Photo By Capt. Desaray Slusher | Indiana National Guard Brig. Gen. Larry Muennich, the adjutant general, pins the...... read more read more
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EDINBURGH, Ind. — Indiana National Guard soldiers who deployed to Kosovo in 2022 received a combat patch during a ceremony at Camp Atterbury on Wednesday.
More than 300 Hoosier Guardsmen from the 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team are now authorized to wear the brigade’s distinctive patch on their uniform that symbolizes their service in hostile conditions.
“This significant event that we are here to recognize, is not just a patch, but a moment, and your participation in that moment,” said Indiana’s Adjutant General, Brig. Gen. Larry Muennich, who also served in Kosovo in 2004 and again in 2016.
That significant moment was on May 29, 2023, when violent protestors trapped Kosovo Police. Kosovo Force crowd and riot control units, including 76th soldiers, intervened to extract the police and disperse the crowds. While peaceful protestors withdrew, a violent group launched a coordinated assault on KFOR forces using grenades, firearms, improvised explosives and other projectiles.
During the confrontation, at least 56 explosive devices were detonated, resulting in 93 injuries including seven U.S. soldiers. This was the second-highest number of KFOR injuries in a degraded security environment, surpassed only by the 2004 ethnic riots. American forces played key roles on ground and in coordinating responses from command centers.
“You were able to restore peace during your time in Kosovo,” said Muennich. “You saved lives, and it is about that story. You represent that moment.”
During the deployment, Col. Chris Mabis and Command Sgt. Maj. Joshua Brown led the brigade as they worked to maintain a safe and secure environment and ensured freedom of movement in Kosovo’s eastern region, a critical part of NATO’s stabilization efforts in the Balkans.
“Col. Chris Mabis as the commander wanted us to all work together,” said Brown. “So, he coined the phrase, ‘be a great teammate.’ Adversity can come in a lot of different ways, and you all faced that, and that is what today is about. Life is not important except the impact you have on others’ lives.”
The combat patch that the deployed 76th soldiers earned represents the impact they had on others. Additionally, eight brigade soldiers earned the Combat Action Badge for their heroism during the May 29 riots. They carried soldiers to safety due to severe injuries sustained during the riots.
Throughout their mission, the 76th soldiers played a key role in sustaining the conditions necessary for civilian dialogue and political resolution in Kosovo. Their efforts have earned them a lasting symbol of their service, the right to wear the 76th patch on their right shoulders.
| Date Taken: | 06.25.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.26.2025 13:18 |
| Story ID: | 501603 |
| Location: | EDINBURGH, INDIANA, US |
| Hometown: | CAMP ATTERBURY, INDIANA, US |
| Web Views: | 281 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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