CLACKAMAS, Ore. –  Soldiers from the Oregon Army National Guard’s 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) returned home July 19, 2025, following a successful year-long deployment to Kosovo as part of the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) mission.

The welcome home event at Camp Withycombe marked the homecoming for soldiers participating in KFOR’s 34th rotation. This mission has been crucial for maintaining peace and stability in the Balkans since 1999. Approximately 300 soldiers returned in two groups, with the first group arriving around 1 p.m. A formal demobilization ceremony will be held in the near future.

The first group to return consisted primarily of soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry Regiment, headquartered in Springfield, along with medical and support personnel from the 600-member task force that included soldiers from Oregon, Idaho, West Virginia, New Jersey, and Tennessee.

Lt. Col. Joseph Twigg, commander of the 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry Regiment, addressed the returning soldiers and their families. “Over the past year, you stood watch in Kosovo as part of KFOR. You built partnerships, maintained stability, and represented the United States with professionalism and integrity,” Twigg said. “From the smallest patrol to the most complex multinational mission, you performed with discipline, heart, and commitment.”

During their deployment, the Oregon soldiers made significant contributions to what Col. Peter Helzer, Commander of the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, described as “the longest and most successful NATO mission in the history of the alliance.”

“Oregon soldiers contributed to a robust international mission, adding to over 4,000 security patrols, 13,000 public engagements, and 5,000 volunteer hours supporting communities in Kosovo,” Helzer said. “Additionally, soldiers from the 41st IBCT successfully responded to one of the largest terrorist attacks in Kosovo in recent years by providing security to critical infrastructure, working with our local and international partners to maintain peace in the region.”

The deployment provided unprecedented opportunities for international cooperation and professional development. Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry Regiment conducted fully integrated patrols with German and Latvian armies across contested terrain in Northern Kosovo. At the same time, headquarters staff planned operations alongside Italian, Hungarian, Slovenian, Turkish, and Swiss soldiers.

“The greatest lesson for most of us, I’m sure, was the importance of building trust in your team and your partners,” Helzer explained. “In this business, relationships matter, and Kosovo provided an unprecedented opportunity to learn how to better connect and operate together.”

The skills gained during the deployment will have immediate applications back home in Oregon. “Much of the experience gained from the mission in Kosovo can be immediately applied to supporting emergency services and domestic operations back here in Oregon,” Helzer noted. “As part of KFOR, we had to immediately integrate into a complex system of law enforcement, local government, and emergency services to be successful. The organizational, communication, and logistical skills we stressed overseas will most certainly make us more effective in case of an emergency here at home.”

Beyond the professional development, the mission provided many soldiers with their first opportunity to serve in Europe and experience a different part of the world.

Speaking to the families and communities who supported the soldiers throughout the deployment, Helzer emphasized the strategic importance of the mission. “The Balkan region is a historic crossroad of empires, and maintaining stability there prevents greater disorder that will eventually impact us here at home,” he said.

“I want you to know the command team from top all the way down are committed to normalizing the demands on you and your soldiers over the coming years,” Helzer told families at the ceremony. “Thank you for your commitment and support.”

Twigg praised the soldiers’ performance during the deployment, telling them they “shaped the security picture, provided real-time assessments that reached leaders at every level, and ensured informed decision-making from the ground up.”

He also recognized the families’ sacrifices during the deployment. “To the families here today—you served too. You kept things running at home, carried the burdens of distance, and supported your Soldiers every day,” Twigg said. “Thank you for your sacrifice and resilience. We could not have done this without you.”

The 41st IBCT’s community engagement efforts extended far beyond traditional military operations. “Whether on missions such as patrols, observation posts, or aerial recon and resupply, or community engagements and projects, they have done work that had a real impact on the lives of the Kosovar people,” Helzer said. “Beyond that, they have served as a strategic deterrent to malign actors across the region.”

The successful completion of the KFOR mission demonstrates the Oregon National Guard’s continued commitment to serving both state and federal missions while maintaining readiness for any contingency.

The 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, known as the “Jungleers,” is headquartered in Clackamas with subordinate units spread throughout Oregon. The brigade’s successful deployment to Kosovo continues the unit’s proud tradition of service, building on previous deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

With the soldiers now home, the focus shifts to reintegration and applying the valuable experience gained during their time in the Balkans to future missions, both at home and abroad.

 

HIGH LAKES REOPENING COMPLETES PUBLIC ACCESS TO SANTIAM STATE FOREST RECREATION AREAS AFTER 2020 WILDFIRES

SANTIAM STATE FOREST, Ore.—The High Lakes recreation area of the Santiam State Forest reopened this month after being closed in the aftermath of the 2020 Labor Day wildfires.  All recreation areas in the Santiam are now open to the public.

“We focused our rebuilding efforts on highly visited recreation areas, like Shellburg Falls and Butte Creek Falls first, then later on less visited areas including High Lakes,” said Joe Offer, Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) Recreation, Education, and Interpretation Program Manager.

Shellburg Falls opened in 2023 and Butte Creeks Falls opened last year.

High Lakes includes well-known Rhody Lake and the pair of Butte Lakes.  There are also several trails in the area.  Main access to the area is through the Butte Creek 500 and 800 gates, which are now open. The main change, other than the burnt landscape, is that overnight camping is no longer allowed at the Rhody Lake recreation site.

