Ceremony honors National Guard soldiers back from Bosnia
By LISA FALKENBERG (Associated Press Writer)

AUSTIN (AP) - After missing eight months of birthdays, anniversaries, births and deaths, 760 soldiers in the National Guard 49th Armored Division were recognized Saturday for helping keep the peace in war-torn Bosnia.

The Texas troops and their families attended the party at Camp Mabry. The 49th, the first guard unit since the Korean War to lead active duty troops overseas, returned from their mission in October.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, who visited Bosnia during Easter, was among the dignitaries in attendance.

``The military has been asked to do more with less,'' she said. ``The National Guard has been their for the rescue... You showed us the very essence of America in a place as far from America and American values as one could imagine.''

No American lives were lost in the mission, in which soldiers also helped repair relations between Serb, Muslim and Croat forces while completing an estimated 17,000 ground patrols, 13,000 hours of flights and supervising the removal of thousands of land mines.

The soldiers also helped 8,000 refugees return safely to their homes after a brutal ethnic war divided the region and oversaw critical spring elections.

Longtime National Guard supporter Tim Mikeska was one of 27 civilians and employers of soldiers flown to Bosnia to view the mission.

When Mikeska returned home, he agreed to donate 3,000 plates of barbecue from his Taylor restaurant Mikeska Barbecue & Catering for Saturday's bash.

``I was so impressed with the job the Texas soldiers did that I wanted to do a party for them when they got home,'' Mikeska said.

Mgr. John Stasney, 38, said the guard's performance in Bosnia also impressed skeptics who see guardsmen as ``weekend warriors.''

``They were sort of surprised at the level of competency that was displayed by the soldiers of the 49th,'' he said.
Staff Sgt. Oralia Cox, 37, was one of the wives left behind when her husband went to Bosnia.
``In the beginning it was very hard because my son was still in Pampers,'' she said. The toughest part, though, was tending to the tasks her husband usually handles: maintaining the cars and cutting the grass.

``I've learned to appreciate him more,'' she said.
Capt. Greg Barrow said he had to attend the birth of his son via telephone.
``I was happy and sad, I was crying,'' said Barrow, who was in Bosnia since March and had missed almost of all of the doctor's appointments and baby showers.

Barrow returned from Bosnia in October, three days after his son Davis was born.
``It's one thing to talk about that you're going to have a baby and it's another thing to see him,'' said Barrow, 37. ``If it's not enough to be away for eight months, and then to see your baby, and then to see your wife, it was all overwhelming.''

AP-WS-12-02-00 1800EST