After six months as commander of the 42nd Austrian KFOR contingent and the “Joint Logistic Support Group”, Colonel Thomas Fronek handed over responsibility for the 43rd Austrian contingent in Kosovo to Colonel Jürgen Jäger. The ceremony took place at Camp Film City in Pristina with high-ranking international participation.
As commander of the “Joint Logistic Support Group”, Colonel Jäger is also responsible for all multinational logistics at KFOR. The logistical area of responsibility extends from Slovenia to Greece, including the military airport in Pristina. This means that troops and goods can be delivered to the operational area via several ports, railroad stations and airports in the Balkans. The new commander is also responsible for the explosive ordnance disposal teams, which make an important contribution to a secure environment in Kosovo and, above all, to the protection of all KFOR soldiers. In addition, the “Joint Logistic Support Group” supports freedom of movement in Kosovo by deploying the so-called “Freedom of Movement Detachment”. This is used to clear barricades, barriers and obstacles in the event of unrest or protests. As the national contingent commander, Colonel Jäger is also responsible for the 380 Austrian soldiers in the new KFOR contingent.
Major General Michele Risi, commander of all troops deployed in KFOR, praised the Austrian contingent as an uncomplicated, reliable and extremely professional partner. The Austrian soldiers proved to be an indispensable part of the KFOR community, particularly in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. By deploying its own disinfection team, the Austrian Armed Forces made a significant contribution to containing Covid-19 in all KFOR camps. Major General Risi thanked Colonel Fronek for the excellent and friendly cooperation and wished Colonel Jäger all the best and much success in mastering future challenges. The future deputy KFOR commander, Brigadier Günter Schöpf, was also able to convince himself of the efficiency of the Austrian contingent and assured his full support.
The outgoing commander, Colonel Thomas Fronek, emphasized the diverse and unforeseeable challenges that the contingent had to overcome over the past six months. Through discipline and conscientiousness, the Austrian soldiers have succeeded in continuing to perform despite the restrictions imposed by Covid-19. The contingent commander received international recognition for this. Colonel Fronek once again thanked the troops for their excellent cooperation and wished his successor and the soldiers of the 43rd contingent all the best and good luck.
