Camp Nothing Hill now responsibility of U.S. troops after Turkish handover

By Sgt. Jesica Geffre, 116th Public Affairs DetachmentMay 3, 2010

Camp Nothing Hill now responsibility of U.S. troops after Turkish handover
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

LEPOSAVIC, Kosovo - Turkish Army forces turned over security responsibilities at Camp Nothing Hill to U.S. Soldiers of Multinational Battle Group East during a hand-over take-over ceremony April 26.

The U.S. Soldiers are scheduled to spend the next four weeks at Camp Nothing Hill. They have taken over responsibilities as the area's Quick Reaction Force, a unit capable of responding to a situation in less than an hour. The U.S. Soldiers will also conduct patrols in neighboring cities and the surrounding area.

"We did some useful training at (Camp) Atterbury which helped us with this mission," said 1st Sgt. Christopher Rath, Cummings, N.D., "We are definitely prepared and looking forward to this opportunity."

Rath said the transition with the Turkish Soldiers went smoothly and he has confidence in the U.S. contingent's ability to accomplish their duties, working well with multinational partners.

"We are excited about this mission," said 1st Lt. Jarrod Simek, Dickinson, N.D., commander of the U.S. contingent at Nothing Hill. Simek said his Soldiers have had plenty of good training on scenarios, such as crowd and riot control and force protection. He said his Soldiers also act as a third responder in the rare event of any hostile actions.

KFOR units rotate to Camp Nothing Hill at regular intervals to support security in northern Kosovo. Hungarian forces are scheduled to relieve the U.S. Soldiers on the next rotation.

"I am really proud of the Soldiers at Camp Nothing Hill," said Simek's boss, Lt. Col. Lee Nordin, Grand Forks, N.D., "They have done a great job on every mission and I have every reason to believe they will be just as successful in completing this one."

Also in attendance at the ceremony was Brig. Gen. Al Dohrmann, Bismarck, N.D., Commander of MNBG-E, Col. Robert Fode, Bismarck, N.D., Deputy Commander-Maneuver for MNBG-E, and Command Sgt. Maj. Jack W. Cripe, Dickinson, N.D., MNBG-E's top enlisted Soldier.