DATE: Sunday, June 15, 1997                 TAG: 9706150058

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B7   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS 

DATELINE: DOBOJ, BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA         LENGTH:   49 lines

GOVERNOR SALUTES VIRGINIA'S TROOPS IN BOSNIA THE NATIONAL GUARD IS PROVIDING COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORT IN DOBOJ.

Virginia Gov. George F. Allen dropped in on his state's National Guard troops serving in the NATO-led peacekeeping force in Bosnia on Saturday, conveying greetings and even personal letters from home.

Allen and Maj. Gen. Carroll Thackston, of the Richmond-based Guard, met with members of the First Battalion 246th Field Artillery in the Serb-controlled town of Doboj, about 60 miles north of Sarajevo.

``The soldiers and their families should know that the thoughts and prayers of all Virginians are with them in this time of dangerous duty,'' Allen said.

``We very much appreciate your dedication to the duty of protecting the interest of the United States and protecting the interest of freedom of fellow human beings here in Bosnia.''

The heavily damaged region still bears the scars of front-line fighting that ended with the Bosnian war just 18 months ago.

The National Guard members are providing communications between forces serving in the NordPol brigade, which is dominated by soldiers from the Nordic countries and Poland but which also includes Americans and provides close air support.

Allen said he was impressed by the cooperation between the soldiers of different countries, working together not only to maintain the fragile peace but also to bring prosperity to the Bosnian people.

After addressing the soldiers, he called a number of them aside to give them letters from their families and friends at home.

The soldiers told Allen that they had received many letters of support from people they did not even know.

``It's good to know that people without any association with us care about us,'' said Maj. Jon Page, detachment commander, of Blacksburg.

Some even said they felt at home in Bosnia, where they will stay up to 270 days.

``Sometimes, when I wake up, I see the road that reminds me of my hometown,'' said 1st Sgt. John Simmons, 39, of Martinsville. ILLUSTRATION: Photo

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Virginia Gov. George F. Allen speaks to U.S. soldiers, some of whom

are attached to the Virginia National Guard, at a barracks in

Bosnia. Allen took a swing through Bosnia to bring letters to the

troops and to express thanks for their service as Bosnia tries to

recover from its war, which ended 18 months ago.

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