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Media Day for Kosovo Forces Training With Soldiers From Your Area

CAMP ATTERBURY, Ind. - The U.S. Army's 40th Infantry Division and First Army's 205th Infantry Brigade are hosting a Distinguished Visitors and Media Day on Jan. 16, 2009, at Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver Training Center in Edinburgh, Ind., to give you the opportunity to experience your local Soldiers' training first hand.

More than 1,100 troops from Alaska, California, Texas, Maryland and West Virginia make up the division's Kosovo Forces 11 team and they are gearing up for a second rotation as NATO peacekeepers in Kosovo.

Media and community leaders from these states are invited to observe the training of their Citizen-Soldiers as they prepare for deployment to Kosovo later this month. These troops will display their skills in non-lethal warfare and humanitarian and urban operations as part of a tour through the Camp Atterbury and Muscatuck Centers for Complex Operations.

Invited are governors, state representatives, state adjutant generals and community leaders as well as your media organization. A press conference with key training leaders and KFOR 11 Commander Brig. Gen. Keith D. Jones is scheduled. Arrangements can be made for interviews with specific personnel upon request.

Media interested in attending should contact their state's public affairs office or Maj. Alana Schwermer, KFOR 11 public affairs officer, at Alana.schwermer@us.army.mil. Some states may have travel arrangements available for this event, so please contact your state's Joint Force Headquarters Public Affairs Office for coordination and questions about your local units.

Alaska Public Affairs 907-428-6031
California Public Affairs 916-854-3304
Maryland Public Affairs 410-576-6179
Texas Public Affairs 512-782-1034
West Virginia Public Affairs 304-341-6628

The Edinburgh, Ind., area is located 45 minutes south of Indianapolis and offers several options for lodging and dining. Camp Atterbury will provide transportation on post January 16, 2009, as part of the tour to KFOR 11 training sites. If you need additional information on the area or assistance with travel arrangements please contact Sgt. Maj. Jodie Newby, Camp Atterbury public affairs media officer, at 812-526-1433 or jodie.newby@us.army.mil.

More information on the NATO Kosovo Forces mission and operations can be found at: www.nato.int/KFOR

More information on the 40th Infantry Division and its units is available at: www.calguard.ca.gov/40div/

Also, please visit the Camp Atterbury Web site for recent stories and photos of KFOR 11 in training: www.campatterbury.in.ng.mil