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CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo — An active-duty contracting unit from Germany and a National Guard contracting unit from California have pulled off a textbook example of flawless cooperation and seamless integration while supporting ongoing expeditionary contracting missions in Kosovo.
The 1933rd Contingency Contracting Team is a California Army National Guard unit, and the 624th Contingency Contracting Team, which falls under the 903rd Contingency Contracting Battalion, is an active-duty Army unit. Both teams are currently deployed to Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo.
The 409th Contracting Support Brigade serves as the executive agent for expeditionary contracting in the Balkans, and its 903rd CCB provides a continuous boots-on-the-ground presence at the Camp Bondsteel office.
“The California National Guard team is the first forward-deployed National Guard contracting team and has a great synergy with our CCT in Kosovo. It is a win-win situation for both. They get real-world, hands-on training and experience, and we have their tremendous support in completing our mission,” said Col. Debra Daniels, 409th CSB commander and the principal assistant responsible for contracting in U.S. Army Europe.
“This is an absolute success story. We are working side by side, and in the process are blazing a new trail for expeditionary contracting. There are not enough teams to complete the mission – we couldn’t do it without the National Guard team and the many ways in which they support us,” said Lt. Col. David Hosna, 903rd CCB commander.
While three of the four Californian team members have deployed before, neither has been involved in a contracting mission.
“This is our first NATO peacekeeping mission and our first time in contingency contracting operations. It’s an excellent opportunity for us to be here, and the experience we’ve gained will certainly help us back home,” said Maj. Armando Corral, 1933rd CCT team leader.
The team also travelled to Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia and Macedonia to participate in humanitarian assistance type contracting missions during their nine-month deployment.
“That means we will be a great resource for first responders in case of forest fires, floods and other natural disasters and for civic emergencies in California,” he said.
The key players agree quality support is imperative to execute the Balkans expeditionary contracting mission successfully.
“Our part of the Kosovo peacekeeping mission is 24/7, 365 days a year, and we have the responsibility to ensure the office is manned with teams that can execute our missions from the get-go,” Colonel Hosna said.
The 1933rd CCT arrived trained and equipped with the appropriate technical expertise, having rotated through Germany for intensive contracting-specific training with the 409th CSB’s Regional Contracting Office in Bavaria.
“They may not have known much about contracting when they first deployed, but the integration has worked very well. They share the workload and assist with all of our requirements. Now they can work totally self-sufficient, taking a contracting requirement through its phases from beginning to end,” said Maj. Christian Solinsky, 624th CCT team leader.
The 1933rd CCT will redeploy in mid-November, and the 1993rd CCT, a Utah National Guard team, stands poised to take over the mission.
