European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 31, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                To Over Here a s4s Ron Jansen. Spec. Charles Bobo left pfc. Cameron Johnston and a canine Friend patrol along a  Macedonia. Walking Border beats life at Camp for soldiers stationed in Macedonia by Ron Jensen Nornberg Bureau pc. Cameron Johnston prefers Dusty patrols and life on a Remote Hillside on the Border erf Macedonia and Yugoslavia to that Back at Camp Able sentry Headquarters p i the Garrison Headquarters a near the macedonian capital of Skopje. To just rather be out Here doing the Mission not Back there doing details Quot he said As he set out on a patrol across a Green Valley. Quot out Here it s just you and your squad. Quot out Here you feel More  Quot useful Quot As defined by operation Able sentry a United nations sponsored Mission that began last july Means watching a Border that is loosely defined by Creek Beds gullies and tree lines. It Means counting trucks tractors trains and donkeys that Cross the Border both North to South and South to North As a Way of measuring the amount of smuggling done in violation of sanctions against Serbia a the main Republic making up what is left of Yugoslavia. Quot it s kind of just a monitoring thing Quot said capt Perry Caskey commander of b co 1st in 6th inf from Vilseck Germany. Quot we Don t inspect Quot Quot useful Quot Means walking patrols through the villages that crowd the Southern Side of the Border showing a pm amerkan soldiers m j Macer Tot /5evi m ass Ron Jensen a sign welcomes diners at observation Post 51 Echo. Presence and making friends. Quot normally generally usually but not always its very Friendly Quot said Caskey whose company operates six of the nine observation posts in american control along the 50-mile Border. Quot useful Quot according to the norwegian general in charge of the operation Means breaking new ground for the United nations. Quot we Are in a Way making history Quot said Brig. Gen. Tryggve Tellefsen. This is he said the first time the . Security Council has placed peacemakers in a country As a preventive measure before there was  United nations Normal procedure has been to put peacekeepers on the ground where there is Little peace to keep such As Bosnia and Herzegovina where . Troops find themselves Between two combative factions. Quot i think the . Has probably picked up some very Good lessons Quot the general Ltd. The placement of , troops americans and members of the 1c battalion has avoided a spillover of Thip Balkan War into Macedonia he said. The . Presence shows neighbouring countries he said that the world supports the Effort by Macedonia a former Republic within Yugoslavia to establish itself As a new nation. Quot to be present Means to show the . Flag As often As possible in the Border area As Well As in villages adjacent to the Border Quot he said. That s what Johnston pfc. Caleb Casenhiser and spec Charles Bobo were doing when they set out on a patrol from observation Post 51 Echo. It is a daily exercise differing Only in the route chosen. On patrols such As these the soldiers make Contact with the locals. For the most part they Are welcomed. In the Village of Lojane just below the observation Post a local merchant has befriended the americans and gives them sodas at no Cost although the continued on Page 16 closer Loo civil affairs soldiers win friends for , it. Col. Carter Ham commander of the american task Force that is part of operation Able sentry heaped Praise on a four Man unit from fort Bragg . Those four Guys he said have Quot done More person for person than any of  a the deployment of those four folks has tremendously increased the effectiveness of our task Force Quot Ham said. Those Quot folks Quot Are members of the 96th civil affairs det. Quot in a Battle the commander is responsible for All the civilians within the Battlefield Quot said sgt. 1st class Gilbert Shatto a member of the 96th. Quot our Overall Mission is to enhance the commander s relationship with the civilian  to that end these soldiers visit regularly with villagers along the macedonian Border with Serbia. American soldiers Man observation posts in this Region and the civil affairs detachment helps keep the relationship on Friendly terms by getting to know the local mayors police chiefs and Community leaders. Quot we try to gain support from the populace Quot said Shatto. A a a for example he and sgt 1 St class John Moore recruited some task Force soldiers recently to build a much needed footbridge near a Border town. They have improved some roads and repaired others damaged by american vehicles. Much of the Job includes simple Public relations. Quot if there Are problems a for example vehicles going too fast through the Village a the mayors will Tell us Quot Shatto said. This particular unit is made up of soldiers from the special forces. Although civil affairs has been around for a Long time it was t until a year ago that special forces soldiers were incorporated to take advantage of the similar skills. A Moore for example has spent a lot of time in South America where he has built schools and roads As Pari of his special forces duties. The switch to the 96th civil affairs det was not a big transition for him he said. The duty is Good Moore said. It has Given him intimate exposure to different cultures. A this particular country is so much better off than South America As far As a Road network As far As utilities Quot he said. Quot most of the places in be been in South America did no of  but they have seen Homes in Mac Doniek with dirt floors. $ typical Home has one table two or three chairs a few cups and utensils. \ Many locals have no jobs and live on what the can grow. The average income Moore said 250 German Marks per month. Yet the americans have encountered great generosity. Moore recalls a meeting with a Man near where the Bridge was built. A the gave us some cheese. He gave us some peaches Quot Moore said. Quot he gave us some Fried pork that was absolutely fantastic. Quot they Are very simple people very Good people very wholesome  getting to know the people and earn their Trust is an important part of the Job. A a there a apprehension on both sides Quot Shatto said. Quot but after repeated meetings with the people eating with them playing chess with them they get to know . Ron Jensen tuesday May 31, 1994 the stars and stripes 15