“Empowered Voices: Kosovo Force RC-E Soldiers Master Unit Public Affairs Training!”

More than 30 soldiers from four nations collaborated for a Unit Public Affairs Representative, commonly referred to as UPAR, training course on Monday, December 23, 2024, at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo. The UPAR training was directed and coordinated by the West Virginia Army National Guard’s 153rd Public Affairs Detachment, the current Public Affairs Detachment aiding Kosovo Force Regional Command East, or KFOR RC-E.

NATO has been spearheading this peace-support mission in Kosovo since June 1999 to assist broader international initiatives aimed at fostering peace and stability in the region. KFOR RC-E is overseen by the Oregon Army National Guard’s 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team and consists of over 1300 soldiers from the U.S. and various allied and partner nations.

Unit Public Affairs Representatives are non-Public Affairs soldiers who possess an interest in photography and journalism, having volunteered to help narrate their unit’s story while stationed in Kosovo.

“UPARs are vital to the overall effectiveness of the Public Affairs mission, and honestly, to the success of the entire Kosovo Force,” stated Sgt. Cheryl Madolev, 153rd Public Affairs Detachment. “The number of individuals who volunteered today to become UPAR certified highlights the significance of public affairs to our KFOR soldiers and leaders.”

The 32 soldiers represented not only the units they were deployed with but also their respective countries. Participating in the training and certification were soldiers from the United States, Germany, Latvia, and Turkey.

“I enjoyed sharing the classroom with our multinational partners and appreciating their viewpoints,” remarked Oregon Army National Guard’s 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team 2nd Lt. Diane Erickson. “I had an excellent experience at the UPAR training because I learned about Public Affairs and photography from experts who are dedicated to their craft.”

To successfully finish the UPAR course and achieve certification, the soldiers needed to complete three segments of instruction: basic photography, fundamental social media and caption writing, in addition to a culminating practical exercise.

“Overall, this was a wonderful introduction to the domain of U.S. Army Public Affairs, and I recommend it to any soldier even slightly interested in the field,” Erickson stated. “You will uncover a different facet of the Army that is rarely discussed or examined in our standard training sessions.”

Both instructors and students are eager to witness the UPARs applying their newfound skills and enhancing the extent of storytelling and strategic communications that can now occur as a result of the training.

“It was rewarding to participate in teaching the soldiers about what it takes to be a UPAR,” Madolev commented. “I’m eager to see them apply their training and contribute to conveying the narrative of KFOR.”