Bentonville Guard ordered to Kosovo

ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT GAZETTE (USA), Thursday, June 30, 2005

A Bentonville-based National Guard unit will be deployed to Kosovo for a security mission, the Arkansas National Guard announced Wednesday.

An alert issued June 17 will mobilize about 130 soldiers who comprise Battery A of the 142 nd Field Artillery Brigade, Capt. Kristine Munn said. The brigade specializes in combat with heavy field artillery, but the Kosovo mission will be different.

The "force protection" mission in the Balkans will revolve around providing patrols and security, Munn said. It will last one year and is part of an ongoing NATO initiative, she said.

Battery A of the 142 nd brigade will train at Fort Bliss, Texas, likely within the next 90 days.

Earlier this month, Battery B of the 142 nd brigade was mobilized for a force protection in Iraq. The Springdale-based unit of about 150 soldiers will leave Arkansas in July to train at Fort Lewis, Wash.