Sarajevo & Tuzla (Eagle Base) April 2002

Rather long, somewhat boring about force protection differences.

Also see previous post regarding their knucklehead rules.

https://www.reddit.com/r/MilitaryStories/comments/ho5tez/your_not_going_anywhere/

I (LTC Snoo) am the National Support Element Commander (USNSE) on Camp Butmir a NATO base with 32 different nations sharing the duties of keeping the peace in Bosnia.

I receive a call from a Colonel from the 25th Infantry Division which had just rotated into theater and assumed command of Multi-National Division North (MNDN), headquartered at Eagle Base.

The Colonel has called because he wonders why we do force protection differently the they do in MNDN.

I will provide my actual quote "Because your stupid Americans,sir". I quickly explain that in my 2.5 years in Bosnia, I have seen six different Divisions roll into command MNDN and each of them implementing tougher rules, because the guys that they were replacing were not doing enough to keep their Soldiers safe. Morale was not really a high point at Eagle Base.

I mentioned MNDN mandated that to leave the gate, you had to have ar minimum, four up armored vehicles with crew served weapons. That while patrolling Soldiers were merely driving through town looking like Ninja warriors. If dismounted, precisely the same. To the locals, it must have seemed that MNDN Soldiers were angry at somebody all the time. They really looked at us when we visited (driving only twoToyota Landcruisers) with mixed envy and disgust.

Then I explained our policies. We allowed our Soldiers to leave Butmir in uniform and a minimum of two, to go to Sarajevo and enjoy the food, drink (alcohol included, zero tolerance in MNDN), shopping and the company of locals. We did this because the people we genuinely happy that the war had stopped and.....well we had a lot of money and they were willing to work for it (not what your thinking Redditors).

I then mentioned that the only time they saw us Ninja up was when something was really going on (9/11) or during a drill. We all wore soft caps outside the wire and with no weapons on display.

I went on that in Tuzla it was primarily a Muslim city. That they, just like the population of Sarajevo were happy that the fighting was over and they would be even happier if they could have MNDN Soldiers enjoy their town like we could Sarajevo (they would also enjoy the money).

As far as the Ninja turtle look, I thought it was useless unless used as a tool (to let them know when you means business vs 24/7).

The 25th ID Colonel had been quite while I more or less ranted. He asked a few questions and then said he was glad he had called. I told him I was glad he had called as this was my last day in Command.

I left came home and about two months later was curious. I pulled up the online Talon (Eagle Base paper) and noted pictures of Soldiers patrolling in soft caps, sitting in cafes etc. I hope there were more changes as by in large the biggest dangers in Bosnia were mines and not so much the people.