“We made the change for two main reasons: lack of infrastructure and fire safety,” said Offer.  “There is a vault toilet at Rhody Lake, but no improved campsites or campfire rings.  The area still has many dead standing trees and piles of dead trees, so the fire risks are much higher than before the 2020 fires.”

Some of those piles of trees are from ODF’s nearly five-year effort to remove hazardous burnt and dead trees along miles of forest roads throughout the Santiam State Forest.

“We also had salvage logging, road repairs, and replanting operations going on in many areas of the Santiam,” said Chelsey Peters, acting district forester for ODF’s North Cascade District. 

However, safety of visitors still remains the top concern.

“Even though we removed hazard trees near roads there are many snags (dead trees) along the trail system so hikers should be aware of their surroundings especially during weather events like high winds or heavy rain that can bring trees and branches down on trails,” said Peters.  “We also considered delaying the opening until after the fire season but wanted folks to have access as soon as possible.”

The Santiam is currently in “High” fire danger and that brings a rather long list of restrictions.  There are four fire danger levels: Low, Moderate, High and Extreme. Two key “High” fire danger restrictions are:

• Any activity that creates a spark or has the potential to create a spark are only allowed before 1 p.m. or after 8 p.m., which includes use of chainsaws, off-road vehicles, mowing, and grinding.
• All vehicles travelling on ODF roads need to have a shovel and gallon of water or working 2.5-poud fire extinguisher or larger.

People are still allowed to have recreational fires during “High” but need to have the shovel and water/extinguisher on hand.

The restrictions for each level for the Santiam can be found here.  To see the current fire danger level for any ODF protected lands in the state, go here.

While the threat of fire is still a concern, ODF is also looking to the future and has planted more than 2 million seedlings in the Santiam. Some of those when into the High Lakes recreation area.

“We planted 658 acres with Noble and Douglas fir in the Rhody Lake area,” said Vince Ferguson, young stand manager for the North Cascade District. “Unlike most of the rest of the Santiam that was planted for future timber value this area, because of the high elevation and challenging soil conditions was mainly done for aesthetics. We want to recapture the natural beauty of the area before those fires hit.

 

OHA launches ‘Connect to Hope’ awareness campaign, data dashboard on third anniversary of 988

Salem, Ore. -Oregon Health Authority is marking the third anniversary of 988—the three-digit number that anyone can call, text or chat when in need of mental health support—with two significant milestones: the launch of a new data dashboard to increase transparency, track usage and demonstrate the impact of 988 in Oregon and the start of a new public awareness campaign, called “988 Oregon: Connect to Hope.”

“No matter who you are or what you are navigating, 988 Oregon offers a 24/7, immediate connection to trained mental health professionals who can help prevent mental health crises from escalating, save lives and promote recovery and hope throughout our communities,” said Ebony Clarke, Behavioral Health Director, Oregon Health Authority (OHA). “As OHA works to invest in the whole continuum of behavioral health care, we want everyone in Oregon to know that 988 can be a front door to help: providing free, compassionate support whether people are facing economic uncertainty, struggling with relationship or family issues, or simply don’t have a strong support system. Reaching out is a sign of strength.”

Over the past year, 988 Oregon answered more than 85,000 calls, texts and chats, each one connecting someone with a trained counselor. Nearly all calls to 988 are effectively de-escalated over the phone. By connecting people with resources and upstream support, 988 helps enhance access to care and potentially reduce more costly interventions such as hospital visits.

About 988 Oregon

When someone in Oregon calls, texts or chats 988, they are connected with mental health crisis counselors at one of the state’s two designated 988 centers: Lines for Life, which serves the entire state, and Northwest Human Services, which supports people from Marion and Polk Counties.

Research shows that most individuals who reach out to 988 feel significantly less depressed, less suicidal, less overwhelmed, and more hopeful after speaking with a trained mental health professional. Callers don’t need to be in crisis to reach out—a focus of the new campaign, which was informed by community input—and family and friends can connect with 988 to get advice on supporting someone else.

OHA has also launched a new 988 data dashboard, which helps answer common questions about 988 trends in Oregon. For example, while 988 began as the simple-to-reach number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, more people call or text 988 about mental or emotional health concerns and family or relationship issues than thoughts of suicide. The dashboard also highlights the rise in calls, text and chat volume since it began in July 2022.

Promoting and strengthening 988 Oregon helps OHA deliver on commitments to build behavioral health capacity and to reduce stigma, key goals within OHA’s 2024-2027 Strategic Plan. Increasing awareness and understanding of 988 in Oregon also promotes equitable access to support and care.

For more information, or if you or someone you know needs help, visit 988Oregon.org or simply dial or text 988.

 

Orleans Complex – Butler and Red Fire Update, July 21, 2025

• Butler Fire: The Butler Fire tested containment lines July 20 with a mix of spot fires and rollouts. Spotting occurred on both the north and south ends of the fire west of the Salmon River, while the fire east of the river had moderate growth.

• Butler Fire: Salmon River Road between Butler Flat and Nordheimer Campground remains closed as rocks and burning debris continued to fall onto the roadway.
• National Forests: The Six Rivers and Klamath National Forests issued a joint closure order July 16 within the vicinity of the Butler Fire. The closure includes Nordheimer and Oak Bottom campgrounds. The Pacific Crest Trail remains outside of the closure area, but hikers are advised to exercise caution.