An official website of the United States government         Here's how you know         
**Official websites use .mil**
A **.mil** website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
**Secure .mil websites use HTTPS**
 A **lock (lock )** or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Skip to main content (Press Enter).

National GuardAlways Ready Always There

National Guard

                - 

Search

Search
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         
      -  Public Affairs         
      -  Executive Support Services         
      -  Legislative Liaison 
    -  Special Staff        -  National Guard Office of Special Victims' Counsel         
      -  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

PHOTO INFORMATION

** Download

** Details

** Share

# Ohio National Guard engineers work with Serbian Armed Forces on school reconstruction project 

By Spc. Brian JohnsonOhio Army National Guard

KRALJEVO, Serbia - As part of the ongoing relationship through the National Guard Bureau's State Partnership Program, Soldiers and Airmen with the Ohio National Guard  and the Serbian Armed Forces have been working to make improvements and repairs to buildings at the Svetozar Markovic Primary School here that were damaged in an earthquake that took place in Nov. 2010.

Soldiers from the Ohio Army National Guard's 1194th Engineer Company, Airmen from the Ohio Air National Guard's 200th RED HORSE (Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers) Squadron and engineers of the Serbian 2nd Army Brigade have been replacing the gym floor, installing new playground equipment, repairing and installing a roof and fixing and updating portions of the electrical wiring and plumbing. Many of the buildings haven't been used since the earthquake.

Working with members of the Serbian Armed Forces has been a rewarding experience, said several Ohio National Guard Soldiers and Airmen.

"We have Soldiers from the Serbian Army that are available to translate for us," said Air Force 1st Lt. Roger Nienberg, officer in charge of the joint mission and a member of the 200th RED HORSE. "If a translator is not available, sometimes both sides will use charades to explain what you need or want to accomplish. Everyone understands the overall concept of the project and what needs to be done."

It also goes beyond simply translating the language.

"We are all working together well," said Army Sgt. Matthew Birkofer, with the 1194th Eng. Co. "Everyone is open to everyone else's ideas. It does not matter who they are or what unit they are with."

Doing construction work in a foreign country creates a few challenges, Birkofer said.

"The hardest thing that we have had to adjust to is the European standard of construction," he said. "The overall construction concepts are the same but the Serbians have a different way of doing things."

Birkofer said some of those differences include ways that assembling pipes and plumbing are assembled, construction materials and electrical wiring that runs at a 220 voltage as opposed to the 120 voltage system used in the U.S.

But despite those differences the partnership has been rewarding.

"The partnership between U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army and the Serbian Armed Forces is proving to be a mutually beneficial relationship," said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Thomas Drzik of the 1194th Eng. Co. "We are all learning from each other. We feel that we are helping to foster an environment of international society."

The Ohio National Guard Soldiers and Airmen are scheduled to continue the mission in Serbia through late August. The official completion of the project will be in early September. 

**                    SHARE                

**                    PRINT