A ceremony was held today to transfer authority from Bosnia -- Herzegovina Contingent - Force Protection Unit - 001 (BHCON-FPU-001) to BHCON-FPU-002.
BHCON-FPU-001, under the command of Maj. Josip Brajkovic, is made up of troops from all subordinate units within 4th Infantry Brigade, stationed in southern Bosnia -- Herzegovina (BiH). Its mission with USFOR-A began on Jan. 5, 2015. The entire platoon was elected on a voluntary basis, with 45 members selected out of 500 applicants.
"We are very proud today to participate in the Resolute Support mission and give our contribution to a better future for Afghanistan, along with members of USFOR-A," Brajkovic said. "On the way here, I said to my soldiers who are lined up here, 'Let's be professionals, let's go to work, let's be real and true ambassadors of our country.' I hope that we have succeeded, with our work, effort and commitment demonstrated in these six months that we've spent here in Bagram."
The 4th Infantry Brigade, headquartered in Capljina, was created in April 2007. The first gathering of the platoon took place in November 2013 for a six-month pre-deployment training cycle. The platoon deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from April 2014 to July 2014 as members of the Danish contingent force protection unit at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan. In November 2014, BHCON-FPU-001 then completed two months of pre-deployment training and returned to Afghanistan as part of the Resolute Support Mission in January 2015.
"Force Protection Unit -- 001 truly made a difference," Deputy Commander Maj. Gen. Mike Murray, U.S. Forces Afghanistan -- Support, said. "When they arrived in Afghanistan this January, they immediately became an integral part of the USFOR-A team, providing force protection for our compound and personnel. The elite 45-member platoon quickly assimilated into all aspects of life here in BAF and as members of the 3rd Infantry Division team, signaled by their wearing of the 3ID patch. The platoon managed the Resolute Support Force's compound security, patrolled the grounds, and served alongside USFOR-A personnel -- building friendships that will last far beyond our time here in Afghanistan."
The next contingent, BHCON-FPU-002, under the command of Cpt. Mladen Drljaca, is comprised of Soldiers from the 6th Infantry Brigade of Armed Forces BiH, located in northwestern Bosnia Herzegovina, with its headquarters in Banja Luka.
"Members of the AF BiH, who have been on the missions so far, represented Bosnia and Herzegovina and AF BiH in the best possible way and proved with their competences that they are capable of handling the biggest challenges in difficult conditions," Maj. Sibil Sliskovic, senior national representative for the Armed Forces of Bosnia -- Herzegovina, said. "This is a result of mutual efforts of all of those who were involved in the process of defense reforms, as well as aspiration of a country which once needed military intervention to be able to provide security for others. Participation in the ISAF mission in Afghanistan, now Resolute Support Mission and other missions as well, demonstrates readiness of BiH's soldiers to equally participate, with their allies and partners, in complex and responsible tasks in collective security missions."
Social Sharing