Photo By Staff Sgt. Seth LaCount | 2nd Lt. Tadeja Sket, assigned to Kosovo Force (KFOR) Regional Command East with the...... read more read more
CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo — For 2nd Lt. Tadeja Sket, 29, this first deployment with the Slovenian Armed Forces is both a return to service and a continuation of a life built around helping others.
The NATO-led Kosovo Force mission brings together troops from multiple nations to maintain a safe and secure environment and ensure freedom of movement across Kosovo. Personnel like Sket contribute to that effort by supporting multinational coordination and operational planning at Camp Bondsteel.
Raised in a small town in eastern Slovenia, Sket earned a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy and works as a civilian physical therapist when she is not training with her Slovenian Armed Forces reserve unit, where she commands an air defense platoon.
“Being a physical therapist and an officer gives me two ways to help people,” Sket said. “In the clinic I fix bodies; in the unit I help keep people safe so they can keep doing their jobs.”
At Camp Bondsteel, Sket divides her time between clinical care and operational planning. Once a week she treats one to two patients at the German military clinic, applying her medical training to assist multinational personnel and local patients. For the remainder of her tour, she works in the camp’s Joint Operations Center as a member of the Tactical Effects Cell, a team charged with synchronizing and deconflicting the full range of military effects, from fires and intelligence-driven operations to electronic warfare, cyber and information operations, to achieve commander-level objectives.
“The TEC’s job is to make sure everything works together,” Sket said. “We decide what should happen first, prevent conflicts, like an airstrike overlapping troop movement, and keep actions within rules and safety limits. It’s about using the right tools at the right time while protecting forces and civilians.”
Sket’s path to the Joint Operations Center followed a rigorous officer selection process in Slovenia. She was the only female in her basic training class and remembers early communication hurdles while interacting in a traditionally male environment. Over time she found belonging and support among her peers. Unlike the U.S. military, Slovenian officer candidates all pass through an infantry officer course upon selection, an experience Sket says reinforced discipline and a shared sense of purpose.
Her leadership style has been described as direct and unswerving, qualities she attributes to both her medical background and cultural heritage. She said the most rewarding part of military service is the shared experience that connects people who have served across ranks and nations.
“You have to know your limits and be willing to test them,” Sket said. “If you can do that, you’ll be accepted. I’m not trying to be better than anyone, but together we are the best.”
Sket also finds a cultural connection with Kosovo.
“As a Slovenian, I can relate to the people here because of our histories, shared struggles and political tensions,” she said. Her deployment has offered opportunities to engage with local communities and multinational partners, broadening her perspective in ways she values.
With five weeks left on her rotation, Sket said she will return home with new professional experience and a deeper appreciation for multinational cooperation. Whether in the clinic or the Joint Operations Center, she said her work here reinforces the same core mission: protect people and enable others to do their jobs.
| Date Taken: | 04.10.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 04.13.2026 10:48 |
| Story ID: | 562442 |
| Location: | ZZ |
| Web Views: | 14 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Better Together: Slovenian officer reflects on first Kosovo deployment, by SSG Seth LaCount, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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