Here's how you know
 **Official websites use .mil** .mil
 **Secure .mil websites use HTTPS** lock () https://


Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 Toggle navigation
            
            
            
            
            National Guard
                        Always Ready Always There
                    National Guard
            
            Search National Guard:
                        Search
                    Search
                        Search National Guard:
                            Search
    Home

    News
    
        Guard News

    Overseas Operations

    State Partnership Program

    News Features

    RSS Feeds

    Press Releases

    Transcripts

    Features
    
        Features by Year

    Posture Statement

    State Partnership Program

    Special Features

    About the Guard
    
        How We Began

    Air National Guard

    Army National Guard    
    
        DEERS Soldier Journey

    Leader Development Program

    History and Heritage

    I am the Guard

    NGB Official March

    Leadership
    
        CNGB

    VCNGB

    SEA

    DANG

    DARNG

    Joint Staff    
    
        J-1

    J-2

    J-3

    J-4

    J-5

    J-6

    J-7

    J-8

    Personal Staff    
    
        Inspector General

    General Counsel    
    
        Special Victims Counsel

    Public Affairs

    Executive Support Services

    Legislative Liaison

    Special Staff    
    
        Office of the Provost Marshal

    Office of the Joint Surgeon

    Director of Acquisitions

    Small Business Programs

    Chaplain

    Senior Leader Management Office

    Diversity Equity Inclusion

    Comptroller

    Resources    
        National Defense Strategy Implementation Guidance

    Community Engagement

    FOIA

    Fact Sheets

    Helpful Links

    Image Gallery
    
        News Images

    Graphics

    Historical Paintings

    Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

    Legislative Liaison

    Small Business Programs

    Social Media

    State Websites

    Videos    
    
        Featured Videos

    On Every Front

    2019 Videos

    2020 Videos

    2021 Videos

    Suicide Prevention

    Family Programs

    Environmental

    Trial Defense Service

    Holistic Wellness Challenge

    Contact Us  Home
  News
  Article View
 
 Download
 Details
 Share
 NEWS
 MO Guardsmen committed to Kosovo's Adopt-A-School program By Spc. Lindsey M. Frazier
                Missouri National Guard
 CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo - Some of the best feelings you can have may come from a child. An innocent smile or maybe a genuine hug from a child is all it takes to make what may have started as a bad day, seem like there isn't a problem in the world. The bright-eyed, smiling children, who vigorously wave as you drive down roads here in the Multi-National Task Force-East (MNTF-E) sector are just one of the many reminders of why the mission in Kosovo is so important. Giving these children a safe and secure environment to live in and the freedom of movement is what Kosovo Force (KFOR) feels is the key to these children's future. Throughout the years, KFOR Soldiers have taken an extra step to give Kosovo children a brighter future. Since 2001, Soldiers have adopted schools from all over Kosovo, through a voluntary community relations program carried out by Soldiers. "The adopt-a-school program provides a moral boost to the Soldiers while they teach, mentor and interact with the children," said Capt. Fredrick A. Robinson, Task Force Thunder" ̃s civil military assistance officer. "The sponsoring section adopts a school in their area of operations and spends time teaching them English, creating a pen pal system with a school in the U.S., coordinating UXO/mine awareness classes, safety classes, whatever they choose." Since the program started, more than 200 schools in the MNTF-E sector have been adopted. Many of these schools are passed down from previous rotations and new schools are still being found. KFOR 9's supply and logistics division had adopted a school in the small village of Drennush shortly before KFOR 10 arrived and passed the mission down to them. "KFOR 9 took me to the school before they left. I noticed the children needed shoes, so I wrote down a lot of their shoe sizes," said Staff Sgt. Philip White, an ammunitions accountable officer for the Material Management Center of Task Force Falcon. "I came back and told the section about it and everyone was excited to participate." KFOR 10's G-4 section, which provides Camp Bondsteel with the supplies it needs, is also supplying the school with the materials and clothing they need. "My mom made fleece hats for us to give out. She retired from the Columbia Public School system as their food service director, and when I told her we had adopted two schools she went right to work," said Staff Sgt. Timothy Gibson, maintenance operations noncommissioned officer-in-charge of the MMC. "She made about 20 stocking hats for the