An exclusive interview with Commander of NATO-Kosovo Forces Regional Command-East Col. Jonathan D. Lloyd
An exclusive interview with Commander of NATO-Kosovo Forces Regional Command-East, Col. Jonathan D. Lloyd (U.S. Army)
Q 1: Sir thank you for accepting this interview. Could you please elaborate on the current deployment of the U.S Army and National Guard (NG) in NATO-KFOR Regional Command East (RC-East) and their primary roles and responsibilities in the mission? And how the Army and National Guard’s contributions bolster this multinational peacekeeping mission?
Col. Lloyd: As Commander of Regional Command–East (RC-East), I lead a multinational task force under NATO’s Kosovo Force (KFOR), with U.S. Army and U.S. Army National Guard forces forming the backbone of our headquarters staff and key operational elements. The United States sustains a visible presence through a rotational, National Guard-led command, supported by Active [Duty] Component Soldiers and multinational partners. Our primary mission is to ensure a safe and secure environment for all people living in Kosovo.
U.S. forces work in partnership with multinationals to accomplish mission success through routine patrols, presence operations, quick-reaction force missions that deter malign actors, civil unrest, reassure the population, and respond rapidly to emerging security developments. Engagement is equally vital. U.S. Soldiers regularly meet with municipal officials, religious leaders, and community representatives to build trust, understand local concerns, and reduce the risk of misinformation or miscalculation, reinforcing NATO’s ongoing commitment to stability and peace in Kosovo.
Q 2: What mechanisms do the U.S Army and NG have in place to translate past operational experiences into real-time adjustments for operational effectiveness and community engagements in Kosovo?
Col. Lloyd: The Army motto is Always Ready. That transfers over into our training and Soldiers effectiveness. Therefore, Soldiers are training routinely at an operational or real-world pace. They train using real-world-like scenarios that challenge their decision making under pressure, teamwork cohesion and discipline. This style of training with increased repetition ensures that when Soldiers must respond actions, they are instinctive and controlled. Further, lessons learned become institutionalized via continuous after-action reviews, commander’s update briefs, and close collaboration among our operations, civil-military, and liaison monitoring teams. Insights gained from patrols, key leader engagements, and local engagements are rapidly shared and acted upon. This enables RC-East to adjust force presence, refine engagement strategies with local communities and institutions, and synchronize with multinational partners, ensuring our operations remain responsive, credible, and consistent under the KFOR communication guidance and within KFOR’s mandate to maintain a safe and secure environment for all communities in Kosovo.
Q 3: Looking at the current operational tempo, what are the strategic priorities for your Command in RC-East as we move through 2026?
Col. Lloyd: We are committed to contributing to a safe and secure environment for the people of Kosovo. We will continue to serve as a third responder to EULEX, Kosovo Police, and support the NATO mission.
Q 4: Could you describe how your Command is navigating in maintaining the deterrent posture in RC-East while establishing community partnerships necessary for long-term regional stability in Kosovo’s multi-ethnic environment?
Col. Lloyd: As the Commander of Regional Command–East, my responsibility is to ensure the right balance between a credible deterrent posture and the trust-based partnerships that underpin long-term stability in Kosovo. We maintain deterrence through a persistent, visible presence, routine patrols specially alongside the ABL , and close coordination with NATO partners, making clear that KFOR is prepared to respond decisively to any threat to a safe and secure environment. At the same time, deterrence alone is not sufficient. We pair it with deliberate, daily engagement at the community level. Our teams, such as our Liaison Monitoring Teams, Religious Support Teams, and Civil-Military Cooperation, routinely meet with municipal leaders, religious figures, youth representatives, and civil society across all communities to listen, understand concerns early, and reduce the risk of miscalculation or escalation. By combining operational readiness with consistent, transparent, credible engagement, we reinforce confidence in KFOR’s impartiality and commitment. That integration, strength through presence, credibility through partnership, is how we sustain deterrence while helping create the conditions for lasting regional stability.
Q 5: Please provide us with an overview of some of the active community outreach projects, or key initiatives in the areas of humanitarian assistance, infrastructure support, education, and inter-community dialogue led by your Command in the region?
Col. Lloyd: Our CIMIC team led this half of the mission and made a significant impact. They contributed to over 15 donations. Their efforts included donating sports equipment to the Lipjan Soccer Club, Women’s Basketball. They donated firefighting equipment to Fire Brigades, trained KSRA personnel on land navigation and throughout Kosovo donated supplies for the Kosovo Police Family Rooms. The CIMIC team has worked closely with our LMTs, KFOR Gender Advisor and Sexual Assault Response Coordinator and donated hygiene products to victims of domestic violence in Kosovo.
Additionally, when Soldiers weren’t on their daily routines, they volunteer their time and completed 2,145 volunteer hours to various non-profit organization around Kosovo. These efforts reinforce KFOR Regional Command-East mission to a safe and secure environment.
Additional: KFOR CIMIC TEAMS DONATE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
Army Guard Soldiers Train for Kosovo Deployment, May 2025
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Acknowledgments: Image-1 Commander of NATO-Kosovo Forces Regional Command-East, the Hon. Col. Jonathan D. Lloyd 2026 © U.S. Army/ NATO-KFOR RC-East. The interview is conducted by Catherine S. Schmidt, Editor in Chief.
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