U.S. and Serbian Armed Forces Cooperate in Assistance Missions

August 12, 2009

As continuation of the outstanding cooperation realized between the Armed Forces of the United States and Serbia in recent years, uniformed members of both nations are about to engage in a number of combined Humanitarian Assistance (HA) projects rehabilitating elementary schools and kindergarten facilities in a number of Serbian communities.

On Thursday, August 6, 2009, the first group of U.S. personnel, 37 members of the Ohio National Guard, arrived in Serbia eager to work alongside their Serbian counterparts. Two additional groups will follow for a total involvement of 82 U.S. personnel. The U.S. military personnel are primarily construction engineering specialist with a few medical and public affairs support personnel. The U.S. personnel will join their new Serbian comrades at various project locations and commence work August 7, with military executed portions of the projects being completed before the September 1 start of school.

The U.S. Embassy's Office of Defense Cooperation is completing six HA engineer/construction projects this summer with a total value of one million USD. Four of these projects involve military members.

Projects involving military members:

Municipality Lapovo Elementary School "Svetozar Markovic'," adresa Kosovskih junaka 10:

• Contracts replace roofs, windows and doors on two structures; Military personnel repair structure façades and installing additional septic tank.
• Municipality Soko Banja, Trubarevac village, Elementary School & Kindergarten "Mitropolit Mihailo":
• Contract replacing roof, windows and doors; Military personnel to replace façade.

Municipality Prokuplje, Kindergartens "Neven" and Bambi", address Nemanjina 1 i 7:

• Contract replacing windows and doors of two facilities and portion of roof on one; military members replacing façade.

Municipality Soko Banja, Blendija village, Elementary School "Mitropolit Mihailo":

• Military members repairing interior floor surface.

Projects not involving military personnel:

Municipality Varvarin

• Daily Care Center for children with special needs, address Ulica Slobode bb:
• Construction of new school for children with special needs
• Roof reconstruction on kindergarten "Naša Radost," address Ulica Slobode bb.
• Roof reconstruction on Health Center "Dr. Vlastimir Godic'", address Ulica Slobode bb.
• Roof reconstruction on Elementary School "Mirko Tomic'," Parc'ane village.
• Reconstruction of heating system in Elementary School "Jovan Kursula," Varvarin, address Ulica Slobode bb.
• Provision of equipment worth 261.000$ for Health Center "Dr. Vlastimir Godic'".
• Provision of equipment worth 77.760$ for Elementary School "Jovan Kursula," Varvarin, address Ulica Slobode.

Municipality Pirot, Poljska Ržana village:

• Reconstruction of existing elementary school, including construction of new indoor toilet.

The cooperative military effort is significant in a variety of manners: it provides a very real value to the communities assisted through the projects; it enhances the bilateral relations between the nation's militaries, developing camaraderie and demonstrating the character and professionalism of both militaries; and it provides the practical experience in Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC), a vital and expanding mission for modern militaries increasingly employed in disaster response and peace support operations world-wide.