U.S. Marines from the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion pass flags of the NATO nations and messages of thanks painted on the retaining wall of a road in a village in Kosovo on July 5, 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.