The President of the Republic of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani at a ceremony organized at the Presidency awarded the IOWA National Guard the Presidential Military Medal for extraordinary contribution to the development and advancement of the Kosovo Security Force.
On behalf of the Guard, the medal was presented to IOWA National Guard Commander Major General Benjamin Corell.
President Osmani expressed her gratitude to the IOWA National Guard for its continued support provided to the KSF, and considered this process a continuation of excellent relations with Kosovo's permanent ally, the United States. In this context, President Osmani also mentioned the deployment of the KSF contingent in missions in support of regional stability and peacekeeping operations, under the US Central Command. According to President Osmani, the participation of KSF in peacekeeping missions became possible due to the invitation made by the Central Command, and thus its members are currently serving in a peacekeeping mission alongside American soldiers in Kuwait.
“The KSF is developing into a professional military force, interactive with NATO forces. Therefore, NATO membership remains a strategic objective of our state,” stressed President Osmani. She expressed confidence in the continuation of further cooperation between the two armies in order to maintain peace and stability in the region and beyond.