Nellis squadron finishing work in Albania

Kim Smith

Wednesday, July 21, 1999 | 9:42 a.m.

Seventy-five members of the 820th Red Horse Squadron could be home from Albania by the end of the month.

Nellis Air Force Base spokesman Mike Estrada said the squadron is close to completing work on the Tirana Airport runway, a project that was originally supposed to take until mid-August.

The Rapid Engineering Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron of Engineers left Nellis in early June while things were still tense in Kosovo, Estrada said. They thought they would be there six months.

"They were fully prepared to defend themselves when they got in, but when they got there, peace broke out rather suddenly," Estrada said.

Two dozen Red Horse members were sent home immediately and another 75 or so that were expected to be deployed were never sent, Estrada said.

Those in Albania now are working to ensure military supplies can be flown in during what is expected to be a lengthy peace-keeping mission, Estrada said.

"The airport is a commercial airport and it was never intended for heavy cargo planes," Estrada said. "The planes are landing there now, but they aren't fully loaded. The squadron is rebuilding it using reinforced steel and heavier concrete."

Estrada said the squadron, which is made up of about 400 members, will likely have a celebration when their fellow members return.

"When they get back they will be given the opportunity to take leave, and they will also get some mandatory down-time," Estrada said.

Prior to their Albanian mission, squadron members were in Central America on a hurricane relief mission, Estrada said.