In his annual “Condition of the Guard 2026” address, Maj. Gen. Stephen Osborn, Iowa Adjutant General, recognized the special guests representing the partnership between the Iowa National Guard and the Kosovo Security Force (KSF).
Present at the event were Lieutenant General Bashkim Jashari, Commander of the KSF, Commander Sergeant Major Bedri Zuka, the highest non-commissioned officer leader, and Drilon Zogaj, Consul General of the Republic of Kosovo in Des Moines.
The Iowa National Guard statement emphasizes that this collaboration has built mutual capabilities and trust over the years, strengthening the interoperability and readiness of both forces. For more than 15 years, Iowa soldiers and airmen have worked closely with the KSF in areas such as maneuvers, military medicine, logistics, cyber defense and professional development.
In 2025 alone, the partnership included 26 bilateral exchanges with over 500 participants. A special moment was the involvement of a KSF infantry company in the 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the 34th Infantry Division of Iowa during a rotation at the Joint Readiness Training Center, marking Kosovo’s first participation in a large-scale exercise abroad.
Also, in 2025, the Iowa National Guard recruited the first citizen from Kosovo, Andren Gashi, who joined the 132nd Wing of the Iowa Air Guard as a member of the Security Forces.
This partnership demonstrates the continuity of cooperation between the two forces and efforts to increase their operational readiness and capabilities./Telegrafi.
