Polish Army division celebrates 100 years of independence during Combined Resolve

Photo By Staff Sgt. Brian Schroeder | Polish Army Soldiers assigned to 12th Mechanized Division display their country’s colors next to an image of Józef Piłsudski, the First Marshal of Poland, during the National Flag Day of the Republic of Poland, in the Hohenfels Training Area, Hohenfels, Germany, during Combined Resolve X May 2, 2018. Combined Resolve X includes approximately 3,700 participants from 13 nations at the 7th Army Training Command’s Grafenwoehr and Hohenfels Training Area, April 9 to May 12, 2018. Combined Resolve is a U.S. Army Europe-directed multinational exercise designed to give the Army’s regionally allocated combat brigades to Europe a combat training center rotation with a joint, multinational environment. (Polish Army photo by Capt. Bartoz Smoter)  

HOHENFELS, BY, GERMANY

05.08.2018

Story by Sgt. Brian Schroeder 

Joint Multinational Readiness Center

HOHENFELS, Germany (May 08, 2018) – Polish forces training as part of the U.S. Army Europe-directed multinational exercise Combined Resolve X can be seen conducting combat operations in Romorak infantry fighting vehicles with white and red flags attached to an antenna, and images of the First Marshal of Poland, Józef Piłsudski, affixed to the back.

Nov. 11, 2018 will commemorate the 100th anniversary of Polish independence from the German Empire, Austro-Hungary and Russia after World War I. Other nations celebrate this date as Veteran’s Day or Armistice Day. However, for Poland, the day is twofold: the establishment of the Second Polish Republic and to a way to pay homage to those who fought for their independence.

Polish Army 1st Lt. Marcin Ostaficzuk, 12th Mechanized Division legal advisor, said he is glad he can share the history of Poland and achievements of the Polish people with soldiers from other NATO countries.

“It is our responsibility to tell about our proud history, not only in our nation, but to let other nations know what it looks like to promote our country and history,” Ostaficzuk said. “This time creates an opportunity to show our history, the true history of Poland.”

During Combined Resolve X, the largest number of Polish soldiers participating in a training mission outside of Poland spearheaded the command and control of more than 3,700 participants from 13 NATO nations. For Polish Army Maj. Gen. Rajmund T. Andrzejczak, 12th Mech. Div. commander, the exercise is one of many significant events happening in his division, as well as the Polish Army this year.

“2018 is very important for all the Poles,” Andrzejczak said. “I have my own Polish mission objectives here, which is to build a really good joint, combined, common operational system. All capabilities of new solutions and lessons learned during Combined Resolve will be implemented in the largest land combined joint exercise, Anaconda 18, which is strictly a Polish exercise.”

Historically, Poland has always been a center of gravity for conflict based on its geographical location. In the last two decades, Polish forces have been engaged in expeditionary missions, which is a new concept for Poland. Andrzejczak said it has been difficult for Polish society to understand the need for military engagement in Afghanistan and Iraq, but the changing dynamics of the threat outside its borders has brought an acceptance to foreign military operations to their society.

“The threat is not necessarily the conventional force now,” said Andrzejczak. “In a very short time, everything has changed. Now we have the very aggressive approach and behavior in Ukraine, which is very close to the Polish border.

Lt. Col. Paweł Bednarz, commander, 3rd Motorized Infantry Battalion, 12th Mech. Brig., said he is proud of his Polish heritage and the opportunity for Polish forces to take charge during the exercise. He encourages his soldiers to avoid seeing obstacles when working with armies from 13 different nations, only challenges.

“If you are speaking about obstacles, you have a negative attitude toward the thing you have to do,” he said. “If you call it a challenge, it is something you want to really fight with. When we are fighting obstacles, we change it into a challenge, and then we want to win. And we are keen to do it.”

Andrzejczak said he is thankful for the opportunity to lead NATO forces at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center, and hopes for the opportunity again. However, he said he would do things a bit differently next time.

“What we are really missing during this three weeks of training is a good cup of a Polish soup,” Andrzejczak said “Perhaps next time there will be a Polish high command we can have a Polish dining facility so everybody can have the opportunity to taste the Polish food.”

Combined Resolve X includes approximately 3,700 participants from 13 nations at the 7th Army Training Command’s Grafenwoehr and Hohenfels Training Area, April 9 to May 12, 2018. Combined Resolve is a designed to give the Army’s regionally allocated combat brigades to Europe a combat training center rotation with a joint, multinational environment.

• Date Taken: 05.08.2018
• Date Posted: 05.08.2018 05:32
• Story ID: 276068
• Location: HOHENFELS, BY, DE