Military

In December 1995, the first US ground troops deployed into Bosnia-Herzegovina in support of Operation Joint Endeavor. Their mission was to implement the provisions of the Dayton Peace Accords. On 20 December 1996, the mission transitioned from implementation to stabilization. At that time, Operation Joint Endeavor ended and Operation Joint Guard began.

On 20 June 1998, the NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR) in Bosnia-Herzegovina transitioned to a slightly smaller follow-on force. Simultaneously, Operation Joint Guard ended and Operation Joint Forge began. The United States agreed to provide a force of approximately 6,900 US Service members to help maintain the military force in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

In March 2002, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) recommended reductions in the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR), including withdrawal of heavy armored units, leading to reduction of between 5,000 and 10,000 troops from the 43,000-strong force. At the same time, SACEUR also proposed a continued reduction of troop numbers in the SFOR in Bosnia, along with reductions in air surveillance and naval support for NATO operations in the Balkans. On 2 December 2003, SFOR confirmed that due to the improved security situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina that it would reduce to a deterrent force of approximately 7,000 multinational soldiers by June 2004. At the Istanbul Summit in June 2004, NATO Heads of State and Government agreed that in light of the improved security situation in the country SFOR could be concluded at the end of that year. On 2 December 2004, the SFOR mission ended and Operation Joint Forge came to a close. The US Army's SFOR contingent, Task Force Eagle, had been officially inactivated on 24 November 2004.

By the end of 2004 the only remaining American forces in the Former Yugoslavia were the 1,000 Ohio Army National Guard soldiers of the 37th Armor Brigade deployed to Kosovo as peacekeepers as part of KFOR. The United States Army continued to deploy rotational forces in support of KFOR and as of 2013 there was still no fixed timeline for when Operation Joint Guardian would come to an end.