Dinner, Closing Ceremonies Mark End of 10th Combined Endeavor

BAUMHOLDER, Germany - A Distinguished Visitors dinner and a Closing Ceremony will put an official cap on Combined Endeavor 2004, the 10th year for the interoperability exercise which this year convened 40 NATO and Partnership for Peace nations' military communications experts in Baumholder and Burgas, Bulgaria.

The guest speaker for the May 18th dinner and Closing Ceremony on May 19th is Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Kohler is Director of Plans and Policy, Headquarters U.S. European Command, Stuttgart, Germany. He assumed this position in March 2002.

The general is a 1973 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has commanded at the squadron, group and wing levels and served in staff assignments at the major command level and in NATO.

Prior to assuming his current position, the general served as director of operational plans, Deputy Chief of Staff for Air and Space Operations, Headquarters, U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. He was responsible for developing and integrating operational strategies, organizational concepts and policies and plans to support the warfighter's employment of aerospace power. He served as the Headquarters U.S. Air Force focal point for developing and integrating expeditionary strategies, policies, guidance and plans to support the warfighter. He is a command pilot with more than 3,500 flying hours, principally in fighter and trainer aircraft.

Closing Ceremony Speakers Over 900 exercise participants will gather on the exercise grounds on Lager Aulenbach in Baumholder May 19 for the Combined Endeavor Closing Ceremony. Speakers include Lieutenant General von Krauza of the German Bundeswehr and Maj. Gen. Kohler.

German Lt. Gen. von Krause is the current Commander, Joint Support Command, a newly established command. He entered the German Air Force basic training in 1963.

Throughout his career he has held a number of positions including Aide-de-Camp of the German Military Representative, U.S. and Canada in Washington, DC, Commandant Air Force School of Engineering 3, Branch Chief at Air Force Support Command and Inspector General, Air Force at the Air Force Office. In 1997, he was promoted to Brigadier General.

From 2000-2001, he served as Commander, Air Force Support Command and was promoted to Major General in 2000.

Lager Aulenbach also welcomed U.S. Army Lt. Gen. John Sylvester, the Chief of Staff, U.S. European Command, Stuttgart, Germany, on May 17, 2004. He assumed his present position in Nov., 2002.

Lt. Gen. Sylvester was commissioned as an Armor officer in 1968. His military service includes a tour in Vietnam, Brigade Command during Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm, three tours in Bosnia, five tours in Germany and the Netherlands, and a wide variety of assignments in the United States.

His awards include four Defense Distinguished Service Medals; the Army Distinguished Service Medal; the Silver Star; three awards of the Legion of Merit; Bronze Star Medal with "V" Device; Bronze Star Medal; four awards of the Meritorious Service Medal; four awards of the Army Commendation Medal; the Army Achievement Medal; and the Army Aviator Badge.