Soldiers from the Oregon Army National Guard’s 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team return home July 19, 2025, following a year-long deployment to Kosovo as part of the NATO-led Kosovo Force mission. National Guard photo by Aaron Perkins, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs.
CLACKAMAS, OR – Soldiers from the Oregon Army National Guard’s 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team returned home Saturday, July 19th, following a year-long deployment to Kosovo as part of the NATO-led Kosovo Force mission. That peacekeeping mission has been ongoing in the Balkans since 1999.
Approximately 300 soldiers returned in two groups and were welcomed back at Camp Withycombe in Happy Valley. A formal demobilization ceremony will be held in the near future.
Soldiers from the Oregon Army National Guard’s 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) returned home July 19, 2025, following a successful year-long deployment to Kosovo as part of the NATO-led Kosovo Force mission. The members were greeted by friends and family as they made their way into the Camp Withycombe gymnasium in Happy Valley. National Guard photo by Aaron Perkins, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs.
Lt. Col. Joseph Twigg, commander of the 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry Regiment, addressed the returning soldiers and their families. “Over the past year, you stood watch in Kosovo as part of KFOR. You built partnerships, maintained stability, and represented the United States with professionalism and integrity,” Twigg said. “From the smallest patrol to the most complex multinational mission, you performed with discipline, heart, and commitment.”
During their deployment, the Oregon soldiers made significant contributions to what Colonel Peter Helzer, Commander of the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, described as “the longest and most successful NATO mission in the history of the alliance.”
“Oregon soldiers contributed to a robust international mission, adding to over 4,000 security patrols, 13,000 public engagements, and 5,000 volunteer hours supporting communities in Kosovo,” Helzer said. “Additionally, soldiers from the 41st IBCT successfully responded to one of the largest terrorist attacks in Kosovo in recent years by providing security to critical infrastructure, working with our local and international partners to maintain peace in the region.”
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