1 00:00:01,270 --> 00:00:04,100 - [Vince] A world away in terms of geography, language, 2 00:00:04,100 --> 00:00:06,120 and culture, soldiers and airmen from 3 00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:09,470 the Iowa National Guard, recently made the long journey 4 00:00:09,470 --> 00:00:13,750 here to Kosovo in order to take part in a two week exercise 5 00:00:13,750 --> 00:00:15,770 with the Kosovo Security Force. 6 00:00:15,770 --> 00:00:18,720 - Out of 34 years serving, this is probably one of the 7 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:21,023 largest things that I've been involved with. 8 00:00:21,050 --> 00:00:23,640 - [Vince] Iowa Air National Guard Captain Marty Hogan 9 00:00:23,640 --> 00:00:26,090 is one of the organizers for the contingency of 10 00:00:26,090 --> 00:00:28,955 Air Guard members who are training with their counterparts 11 00:00:28,955 --> 00:00:31,850 in Kosovo as part of the annual exercise. 12 00:00:31,850 --> 00:00:35,660 - The ability to come over and again, be part of something 13 00:00:35,660 --> 00:00:38,270 that's bigger than yourself, we don't really get 14 00:00:38,270 --> 00:00:40,450 that opportunity in the Guard a lot so, 15 00:00:40,450 --> 00:00:42,450 that's one of the biggest pieces for me. 16 00:00:42,550 --> 00:00:44,910 - [Vince] Hogan is referring to the State Partner Program 17 00:00:44,910 --> 00:00:46,550 that was established between Iowa 18 00:00:46,550 --> 00:00:49,073 and the nation of Kosovo in 2011. 19 00:00:49,510 --> 00:00:51,950 The program here began with the Iowa Army Guard, 20 00:00:51,950 --> 00:00:53,490 but has recently been extended 21 00:00:53,650 --> 00:00:55,643 to units of the Iowa Air Guard. 22 00:00:55,770 --> 00:00:59,080 The Partner Program is one of 79 similar programs 23 00:00:59,270 --> 00:01:02,480 around the globe where state National Guard agencies 24 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:05,410 from the U.S. join with partner nations 25 00:01:05,410 --> 00:01:07,130 in order to foster relationships 26 00:01:07,320 --> 00:01:09,893 and facilitate improved regional security. 27 00:01:10,010 --> 00:01:12,890 Air National Guard Major Brandon Cochran, from Des Moines, 28 00:01:12,890 --> 00:01:15,800 Iowa, has been a strong advocate and organizer 29 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:19,103 for the Air Guard involvement in the Kosovo partner program. 30 00:01:19,140 --> 00:01:22,440 - It's really a whole of Iowa, whole of Kosovo 31 00:01:22,730 --> 00:01:26,320 cultural experience, and it's well beyond just medical. 32 00:01:26,320 --> 00:01:28,290 - [Vince] Watching Cochran and Hogan interact with 33 00:01:28,290 --> 00:01:31,090 their counterparts for only a short time you realize 34 00:01:31,260 --> 00:01:34,043 that for them, the partner project is personal. 35 00:01:34,180 --> 00:01:37,430 - We hosted a group of five KSF members last summer 36 00:01:37,430 --> 00:01:39,830 to go through a medical training school with us. 37 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:41,970 It's more than just medical training. 38 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:45,630 We took 'em to see the state house, to see a baseball game, 39 00:01:45,750 --> 00:01:50,260 share dinner with our friends, to take them out and to see, 40 00:01:50,260 --> 00:01:53,160 we took 'em to Neal Smith National Prairie to see a bison. 41 00:01:53,230 --> 00:01:55,590 - [Vince] Even as the exercise comes to a close this week, 42 00:01:55,590 --> 00:01:57,740 future events are already being planned 43 00:01:57,960 --> 00:02:00,400 and for members of the Iowa Guard and their partners 44 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:04,170 in Kosovo, some long-term effects of the relationship, 45 00:02:04,170 --> 00:02:07,060 like life-long friendships and mutual admiration 46 00:02:07,260 --> 00:02:08,760 have already been established. 47 00:02:09,030 --> 00:02:11,070 - We always seem to integrate really well, 48 00:02:11,070 --> 00:02:13,323 I'm always really impressed by the Kosovars, 49 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:16,853 their ability to adjust on the fly, 50 00:02:17,916 --> 00:02:20,423 their excitement towards learning, 51 00:02:20,870 --> 00:02:23,933 they love that we're here, they love Iowa, 52 00:02:24,130 --> 00:02:25,360 which is always a good thing. 53 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:27,933 They love America, but Iowans are always the best. 54 00:02:27,970 --> 00:02:29,653 - [Vince] In Pristina, Kosovo, 55 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:31,773 I'm Master Sergeant Vince De Groot.