by Dan Perkins

Approximately 50 business, academic and government leaders from across the United States participated this month in the 2004 Joint Civilian Orientation Conference hosted by the Department of Defense.  The conference was designed to give civic leaders a firsthand look at how U.S. forces in Europe are supporting the war against terrorism.

The civilian leaders watched various demonstrations and gained hands-on experience with various operations and equipment used by soldiers in several countries.  Following a briefing on U.S. European Command by General Charles F. Wald, the command's deputy commander, the group watched the 86th Contingency Response Group conduct what the military calls an "engine-running offload."  It's a procedure that was used to open the Bashur Air Base in northern Iraq.

In a release issued by the American Forces Information Service (AFIS), Air Force General Robert Foglesong, commander of the U.S. Air Force in Europe (USAFE), expressed his pleasure with being able to host "shakers and movers" from throughout the United States.  "I never miss the opportunity to share the exciting work we do with very influential citizens who leave here and spread the word to their communities about the wonderful things our men and women in uniform are doing."

While the group was in Germany, they were greeted by Air Force Brigadier General Rosanne Bailey, who is  commander of the 435th Air Base Wing and the Kaiserslautern Military Community in Germany.  Bailey welcomed the visitors, and in the AFIS press release stated, "What we do is so little understood by the American people.  People know what they see on the television news.  What they don't see is the incredible energy and talent and dedication of our young Americans working 12-hour shifts out here every day."

Bailey values civilian visits, such as the one organized by the conference, because they provide a valuable opportunity for the American public to gain a deeper appreciation of and for the military.  "Meet my people.  See what they're doing and be proud of them," she told her guests.

According to the AFIS press release, many of civic leaders accepted Bailey's invitation and were impressed with the people they met and with all they experienced.  Jim Rich, senior vice president of operations for Frito Lay reportedly climbed out of the cockpit of an F-16 fighter and called it "an amazing piece of equipment." After meeting several F-16 pilots, Rich reportedly said, "It's just amazing how competent these kids are flying these things."

Another impressed guest was Bob Irish, managing partner for Dynamic Results, a Dallas based organization.  "I'm really impressed with the professionalism I've seen - not just the officers, but the young enlisted guys, too.  They know their stuff, and you can see that they love what they do."

From Germany, the civic leaders visited U.S. troops stationed in Bosnia-Herzegovina.  There, they were introduced to U.S. peacekeeping operations in a section of Europe that is still smoldering from years of ethnic and religious tensions. During their visit, the group was given an opportunity to join members of the Indiana National Guard's 2nd Battalion, 152nd Mechanized Infantry as they patrolled the streets of Banovici, a small town of about 26,000 in the Bosnian countryside.

Allen Sessoms, president of Delaware State University, left, and other members of the 2004 Joint Civilian Orientation Conference join Army Sgt. Kris King from the Indiana National Guard during a foot patrol near Tuzla, Bosnia, June 9. Photo by Donna Miles

Susan Adzick, a vice president for the McLane FoodService Division in Louisville, Kentucky is quoted in the AFIS release as saying, "It was great because there we were, walking the streets with armed soldiers and seeing some of the people smile as we passed.  The soldiers were walking with us and answering our questions, but it was obvious the whole time that they were very aware of what was going on around us."

Lt. General William Ward, deputy commander of the U.S. Army in Europe told the group that the patrols are an important part of NATO-led Stabilization Force's mission to deter renewed hostilities in the region.  Since 1995, the U.S. has had troops in Bosnia-Herzegovina to maintain security as the nation attempts to heal from ethnic fighting that left roughly 200,000 people dead in the early 1990s.  Today, the U.S. maintains about 1,000 troops in the region - down considerably from a high of 65,000 troops in 1996.

But the size of the force does not reflect the importance of their mission.  While U.S. troops are in the former Yugoslavia to bring stability and hope to the Bosnian people, the presence of U.S. troops also serves to help "ensure that terrorist have no safe haven" in the country.  Ward who warned that the current peace "is not irreversible."

As evidence of the potential for another major eruption of violence, the group was shown 250 tons of weapons and munitions collected from the region during the past three months alone.

Ward reminded the visitors that the region once hosted numerous arms manufacturers, and he called it a "virtual arms depository" that continues to threaten the stability of the region.  He stated that U.S. troops regularly collect "huge quantities" of illegal weapons through amnesty programs and house-to-house searches.

The job of maintaining peace in a region so prone to violence clearly puts U.S. troops in harm's way.  In addition to the risks associated with conducting house-to-house searches, troops assigned to the peacekeeping mission in Bosnia face danger from mines and unexploded ordnance that still dot the countryside.  The conditions are so severe, Bosnia is regarded as having the most hazardous driving conditions in Europe.  "It's critical that our soldiers maintain situational awareness at all times," said Chief Warrant Officer Allen Gotwald, safety officer for the task force.

Jeffery Jacobs, a vice president for ChevronTexaco Technology Ventures, participated in the patrols and he found it an eye-opening experience.  According the AFIS release, Jacobs said, "For a lot of people, all they know is what they read in the paper.  Experiences like this give you a real appreciation of our military."

Joel Wernick, chief executive officer for Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany, Georgia was reportedly impressed with the fact that many of the peacekeeping troops were National Guardsmen.  He is quoted as saying, "We have a really professional military.  Seeing them do what they do makes you really proud.  It also reminds you that you can't get freedom and the things many of us take for granted in life without some kind of investment and sacrifice."

The End