March Riots In Kosovo - The Norwegian Perspective

[Marsuitor]

From the March riots in Kosovo. Got these off a mate who were in place at the time. Just came back a few weeks ago with three HDD's full of photos and videos.
Anyhow, one of the missions the Norwegians were given these days was the holding of a line on the main road running south from Pristina into Gracanica to protect the Serb population there. Most of these photos are from this operation before the **** really hit the fan.
http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/434_1090526686_folk.jpg
Four random guys...

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/434_1090526701_folk2.jpg
Under way to Pristina

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/434_1090526719_folk3.jpg
Some more random peeps.

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/434_1090526734_folk4.jpg
Taking a break from the line.

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/434_1090526753_mb.jpg
Caught a rock.

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/434_1090526770_skarpskytter.jpg
Sharpshooters deployed.

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/434_1090526793_linje.jpg
http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/434_1090526812_linje2.jpg
Holding the line.

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/434_1090526831_127.jpg
.50 Gunner on Pasi XA-230

I'll fush out some more photos tomorrow...

[KML]

Grasias

[kinghk]

Nice pics.

[FDF_Hemppis]

Nice pics, Marcus! I've come to expect high quality from you, and you're yet to let me down :D

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/434_1090526770_skarpskytter.jpg
My favorite: Peacekeeping with a Barret .50 "say hello to my little friend" :lol:

[Marsuitor]

Nice pics, Marcus! I've come to expect high quality from you, and you're yet to let me down :D
Cheers mate! :)
My jaw dropped from the sheer number i've pictures that's amassed during the last year down there. I've got a good deal of stuff coming i feel, thanks to the guys in 6.division who's done an excellent job the last twelve months.
Btw. fixed you some hi-res pictures of tan colored Pasi enroute to Iraq now. Stand by! ;)

[kapital3]

moja malenkost

no one likes me; why don't I go eat mud.


I think I better learn the forum rules - or I WILL be booted; ****to - comprendo?

[Marsuitor]

Great, just what we needed. A new troll... :roll: Suspect this guy is just one of those "hit and run" personalities. If not, i reckon he'll be banned in less than a week if he keeps posting such garbage as the links point to.
Be wary, some quite graphic pictures above.

[Dalleer]

Great pictures in my opinion also, since I've been interested to see pictures from those riots as well.

[gilgoul]

Thanks :D

Good quality pics and interresting, what could I ask for more? :hug:

[tomcat1974]

Great pictures in my opinion also, since I've been interested to see pictures from those riots as well.

Same here... I am interested in more pictures from all countries involved.
I wanna see pictures with Romanian Forces there . If someone can find some please ost them. Thanx

[FDF_Hemppis]

Btw. fixed you some hi-res pictures of tan colored Pasi enroute to Iraq now. Stand by! ;)

Oooh! Goodie goodie goodie :D
I can't wait :hug:

[kinghk]

*venter i spenning på fortsettelsen*

[OldRecon]

The more I see and hear of the Telemark battalion, the more it dawns on me what a happy bunch of holiday amateurs we were in NORBATT.
God to see the guys have come a long way since then, and that the politicians have come to some sense at least, with regards to what it takes in funding, equipment and training when you involve your forces in peacekeeping missions abroad.
Interesting to see in use a mix of the old plain green field trousers and the new cammo version of same though.
As for the boots of the sniper with the Barret, are they an example of the new tropical model field boots being issued to the forces?
The Norwegian armed forces getting rid of their fetish for black boots at last? :)


And with regards to these guys, are they recons?
http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/434_1090526686_folk.jpg

[Helios X]

What kind of AR that guy is holding?

[Mozart]

Why you hide your faces?

[OldRecon]

Why you hide your faces?

