Blog Posts tagged with "Poland"
School donation continues long-standing relationship with Poland
Just last week, I visited the Krakow School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, which was heavily damaged in the spring floods of 2010, to deliver furniture and pianos donated by the U.S. Government.
The pianos, desks, chairs and shelves – which replaced equipment destroyed in the flood – were excess items from Department of Defense schools in Europe. The Krakow school trains the students in music and piano tuning, so the pianos are invaluable in the Polish students' education and training.
Maj. Gen. William L. Enyart, Adjutant General Illinois National Guard, meets students from the Krakow School for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
During the visit, I had the opportunity to meet and interact with several local dignitaries and community leaders, including the deputy governor of Malopolska Province, Andrzej Harezlak; the commander of Maloposka Province fire brigades, Col. Andrzej Mroz; and his deputy, Col. Jozef Galica; professors Jozef Danko and Rafal Danko, engineering professors at the AGH University of Science and Technology; as well as Director Barbara Planta of the school. U.S. Deputy Consul General Jeffrey C. Vick also attended the ceremony with several consular staff.
This event, in my opinion, clearly burnished the American military image in this important area of Poland.
Mr. Vick took the opportunity to increase military contact by inviting the school to participate in the consulate’s program for school children to make and send Christmas cards to Task Force White Eagle, the Polish battle group in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan. When Polish military aircraft pick up the cards in Krakow, the school children are allowed to tour the aircraft and meet the crews.
Since the Illinois National Guard has a long-standing relationship with Poland through the State Partnership Program, this was not my first trip to the country. I attended the state funerals last year, which Mr. Vick said had a very positive impact on public opinion toward the U.S. in general and the American military in particular.
The Illinois National Guard has been developing its partnership with Poland since 1993. It has developed over the years from a basic military exchange program to a bilateral relationship that enhances regional security and has assisted in the transformation of Poland’s former Soviet-bloc conscription force to the current all volunteer, professional military. Since the initial entry of Polish forces into Iraq, Illinois National Guard forces have deployed with the Polish Task Forces, a relationship that continues today.
Currently, 18 Soldiers from the Illinois National Guard are embedded with and filling critical leadership and support roles with Task Force White Eagle.
At the Illinois National Guard, we believe the single greatest contribution we can make to the long-term security of the U.S. is the relationship we have forged with Poland, which not only leads to a stable central Europe, but also adds a valuable ally in our long-term commitment to fight terrorism and instability throughout the world.
William L. Enyart
Major General, The Adjutant General
Illinois National Guard
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Airman’s perspective of SAFE SKIES 2011
A massive yellow bus delivered us to the place we would call home for the next 17 days. ‘Resort’ was used to describe the hotel, but it more closely resembled a modest college dorm: two twin beds and a small refrigerator in the corner. Later the outlet that powered the refrigerator would be capitalized to run a small oscillating fan to generate a modest breeze of relief as Mirgorod reached 97 degrees.
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Special Operations Media Engagement…the future of investing
I believe most people think that special operations forces never interact with the media. That is, of course, until something bad happens, forcing someone to explain the situation in an ambiguous manner.
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LOGEX 10: CAPSTONE
During the past week of LOGEX 10, I’ve had the distinct honor to serve among and work with some of the best people in the multinational logistics community. I was impressed by the professionalism and competence of our friends in US Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM) J7, Allied Command Transformation (ACT) and our NATO Allies and partners. These characteristics truly show during events such as this and I am proud to be associated with the exercise and everyone here.
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NATO's Challenges and Achievements in Afghanistan
Last week I completed my sixth trip to Afghanistan since becoming SACEUR. As always, I was struck by the challenges we face – corruption, ANSF attrition, and IEDs to name a few. More importantly, however, I am encouraged by the progress I saw during my visit and am more convinced than ever than we can succeed in Afghanistan.
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Jumping In
I’m finally back home after nearly two weeks on the road and it has been more than a week now since I jumped into Iron Mike Drop Zone in Normandy, France to commemorate the 66th Anniversary of D-Day. I’ll never forget the experience – not just because of the historic significance, but also because of those that jumped with me that day. As you probably well know, British, Canadian and American forces jumped to secure the Allied flanks on D-Day, but personnel from Australia, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, France, Greece, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and Poland also took part in the landings. On D-Day 66, I hit the ground, collected my parachute, and then walked off the drop zone with British, French, Polish, Dutch, German and fellow Americans paratroopers surrounding me. On my aircraft alone, we had Dutch, German and Polish paratroopers and I earned both the Dutch and Polish jump wings that day.
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The Loss of a Great Friend
I'm flying over the deep blue of the southern Pacific Ocean -- enroute to New Zealand and Australia for security discussions about Afghanistan -- and I've just learned of the death of Polish General and Chief of Defense Franciszek Gagor, along with the President of Poland and much of the senior leadership.
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Stronger Together: Logistics Exercise 2010 Mid Planning Conference (LOGEX10)
It is no secret that EUCOM remains committed to enduring partnerships and increased interoperability with NATO.... look at any Directors calendar and you'll probably notice how busy we all are towards that commitment. This year marks the third EUCOM-led logistics exercise, which is a Command Post Exercise (CPX) that is based on NATO doctrine which uses a multinational approach in supporting deployed forces in NATO-led out of area operations, and easily follows EUCOM's them of "Stronger Together."
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Community outreach onboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69)
Today, I have the opportunity to escort military and community leaders from Poland and Germany aboard the “Ike” and I can’t think of a better platform to demonstrate the United States’ commitment to building partnerships here in Europe. It’s my sincere hope that our guests walk away with a greater appreciation and understanding of that commitment.
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Illinois TAG (MG William Enyart) - Serving
Cold, rainy March, near midnight. Hanging out the window of a Warsaw hotel, not many months after the fall of the Berlin Wall, photographing the grim, gray hulk of the Soviet Embassy, thinking "Wow, I can't believe I'm doing this! A few months ago I would have been shot for this."
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USAFE Blog: First C-130 delivered to Poland
The first Polish C-130E Hercules arrived at Powidz Air Base on 24 March 2009. In my role in the Office of Defense Cooperation at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw, I serve as the in-country program coordinator; linking the many people in the U.S. who make this program a reality with their Polish counterparts. (more)
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