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Joint Readiness on the ABL
Story and photos by U . S . Army Staff Sgt . Cody Harding 4th Public Affairs Detachment
The Multinational Battle Group - East Kosovo Forces 17 Joint Law Enforcement Liaison Team met with Polish soldiers , the European Union Rule of Law mission in Kosovo , known as EULEX , and the Kosovo Police in Gjilan to enforce security measures along the Administrative Boundary Line between Kosovo and Serbia May 29 .
The JLELT , comprised of soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Company , 525th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade , operates alongside their counterparts from various nations and organizations to train and prepare the KP and Kosovo Border Police to provide a safe and secure environment in Kosovo . They also serve as a liaison between the KP and KFOR , inviting the local institutions to ask for training or assistance from the NATO-led mission .
U . S . Army Capt . Anthony Wilkins , from Kansas City , Mo ., said the level of professionalism and technical proficiency he ’ s seen while working with the KBP has been impressive .
control point on several of the roads , stopping vehicles moving to and from Serbia to inspect their vehicles and check their credentials .
Polish Army Private 1st Class Pawel Pelc , with the 23rd Artillery Regiment , said that keeping the boundary safe leads to keeping the people of Kosovo safe .
“ I think we can give them peace here ,” Pelc said . “ And they will feel better , not worry about their families .”
Though the KFOR 17 JLELT has been in Kosovo for less than a month , U . S . Army Chief Warrant Officer Two Andre Harris has already been on three joint patrols with the KP and KBP . He said that building a rapport with his Kosovo counterparts , a critical part of their mission , was made easier by previous KFOR rotations .
“ To be honest , I believe it is second nature to [ the KBP ],” Harris , from Rochester , N . Y . said . “ This is KFOR 17 , so they ’ ve seen rotation after rotation , so they ’ re used to it . There ’ s a bit of a transition period where the new unit has to build their rapport , but ultimately they ’ re very cognizant of the new units coming in , so there ’ s no issue . They ’ re able to adapt .”
“ It makes it easier , but at the same time it ’ s challenging as well ,” said Wilkins . “ With a higher level of training , you have to dig into your kit bag deeper to find training to help them progress .”
On this day ’ s patrol , the JLELT visited Gate 6 , which was under renovation from a recent move . They met with Ruzhd Abdulahu , the KBP commander at Gate 6 , and members of EULEX who came to inspect the site . Later , they joined the KBP on a dismounted patrol of small mountain roads in the area .
Guzmend Jakupi , a member of the KBP , said it felt good to perform the joint patrols with KFOR .
“ We like to have the joint patrols ,” Jakupi said . “ We like to see if we can catch something , like the smugglers . We can stop them . We have to stop them .”
The KBP checked several sites that have been used for black market activities in the past and set up a vehicle
U . S . Army Capt . Anthony Wilkins , a member of the Joint Law Enforcement Liaison Team , speaks with members of the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo at the new site for Gate 6 outside the city of Gjilan , Kosovo , May 29 .
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