01 Sep. 2008
The commander of the Multinational Task Force South, General Robert Prader, awarded the NATO Non-Article 5 medal on 27 August to soldiers of the headquarters of Camp Prizren. In a solemn ceremony from 1700 to 1800, 167 Austrian, German, Swiss and Turkish soldiers received their NATO Non-Article 5 medal.
The Turkish Chief of Staff, Colonel Karabayir, held the ceremony and commanded the elements of the multinational headquarters, while General Prader awarded the medals to the DCOM, COS, ACOS OPS and ACOS SPT, who likewise awarded their soldiers. The march of the 4th Mechanized Infantry Division "Il Ferro" served as a setting for the ceremony.
The commander of the MNTF S stressed in his speech: "Medals serve the memory; they are a sign of recognition, but also show where somebody served and what experience s/he made. They serve to make the various steps in a soldier's life visible".
Brigadier Robert Prader took the opportunity to say officially goodbye to his Turkish Chief of Staff, Colonel Karabayir, who has been appointed to a higher command in Ankara.
"This medal is more than just metal for me. This award will remind me of my mission when I am at home and of the experiences I made", says corporal Doris Heck from the Public Affairs Office Prizren.
The NATO Non-Article 5 medal is awarded to civilian and military personnel, who have been engaged in operations or in support of operations in Kosovo or have been engaged in special operations. It is awarded for a minimum stay of 30 days.
