Lanterna Rally

Author: United States. Army

Publisher:

Published: 2003-10-07

Total Pages: 84

ISBN-13: 9781463602994

Through the final decade of the 20th century and into the first years of the 21st, the U.S. Government has been the leader in ensuring peace and stability throughout the world. This leadership can be seen in our Government's skill in negotiating settlements among nations with differences before those differences escalate to become armed conflicts. It can be seen in our commitment to insert peacekeepers between warring factions, and it can be seen in our willingness to back diplomacy with force when necessary. When our Government needs to project power to prevent or end regional conflicts, it turns to the most powerful force in the world-the United States Army. A prime example of our global leadership and military strength can be seen in the history of the U.S. Army in Bosnia Herzegovina. As ethnic cleansing in the Balkans began to take on a dimension that Europe had not seen since World War II, the world watched and the governments of Western Europe began debating how best to respond. While talks continued, USAREUR began preparing to deploy, in case it was called on to intervene on behalf of NATO. When the call came, USAREUR was ready. It would take a bombing campaign and boots on the ground to ensure implementation of resolutions. Those boots were worn primarily by USAREUR soldiers. Their first mission as the Implementation Force was to maintain a ceasefire, oversee the withdrawal of hostile forces, and guarantee safe passage for refugees. The success with which our troops accomplished that mission was the result of their skill and determination to get the job done, no matter how difficult. The story of crossing the Sava River stands out as a shining example of that determination. That story in itself proves that USAREUR soldiers allow nothing to stand in the way of their objectives. The story of the U.S. Army in Bosnia-Herzegovina is one that will live in the annals of U.S. military history. It also provides a lasting chapter of USAREUR history. Even today USAREUR soldiers are in Bosnia-Herzegovina serving as an Army Forward, preserving peace and stability as proud members of Freedom's Expeditionary Force. The following pages are a tribute to them and to you-the USAREUR soldier-in recognition of your peerless ability to execute with excellence, Any Mission, Anywhere.