Soldiers talk with graduating Kosovo students about job opportunities

SKENDERAJ, Kosovo -- North Carolina National Guard Soldiers assigned to Multinational Battle Group-East, deployed in support of the Kosovo Force peacekeeping mission, joined the U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo and members from the U.S. Embassy Pristina Civil Military Support Element for a youth outreach forum, Jan. 29, at the Hamez Jashari gymnasium in Skenderaj, Kosovo.

The U.S. Army Soldiers, along with a Hungarian soldier assigned to the MNBG-E Forward Command Post, joined representatives from the embassy's America With Kosovo team to speak with the young men and women about their lives and concerns and also provide information about careers and education. The day's event also included representatives from the Kosovo Police, Kosovo Security Force, and other civil offices and non-governmental organizations.

The event began with U.S. Ambassador Greg Delawie addressing the students with a brief vignette on the life of Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court. He referenced Marshall's challenges in becoming a Supreme Court Justice in order to highlight the doors he helped open for others.

"Marshall is an inspiration to me because he started with so little, during a time when African-Americans were horribly discriminated against, and rose to one of the highest offices in our country based on his intelligence, education and hard work," Delawie said.

The forum's organizers used the occasion to address issues such as domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse, human trafficking, violent extremism, suicide prevention, and community relationships with local police.

"The point of all of this is to show you are not alone," Delawie said. "There are tools here to help you, and people ready to assist you in building the future you want and the kind of Kosovo you want."

As the students talked with representatives from each table, they asked questions about different careers, military service and education, and goals they hoped to accomplish as they get older.

"This my first time coming to an America With Kosovo event, and I love what I've experienced today," said Spc. Ashley Carter, a North Carolina National Guard Soldier from the 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team headquarters.

"It is a good feeling to know that we are here to make the students feel safe and discuss with them the positive choices they hope to make for the future," Carter said.