kids. The rest of the school supplies have come from our family members from around the state. Everyone was more than happy to send school supplies." Boxes of donated school supplies, socks and shoes filled the vehicles. The small school is located in the mountains and has little funding for equipment and supplies. "The building is concrete with small pot belly stoves for heat. Some kids have quite a trip to get there because they come from the lower part of the mountain," said Gibson. "The roads are muddy with very little gravel, so when the weather is bad it's a tough walk up for them." Luckily, the Soldiers brought plenty of new shoes for all of the children and each one waited patiently to be fitted for the right shoe. "The shoes they had on were pretty worn out and most didn't even have socks. One boy, about 10 or 11, had a pair of rubber slip-ons that were way too big and socks that were worn out," said Gibson. "I'm not sure what they had at the school as far as supplies, but we were told that pencils and a limited amount of paper was all they were using." Soldiers filled the children's arms with boxes of crayons, markers, pencils, paper, coloring books, candy and socks. "This was the most heartwarming experience. The children and parents were so grateful for everything we gave them," said Sgt. 1st Class Shanon Johnson of the MMC. "Being able to witness the smiles and expressions of thanks on their faces make this deployment worth every day spent here. This is definitely a memorable experience that will never be forgotten." While G-4 focused on shoes, TF Saber Headquarters and Headquarters Company had another idea in mind. "We wanted a safer and more cheerful place for the children to learn," said Master Sgt. Don White, the operations sergeant major. "So far we've painted the outside of the school house a bright color that we let the teachers pick out and another big project we would like to do is rebuild their playground equipment. It's very old and unsafe." Sodovina e Qerkezve/Cerkez Sadovina, a village outside of Viti/Vitina, has a three-room school with 125 students. Like many schools, the funding is very limited, so the village took it upon themselves to give the children a place to learn. White said his group wanted to find a smaller school that they could afford to help, because "we haven't received any outside donations; (HHC Soldiers) have all pitched in money and time." So far the Soldiers have donated a new television, DVD player and many school supplies in addition to painting the school. HHC has many projects in mind, but something different caught the children's attention on a recent visit. The teachers collected all of the students and had them gather around, while they were introduced to their new pen pals from Fort Leavenworth, Kan. "My daughter's fifth grade class drew pictures and wrote the children," said Maj. Gerald Green, operations and training officer for TF Saber. "The idea came from my daughter's teacher. She wanted her class to share with the students in Kosovo a little bit about the United States." "You could see the excitement in the kids' eyes as we shared the cards with them," Green added. "We will keep writing back and forth. The school here is writing and drawing for the kids back at MacArthur Elementary." Adopting these schools doesn't just benefit the children; it puts smiles on the Soldiers' faces as well. "Visiting these schools just brightens my day," White said.
 SHARE
 PRINT
 
 North Carolina Guard Welcomes New Zambian State Partnership
 By Lt. Col. Ellis Parks,
  Vermont Army Guard Soldiers Attend Brazilian Mountain School
 By Sgt. Denis Nunez,
  Idaho Air Guard Conducts Panther Shadow Exercise
 By Senior Master Sgt. Joshua Allmaras,
  More
 Idaho Air Guard Conducts Panther Shadow Exercise5/3/2024Massachusetts Guard Helps Host Crisis Leadership Seminar5/2/2024Massachusetts Air Guard Airmen Test New Air Combat Tactics5/2/2024 View more Guard News »
 Vermont Army Guard Soldiers Attend Brazilian Mountain School5/3/2024
New York Army Guard Soldiers Heading to North Africa4/30/2024
Pennsylvania National Guard Members Deploy to Africa4/19/2024 View more Overseas Operations News »
 North Carolina Guard Welcomes New Zambian State Partnership5/3/2024

Guard Leaders Stress NCOs Role in State Partnership Program5/3/2024

Enduring Partners 2024 Begins with Thai-US Airmen Exchange5/2/2024 View more State Partnership Program News »
 Back-to-school tools for military families8/11/2015DoD sends blended military retirement proposal to Congress6/16/2015First employment symposium held for National Guard spouses5/11/2015 View more Family Programs News »
 Home
 Site Map
 Privacy & Security Policy
 Link Disclaimer
 Web Policy
 DOD Information Quality
 DOD Open GovernmentFOIA
 No FEAR Act
 Accessibility/Section 508
 Contact Us
 Army Guard Careers
 Air Guard Careers
 USA.gov
                    
Staying Connected
    XYouTubeFlickrFacebookInstagram
                 
                
                

Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil