A U.S. Marine from the 2nd Amphibious Assault Vehicle Battalion sits atop his amphibious vehicle as he waits in the city of Gnjilane, Kosovo, on July 1, 1999. Elements of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit are deployed from ships of the USS Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group as an enabling force for KFOR. KFOR is the NATO-led, international military force which will deploy into Kosovo on a peacekeeping mission known as Operation Joint Guardian. KFOR will ultimately consist of over 50,000 troops from more than 24 contributing nations, including NATO member-states, Partnership for Peace nations and others.