Text and Photos: Capt. Kristoffer Egeberg
 
 

Since the 22 of August, KFOR has been reinforced by U.S. Marines through Exercise Rapid Cheetah. They've conducted various operations everywhere in MNB E, supporting the brigade's daily mission, learning new things, and relieving their hard-working comrades from the army.

 The marines check the driver just as thoroughly as the car during their TCP.

The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) has a strength of about 2,200 personnel, build around a reinforced infantry battalion, a composite helicopter squadron, and a MEU Service Support Group. Their mission is to provide a rapid crisis respond force capable of conducting conventional, amphibious and selected maritime special operations at night or under adverse weather conditions. This done from the sea, by surface and/or by air.

Based in Camp Lejune (North Carolina), the 24th MEU is one of three Marine Air Ground Task Forces which routinely deploys to the Mediterranean Sea aboard Amphibious Ready Group shipping. The exercise in Kosovo is the last big exercise whilst deployed, and for most of the about 700 MEU Marines who get to go, their experience in Kosovo is also the peak.

"I love this. Getting over here, doing traffic control points (TCP) and personnel searches, which I've never done before, is a good change of pace," says Sgt. Abraham Wailace, commanding a TCP.

 Every inch of the car is searched for weapons, explosives or drugs.

"I'm an infantryman, a machine gunner, normally, so this is something entirely new for me. Marines say adapt and overcome, so we should be able to do anything," says Sgt. Wailace.

On TCP, Wailace and his men look for weapons, explosives, drugs and wanted persons.

"Not long ago we confiscated a pistol. During a search operation in a town we found an AK 47, eight grenades and two pistols," he says.

 To avoid that anyone tries to escape during search, barbwire is put up inside the control-area.

He admits that Kosovo is different from what he expected when he first deployed.

"Its calmer. We all get a brief where they tell you about all the land mines and snipers. But when you're here you find out that it is not as bad as you thought."

In the air
An important part of the MEU detachment deployed is the helicopter wing from the HMM 266 Fighting Griffins.
 
 

The HMM 266 is a reinforced squadron of heavy, medium, light and attack helicopters as well as fighter jets and fixed-wing aerial refuelling aircraft. To Kosovo they brought four CH 53 Sea Knights and four AH 1 W Cobra.

 Lt. Col. Walsh commands the HMM 266 Fighting Griffins. In the background, the Marine version of the CH 53.

"We are the guys who gets the Marines ashore. And flying here in Kosovo is fantastic. Lots of good training," says Lt. Col. Edward M. Walsh.

The Cobra has a lot of similarities with its slightly larger brother the Apache.

"It's a bit smaller and easier to operate from a ship than the Apache. The engine is the same, but the Cobra has only to rotor-blades which makes it easier to store," says pilot Capt. Jimmy Brown.

 Ground crewmen maintain the airframe on a Cobra.

"We conduct patrols in the border areas and provide support to the ground troops. It relieves the Army pilots which usually does this job here," he says.
 
 

The marine's Sea Knight is slightly different from the standard CH 53, which are in service for several countries, among them the German forces in KFOR.
 

"The Marines version of the CH 53 has an extra rotor blade, as well as extended rotor blades (37 inches), giving it a considerable larger lifting power," says Lt. Col. Walsh. Normal troop carrying is 24 marines with full combat equipment, but it has space enough for 36 Marines. With a maximum load capacity of about 16 tons, the bird plays a key role when the Marines go ashore.

 The Cobra has a lot of similarities with its slightly larger brother the Apache. The engine is the same, but the Cobra has only to rotor-blades, which makes it easier to store.

For nearly a month, the Marines have gained valuable experience as well as doing a real-world job for peace in Kosovo. Peace-keeping missions is a role that the Marines might play more in the future, than the traditional combat role the Marines are designed for.

"Kosovo is the most important participation we have done and the peak of our six month deployment with the Amphibious Ready Group shipping in the Mediterranean. We se our self as a very flexible force able to deploy within six hours. The experience gained by working with KFOR is an important element in the training," says MEU Press Officer Lt. Dan Mc. Sweeny.

The Marines departed Kosovo and rejoined the rest of the MEU Sunday 16th of September, earlier than planned because of the Terrorist attacks in U.S.A