Army Lt. Col. Brian Owens briefs Secretary Rumsfeld about some of the military engagements in Mijak, Kosovo.
Army Lt. Col. Brian Owens (left) briefs Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld on June 5, 2001, about some of the military engagements which have occurred near a U.S. observation post in Mijak, Kosovo, Republic of Serbia. The post, because of its close proximity to the Macedonian border, has become increasingly important in recent weeks as fighting between Macedonian government forces and Albanian rebel militias has intensified. The U.S. troops in Mijak regularly patrol the area attempting to prevent shipments of arms from crossing the border into Macedonia. The 31-man U.S. Army unit currently occupying the hilltop is from the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry, 101st Airborne (Air Assault) Division. Owens is attached to the 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. Rumsfeld is visiting Kosovo as part of a seven-day, seven-nation, European tour.