With regards to units taking part in peacekeeping operations abroad in regions with a reputation for blood feuds, its official OPSEC policy in Norway to be "relatively" restrictive with regards to the identities of individual soldiers.
Particularly with regards to "hot" incidents like the one depicted where one or more among the "local elements" have been killed.
Think one such "local element" was shot and killed in depicted incident, when he tried to ram his truck into the Norwegian soldiers manning the skirmish line blocking the path of his fellow demonstrators.
In fact the powers that be are so coy about identities in such incidents, that if there are any doubts among the men involved in an incident themselves, as to the individual(s) responsible for a fatal shot, those involved will not be clarified on that matter, with regards to findings from post operations investigations by the MPs, so as not to risk any "lose mouth talk".

[Mozart]

You think, people from "regions with a reputation for blood feuds" read this forum? :)

[OldRecon]

You think, people from "regions with a reputation for blood feuds" read this forum? :)

Better safe than sorry.

Got any problem with that? :|

Well let's say you as a Russian soldier take part in a particular incident in Chechenya where some of the "local elements" have been killed, that is discussed in some detail under a particular topic on this forum. Would you in that case feel easy about having a full size uncensored photo of yourself posted on this forum, cited as "one of the Russian soldiers involved in particular incident", perhaps even accompanied with information on what unit you belong to or even name?
And though there may not be internet access in that particular region, there's no guarantee that "those on the other side" have relatives abroad living in regions where they do have internet access. Or??

[Mozart]

Probably you are reinsured.
In Russia on it look easier.
At missions where it would be not necessary that our soldiers saw your person,they dress masks instead of smear persons in a photoshop

[Mozart]

Probably you are reinsured.
In Russia on it look easier.
At missions where it would be not necessary that our soldiers saw your person,they dress masks instead of smear persons in a photoshop
like here:
http://www.calguard.ca.gov/ia/images-chechnya/chechnya-ru-tankers.jpg

[Marsuitor]

The more I see and hear of the Telemark battalion, the more it dawns on me what a happy bunch of holiday amateurs we were in NORBATT.
God to see the guys have come a long way since then, and that the politicians have come to some sense at least, with regards to what it takes in funding, equipment and training when you involve your forces in peacekeeping missions abroad.
Interesting to see in use a mix of the old plain green field trousers and the new cammo version of same though.
As for the boots of the sniper with the Barret, are they an example of the new tropical model field boots being issued to the forces?
The Norwegian armed forces getting rid of their fetish for black boots at last? :)


And with regards to these guys, are they recons?http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/434_1090526686_folk.jpgHey guys, more pics will have to wait until tomorrow. Not at my rig at the moment.

OldRecon,
First off, these guys here are actually from 2nd Infantry Battallion, as the blue beret shows. ;)
During the last year the Norwegians have had a quite special role in Kosovo. They've acted as a type of "Kosovo QRF" (Or NOR-TF as it was called), directly under COMKFOR command to work where ever needed. They haven't had any AO per se to operate in, but have been doing joint patrols with MNB(C) troops, mainly Swedes in Pristina. If COMKFOR would give the call, the force comprising one company from 2nd Inf.Bn. and a 4.squadron (Stormesk. 4) would roll and sort things out, anywhere in Kosovo. This could be anything from doing search operations to assisting UNMIK Team 6 in apprehending high value targets, and also everything in between (normal patrolling, VCPs etc). The guys on the picture are most likely just normal dudes kitted up for a hard entry somewhere. They were issued gucci MP5's for this.

Mozart,
Keep in mind that the Norwegian army is very small compared to other countries. Having a face connected to a bad incident could very well cause ill effects in Norway as a result. It's happened before.
Ie. there were numerous reports during the SFOR time where the families of serving soldiers would get death threats etc. called in.Therefore, the secrecy. I chose myself to blur out these faces as i didn't have each individuals consent to post their mugs on a public forum.

