unit's second and longest tour to Kosovo, scheduled to last one year.  

CAMP ATTERBURY, INDIANA, UNITED STATES

09.10.2007

Story by Staff Sgt. Ben Houtkooper  

Minnesota National Guard

CAMP ATTERBURY, Ind. - The largest deployment of Minnesota National Guard Soldier since 2006 culminated Sept. 10th, at Camp Atterbury, Ind., Four hundred Soldiers of the Mankato based 2nd Battalion, 135th Infantry Regiment completed their state-side training for their mission in the Serbian province of Kosovo.

"We've been through weapons qualifications, hand–to-hand combatives, chemical and mock riot training," said Battalion Command Sergeant Major Marcus Erickson. "We're prepared really well for the mission."

The next step in the unit's preparation is a full-scale field training exercise at Hohenfels Training Area in Germany.

"This Task Force takes over in uncertain times," said First Army, Deputy Commander, Maj. Gen. John Yingling, referring Kosovo's upcoming mid-November elections.

For many of the Soldiers, this will be their second tour in Kosovo. As part of the Minnesota National Guard's 34th "Red Bull" Infantry Division they returned peace following the deadly riots in March 2004.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organizations led Kosovo Force mission began in 1999 after wide-spread violence and genocide between the ethnic Albanian majority and army-back Serbian minority.

Based out of Camp Bondsteel, the 2-135th, will be known as Task Force Bayonet. With other units from across the US, they will patrol the southeastern region of Kosovo.

• Date Taken: 09.10.2007
• Date Posted: 09.12.2007 07:31
• Story ID: 12304
• Location: CAMP ATTERBURY, INDIANA, US