July 26, 1999

Military police building trust, friendship in Kosovo

By Pfc. Jennifer Smith
27th Public Affairs Detachment
Task Force Falcon PAO

     CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo -- While community relations is an integral part of every military job during a deployment, one team is working extra hard to ensure the continuation of COMREL in their sector of the Balkans.

     The 127^th Military Police Company is responsible for patrolling the southern portion of one of the military supply routes. "We do presence patrols to let the people know we’re there and to help keep the fighting, house burning and other things from happening," said Staff Sgt. Danny Cunningham.

     Cunningham is squad leader of First Squad, 2^nd Platoon, which has taken responsibility for some of the MSRs in the southern region. Cunningham and his squad have began a long but reassuring road to building the trust and friendship needed to keep peace in the towns in this area.

     Each day, first squad rolls out the gates of Camp Bondsteel, for presence patrols of their sector which also include posting signs for service roads and speaking with residents as they pass through the towns.     According to some of the local residents, they are happy and thankful NATO troops are here to help stop the violence in their towns.

     "When NATO came, we knew it was safe to go home. Now we have freedom," commented Kefsere Dullovi, a housewife from the village of Kovacevc, "We are thankful and grateful to you," she continued.      Her Albanian village has seen its share of destruction, she said. About three months ago, 11 people were killed and tortured. The residents of this village said nothing to NATO troops but just gave the fallen citizens proper burials. Now, the village has to face dangerous mines even though the problems with fires and killings have ended.

     Acceptance of NATO troops changes in the villages almost daily. One day, the residents of the villages may go into their homes when troops pass through the towns, while the very next day, those same people will run into the streets greeting the troops and singing "NATO!" or "America!" over and over again, according to Cunningham.

     "It’s only a matter of time until everything stops. The sooner people get back into their homes and jobs, the better we are," commented Ylli Limani, an Albanian interpreter for 127^th MP Co.

     "We’re doing something good here, and now the people are beginning to see that we are here to help them," said Cunningham.

     While refugees continue to return to their homes and families, NATO troops do all they can to continue peacekeeping efforts in the Balkans, thus ensuring residents feel safe in their villages.

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