[OldRecon]

Well, the reason I ask about Norwegian recons in the Balkans now and then, was that during my last reservist call up, we were camped in the same barracks as the conscript LRRP Sq and they had a notice put up on the message board there for volunteers for service in a strategic asset LRRP unit sorting directly under the force commander in the area.
Wether the unit operated in Bosnia or Kosovo I don't remember though.
And not being particularly update on developments in our armed forces either through mil.no or veterannett.no, don't know if the unit still exist.
Apparently they recruited people from either the LRRP Sq of the recce Bt. or among the various jaeger units we have.
Wish I was younger, so I could have been a part of that :(,.
Though that said I had quite a good time in the forerunner to the present LRRP Sq. When, after a while, one became used to the loads we carried, imaging it to be only 20 kg vs the actual 45 to 50 something - even on the uphill slopes, it gave one a remarkable feeling of well being I've never experienced before or since :). The relatively independency from brass supervision out in the field, close knit group and the breathtakingly beautiful landscape of inner Troms being other bonuses.
Reading "Growth of the soil" by Hamsun in fact takes on a whole new nostalgic and allmost visual meaning if you have trained or trekked in the Målselv area as extensively as we did.

[Marsuitor]

Some more from the riots, this would pretty much be the rest of the interesting ones;
http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/431_1091025750_behind_line.jpg
http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/431_1091025809_behind_line2.jpg
http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/431_1091025794_behind_line3.jpg
http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/431_1091025775_behind_line4.jpg
Various pictures taken from behind the line during and before the major unrest.

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/431_1091025733_godgjengen.jpg
Some village. That guy in red looks like he has some tricks up his sleeve

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/431_1091025720_pasi.jpg
Aren't these the new Patrias? Anyone know what nationality this is?

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/431_1091025698_sr.jpg
Quick snack in-between...

OldRecon,
As to the LRRP business, believe the way it's been done since SFOR times is that the battallion provides it's own LRRP, or Jeger/Oppklaring units, but these are also available for missions for the other battallions within the brigade and/or directly for the intelligence cell in Brig-HQ. The units trained for LRRP missions nowedays is SF, Fallskjermjeger, KJK (Marines) Oppklaring, the arty TACP's and the individual battallion LRRP platoons. In addition there is the 6. division Cavalry Battallion (The guys down in Kabul ATM) who are armored recce basically, but this unit is being disbanded soon, AFAIK.
You served in Oppklesk, right? Believe that unit was disbanded quite a few years ago, you can probably be more precise on that though (btw. were you lot parachute trained?). Was that a standalone company/squadron under the cavalry, ie. did you wear the black beret during your time?
Don't forget, as long as you're 40 or younger you still qualify for enlistment...Isn't it tempting to jump on the program just one more time?? ;)

And last, somewhat OT,
FDF here are those Patria inbound for Iraq pictures. If you want them even higher res, drop me a PM ;)
http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/431_1091026992_img_0297.jpg
http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/431_1091026972_img_0295.jpg

[moughoun]

S

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/431_1091025720_pasi.jpg
Aren't these the new Patrias? Anyone know what nationality this is?




Irish, Mowag Pirahna 3H :)

[tomcat1974]

for black boots at last? :)

During the last year the Norwegians have had a quite special role in Kosovo. They've acted as a type of "Kosovo QRF" (Or NOR-TF as it was called), directly under COMKFOR command to work where ever needed. They haven't had any AO per se to operate in, but have been doing joint patrols with MNB(C) troops, mainly Swedes in Pristina. If COMKFOR would give the call, the force comprising one company from 2nd Inf.Bn. and a 4.squadron (Stormesk. 4) would roll and sort things out, anywhere in Kosovo. This could be anything from doing search operations to assisting UNMIK Team 6 in apprehending high value targets, and also everything in between (normal patrolling, VCPs etc). The guys on the picture are most likely just normal dudes kitted up for a hard entry somewhere. They were issued gucci MP5's for this.


http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20040318/news_1n18kosovo.html
here they say NATO peace keeper and Romania Special Police.. can someone found more info about that?

[OldRecon]

Looked forward to part 2 of your thread Marcus and was not disappointed :).

