European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 13, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Sunday february 13, 1994 War in the Balkans Pur c7ic a i to ? T a Lakenheath airmen to head for Aviano by the stars and stripes about 170 people assigned to Raf Lakenheath England will deploy to Aviano a Italy this week along with eight f-15e strike aircraft to drive Home a nato ultimatum to the serbs a Lakenheath official said saturday. The Lakenheath personnel will include aircraft maintainers support personnel and aircrews All As signed to the 48th fighter Wing. A specific length of time has not been set for the deployment the base spokesman said. However Laken Heath personnel will remain at Aviano for As Long As needed he said j the Pentagon announced Friday that the f-15e strike eagles some of the most sophisticated warplanes in the . Air Force would deploy to Aviano. The fighters will join a Host of aircraft that previously flew in operation deny flight and Are being recalled in anticipation of airstrikes Force it. Col. Janice Witt a spokeswoman for Allied forces Southern Europe said saturday. If events in Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to deteriorate nato and not the United nations will make the final Call on whether to launch airstrikes be cause it takes six hours to get an answer from the .," a defense expert said Friday. Nato needs a decision in 20 minutes said Paul Beaver senior publisher for Jane s information group which publishes Jane s defence weekly. The two people who would make that Call Are . Navy adm. Mike Boorda commander of Allied forces Southern Europe and French Gen. Jean cot com . Of cuff at Hospital is honoured Bevin Ccrawley staff writer Camp Pleso Croatia the United nations on saturday awarded peacekeeper medals to about 230 members of the . Air Force Field Hospital near Zagreb As the task Force nears the end of its six month duty in the Balkans. The medals Are Given to servicemen Bers who serve 90 continuous Days on Peacekeeping duty. Yours is a critical contribution in an extremely difficult situation the . Ambassador to Croatia Peter Galbraith told members of the 48th transportable Hospital and american task Force. I think it s very difficult for All of us who work Here to Deal with conditions where there seems to be so Little Hope Galbraith said. The tent Hospital at the Zagreb Airport treats 29,000 Troops from More than 34 countries who patrol Croatia Mace Donia and the War ravaged Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Hospital is run by the 48th transportable Hospital based at Raf Lakenheath England. Air Force members from bases across Europe Are on temporary duty Iri Croatia to staff the medical task Force. For Many troops it May be the most important thing in their life Force col. Stephen h. Jennings Hospital commander said of the six month peacekeeper stint. The Mobile army surgical Hospital first deployed to Zagreb s Airport in november 1992 and was taken Over in september by Force personnel who continue the tradition of calling the Center a Mash. The saturday ceremony came one week after the feb. 5 mortar attack that killed 68 civilians in Sarajevo the besieged capital of Bosnia. Although the Hospital was put on emergency standby victims were flown in Stead to other locations in Europe. The killings led however to a nato ultimatum wednesday that gave a shot in the Arm to the beleaguered Peacekeeping Effort in the 2-year-old civil War. The senior . Commander in the for Mer Yugoslavia said that some people May Mandr of the Protection Force in Bosnia. Aside from the rough terrain around Sarajevo weather is another obstacle that could hamper nato operations. A Low ceiling would shorten the time for pilots to make visual Contact with their intended targets Beaver said. If sent into action fighter pilots would receive assist Ance from nato Forward controllers who have been on the ground for months. The controller Job is to help guide jets to specific targets. There Are about 40 parties in place according to Beaver. A party or team usually consists of three people. Beaver said that it s logical to assume special forces units would be deployed but that he was not certain that would happen. However he said Forward con trollers have been trained in special forces the Guys Are pretty smart operators he said. Their assistance is invaluable because of the concern for minimizing civilian casualties and damage to property. The last thing nato wants is collateral damage Beaver said. He believes that airstrikes loom As a Strong possibility in the bosnian conflict because he said both sides bosnian serbs and the bosnian government forces Are stupid enough not to abide by Bosnia s serbian and Muslim forces exchanged artillery fire shortly before the cease fire deadline at Midnight thursday. Nobody knows who started it but it was both sides who took part Beaver said adding that it was technically before the the last minute artillery volleys in Sarajevo came hours Nap i Italy i no i boor ii who �-.-, line week to Zaj rrb he i Cor. ". French Inera Byrda ". Sor a Herr i a Admiral & Ordi cd h in a "w.ii. Nato a array of ? and to tar tron Tea p Loyed ? t,r.,t it in addition to the f-15et a of recalled two dec 1.20 irv.e of a -4a i on the ground lev a Una res to to Witt said. Pr�rrrr.afcr�, the ont Iro Rte . Ii help direct the ainrr.x.2.1. t dec 1 � i i. Aviano. One a to i Etc -ca.livi. R.?. A " More already in deny . O More fights front Ether cd Nurre a. or four of a f t. i filter i for i four Al is if Fruto. Eight of pc Fig thin srom. Tirk a. Tie to Iii Jet Craft will net ulc. Part in a to jul l-Nrtaif, they will Cut nut to mr.iti a tre a nia., it to a Gur Mary . Crews set for deployment to French base Raf i 3/fetnhtn of Rose i. Wing at Raf 3/ojitn crts to Tirron or a Vil to is it Ator i alien Den o ?.idtinrri.l by Vil u.5. A Iii ir� Erv. Risiti in i t it it a i -. To ii a. Of inti try ill Force sgt James Perry gets a kiss from his dog Breston during a Medah precaution that honoured them and other . Peacekeepers for their service in Croatia. Perr handles Breston a police dog who sniffs out explosives. For Hii ir.ar.r.?. Of c Fliehr. He Ual n be too Hasty in blaming the United nations for the world s indecision in ending the bal Kan crisis. My experience with the Is very positive army col. Stuart h. Watkins said. I think sometimes people really Don t under stand How it Watkins has commanded joint task Force provide Promise fwd for 10 months. Provide Promise is the United states code name for an ongoing series of humanitarian missions in the Region. One thing the world has to come to grips with is no country in the world can single hand edly police the world. And the family of nations can t afford to live in an a policed world Watkins said. . Officials say that 33 peacekeeper troops have been killed in War related Inci dents while patrolling demilitarized or safeguarding the delivery of feed and emergency Aid. The United nations prot Stica Foros Mission is to assist in the delivery of mat Aid and not to prevent fighting a said. There s a lot of things that i S Mission Here regard i. Of e 5. Be stations of different in the five month i since the a.for to took Over the Mash the has admitted about 170 Parient i Many of hem wounded by arrn_5 no Emen a Bosnia or by land in be in Parroted areas of Croatia. Medical team a Hospital also assist in a a Ati cd. And visit Front lne i to in to. He co ordinate treatment and Seaich pror2.mx the Navy s 6th Fleet is . Ixe charge of the us i a e-xt
