SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina – For U.S. Army 1st Lt. Dustin Haubner, a recent deployment to Bosnia was about more than moving aircraft and patients. As a Kentucky Army National Guard aeromedical evacuation officer, his mission was to build bridges—between nations, services, and the Service members who depend on his team to save lives.
Haubner deployed with his unit, Detachment 1, Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 238th Aviation Regiment (MEDEVAC), in support of NATO operations in Southeastern Europe. Once in theater, his unit integrated into the larger Task Force Aviation, where they became a critical link between medical providers and the personnel in the region who needed them.
Working alongside the mission’s medical element, Task Force Medical (TF MED), Haubner's team transported personnel and equipment between Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo, and Camp Butmir, Bosnia.
“Our role wasn’t just transport,” said Haubner. “We worked with Bosnian and Romanian forces to share knowledge, demonstrate hoist operations, and build a foundation for future joint missions.”
This collaboration was put into practice during a live hoist demonstration with Romanian and Bosnian medical teams. They participated in training modules covering everything from aircrew familiarization to real-time patient extraction scenarios, giving them firsthand experience with U.S. procedures and equipment.
“The most valuable outcome was building relationships face-to-face with our NATO counterparts,” Haubner said. “Understanding each other’s capabilities ensures that when a real-world mission happens, we’re ready. These joint events are opportunities to strengthen interoperability, deepen trust, and enhance our joint-allied capabilities, which is the very foundation of what makes us a force multiplier across the region.”
Under Haubner’s leadership, what began as a logistical challenge, became a strategic success. The MEDEVAC team supported TF MED in delivering direct healthcare services to those stationed at Camp Butmir—eliminating the need for lengthy travel to Kosovo and creating a framework for improving emergency response and future medical support in the region.
“Our goal is long-term sustainment,” said U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Piazza, the senior medical NCO with TF MED who worked with Haubner. “Medical support at Camp Butmir is now a proven asset, and we want to ensure continuity for the units that come after us.”
Through his leadership, Haubner and his team not only brought healthcare closer to Soldiers in Bosnia but also reinforced NATO’s ability to respond together, proving that the Kentucky National Guard plays a vital role on the international stage.
This mission is now seen as a critical first step in a committed effort, establishing a framework for future rotations to sustain care and strengthen interoperability among NATO partners.