
EDINBURGH — More than 300 Hoosier Guardsmen from the Indiana National Guard’s 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team received their coveted combat patches during a ceremony at Camp Atterbury on Wednesday, symbolizing their distinguished service in hostile conditions during their 2022 deployment to Kosovo.

The combat patch is a testament to their involvement in a critical and dangerous confrontation on May 29, 2023. On that day, violent protestors trapped Kosovo Police, prompting Kosovo Force (KFOR) crowd and riot control units, including soldiers from the 76th, to intervene. While peaceful demonstrators dispersed, a violent faction launched a coordinated assault on KFOR forces, utilizing grenades, firearms, improvised explosive devices, and other projectiles.

During the intense confrontation, at least 56 explosive devices were detonated, resulting in 93 injuries, including seven U.S. soldiers. This incident marked the second-highest number of KFOR injuries in a degraded security environment, surpassed only by the ethnic riots of 2004. American forces played pivotal roles both on the ground and in coordinating responses from command centers.
“This significant event that we are here to recognize is not just a patch, but a moment, and your participation in that moment,” stated Indiana’s Adjutant General, Brig. Gen. Larry Muennich, who himself served in Kosovo in 2004 and 2016. “You were able to restore peace during your time in Kosovo. You saved lives, and it is about that story. You represent that moment.”

Led by Col. Chris Mabis and Command Sgt. Maj. Joshua Brown, the brigade’s mission focused on maintaining a safe and secure environment and ensuring freedom of movement in Kosovo’s eastern region, a crucial component of NATO’s stabilization efforts in the Balkans.
“Col. Chris Mabis, as the commander, wanted us to all work together,” said Command Sgt. Maj. 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 newly earned combat patch signifies the profound impact these deployed 76th soldiers had on the lives of others. Furthermore, eight soldiers from the brigade were awarded the Combat Action Badge for their heroism during the May 29 riots, having carried severely injured comrades to safety.
Throughout their deployment, the 76th soldiers played a crucial role in maintaining the conditions necessary for civilian dialogue and political resolution in Kosovo. Their dedicated efforts have now earned them the enduring symbol of their service: the right to wear the 76th patch on their right shoulders proudly.