As for my own service I did my conscription term with Oppklesk yes.
And we had the black "pancake" yes :). Thoug in the field we used the woolen knitted jaeger lue.
In my days we hade to buy that cap ourselves. Thus we went into the field with caps with all kinds of colours :). Nowdays I understand that the army has its own standard issue jaeger lue provided without cost to the individual soldier.
We were not parachute trained during my days, though during the 1960's and early 70's the truck mounted LRRP platoon in the squadron was given static line jump training.
In return they had to hump around with an an AM HF GRC set originaly designed for vehicle carriage with an accompanying portable "bicycle type" hand cranked generator set (poor sods rofl).
Later when the squadron changed to BV-202's the regular "active" LRRP platoon in the Brig N oppklesk was disbanded but kept in the mobilisation plans as a reserve unit.
Radio equipment changed to lighter VHF and chain relay messaging for a while, before new and better HF technology was introduced during the 80's.
The Oppklesk/Brig N was disbanded as a regular unit in the aftermath of the fall of the Berlin wall, but its personel was integrated into the new 6th division recce bt. along with the EW units of that brigade. Now constituting the LRRP sqd of that battalion.
When the unit was transfered from Skjold to Setermoen the personel marched from their old "home" to their new barracks on foot.
I served in the unit at a time when it was in transition from ordinary to special category status (the unit received its "special category troops" status shortly after I finished my tour there).
The LRRP squadron was still in existence when I was doing a stint of reservist call-up at Setermoen 2-3 year ago. And if the 6 div. recce-battalion as a whole still exist as an active training-/service-unit, I guess the LRRP squadron contiune to exist with it.
From what little I've been able to glean with regards to the development of the LRRP squadron it still has special category status, with regards to funding and priority on acquisition of new equipment.
Though that said it's sort of the "poor sibling" among the various "special category units we have", living somewhat in the shadow of the more hard core special, marine and para jaegers. The arty jaegers were sort of a category of their own both from us and the "true jaeger units" during my days. They had better anatomic type backpacks than us, but apart from that did not have access to any of the "plum gear" then reserved for "true jaeger use only".
That changed later with some reorganisation of the "special forces admin and procurement" structure, and the introduction of new gear like the common frame type recon pack for all recon and jaeger units (incl. infantry jaeger/sniper platoons) bar para qualified jaegers who got an anatomic variant on the recon pack team instead.
Though still I think there exist and A and B group among the "special category status units".
With the Special, marine and para jaegers (the "true jaegers") constituting the A category and LRRP sqd (fjernoppklaring) and the arty jaegers the B group. LRRP and arty jaegers are amongst other things still not equipped with the Armalite as personel weapon (though that's only an assumption on my part).
Though as the M-16 family of weapons are basicaly fragile crap, I guess it could have been worse. Hope MoD goes for that German H&K gun used by the coastal rangers and in A-stan instead.
Rather than parachute qualification it appears to me like the present LRRP squadron put emphasis on teaching and developing rock climbing skills instead. In the beginning only cadres had such training, but from late 1980's all ranks get such training.
Otherwise much of the emphasis in training is the same as in my days, only much better and more focused. I.e. signals, military equipment recognition, medical skills, shooting, emergency-survival, fieldcraft, navigation, route marching and load carrying.
The curriculum being taught is not as extensive as that given to conscript marine or para jaegers, but all ranks are put through the same medical course as mentioned jaegers amongst other things.
The smaller curiculum + the fact that the unit still seems to employ the "slow thumb screw" metod of training, where they breed the people up to the job gradualy, instead of the "true jaeger" unit approach of weeding out those presumed unfit to start with, may acount for the "B-group" status of the LRRP's.
At least it seemed to be so when my nephnew served in the LRRP Sqd during the late 1990's. According to him it wasn't to bad in the beginning, though a lot of applicants were excluded allready during the intial basic aptivity tests (medicals and basic physical tests), but pressure increased along the way ("i.e. sounded like nothing new under the sun" bar the new inital test phase).
As for applying for another stint of peacekeeping, I feel somewhat old for that now with focus on other more mundane things in life.