Joint Task Force Kosovo, Operation KINETIC, Mike Ward, interview

The Joint Task Force Kosovo, also known as Operation KINETIC, was a Canadian military operation that took place in the late 1990s as part of NATO's efforts to stabilize the region of Kosovo and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The Canadian Task Force Kosovo (TFK) was a key component of this operation, comprising an armoured reconnaissance squadron, a tactical helicopter squadron, a field engineer squadron, an infantry battle group, a National Command Element (NCE), and a National Support Element (NSE). The TFK's primary roles included patrolling and observation duties, as well as performing humanitarian aid operations such as roofing buildings, reconstructing schools and medical facilities, installing small bridges, and building playgrounds. The operation was part of the NATO peacekeeping force KFOR, which aimed to create a secure environment for the return of displaced persons and refugees, and to provide immediate humanitarian assistance to those displaced. The Canadian contingent received $750,000 in CIDA funding for small-scale humanitarian projects. The first Canadian units arrived in the area in June 1999, and the operation continued until June 2000, with two rotations made.