PRISTINA, Kosovo - Soldiers and Airmen from the Iowa National Guard made the long journey from America's heartland to Europe's newest nation, Kosovo, in order to take part in a training exercise this week with the Kosovo Security Force.
A handful of Airmen from the Sioux City, Iowa-based 185th Air Refueling Wing clinic, along with members of the 132nd Wing clinic in Des Moines, are part of a group of 50 Soldiers and Airmen from the Hawkeye State who are in Kosovo for a two-week training exercise. The group is working with their counterparts in Kosovo as part of the U. S. Military, European Command's State Partnership Program.
A world away in terms of geography, language and culture, the partnership program has Iowa Air Guard doctors and medics, along with Army Guard combat engineers working with their counterparts in the Kosovo Security Force.
According to a statement from the National Guard Bureau the State Partnership Program has 79 similar programs where states like Iowa join with partner nations such as Kosovo. The overarching goal of the program is to link the states and build military to military and civil-military relationships in order to improve long-term regional security.
Maj. Brandon Cochran, medical group admin officer with the 132nd Wing in Des Moines, says the Iowa National Guard has been working with Kosovo as part of the state partnership program since 2011.
An outside observer need only watch Cochran and his counterpart Capt. Marty Hogan from the 185th Air Refueling Wing, in Sioux City, Iowa, interact with their counterparts for only a short time before realizing that they take the project personally.
"It is a whole of Iowa to a whole of Kosovo concept. It means it is more than just military to military activities," said Cochran. "We hosted a group of Kosovo Security Force members to go through medical training with us in Iowa, but it is more than just medical training, we took them to see the state house, a baseball game and to places like Neil Smith National Wildlife Refuge to see a bison."
Cochran added it is often the times away from training, like sharing a meal together or conversation over a cup of coffee that can be at least as productive as time spent training in terms of relationship building.
During the two-week exercise held in and around the capital region of Pristina, in Kosovo the Iowa Guard and Kosovo Security Force clinicians have been working in the class room and participating in field training together.
"This is probably one of the largest things I have been involved with," Hogan commented when referring to his over 30 years of National Guard experience, "the ability to be a part of something that is bigger than yourself is one of the biggest pieces for me."
Prior to the May training event the two groups have held various events throughout the year as part of the partner program. The activities according to organizers are designed to build and maintain regional stability throughout Kosovo and by extension to surrounding nations in the region.
Cochran said this is the sixth iteration of the annual exercise dubbed "Eagle 6" but this is only the second year the Air Guard members have taken part along with Soldiers from the Iowa Army Guard. He said the goal of both the Iowa Guard and Kosovo Security Force is building continued cooperation and strong relationships.