The establishment of the forward command of the V U.S. Corps in Poznań is a clear signal sent to potential enemies of both Poland and the United States, key officials have said.
During a ceremony of “Camp Kościuszko,” attended by Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak and General Darryl Williams, the Polish defense minister said that the close relations with the U.S. were a key pillar of the security of NATO and its eastern flank.
Błaszczak explained that Tadeusz Kościuszko was the clearest possible signal of close relations between the USA and Poland, as he was after all a hero for both these nations. Kościuszko (1746–1817) was a Polish and U.S. general, military engineer, and leader celebrated for his courageous fighting in the American War of Independence and for leading the uprising against foreign rule in Poland.
According to Błaszczak, the two nations have proven that they are there for each other. Poland was prepared to help the USA during the pandemic crisis, and now the USA is helping Poland by increasing its military presence after the Russian invasion of neighboring Ukraine. “We therefore show solidarity to each other” when duty and need call, said the Polish defense minister.
Błaszczak underlined that the task facing the two countries was to build inter-operational capacity. To this end, the presence of the forward command of the V Corps in Poznań will be invaluable.
The forward command of V U.S. Corps ground forces in Poznań is the only part of its command structure actually located in Europe. Its main task is to coordinate and supervise U.S. ground forces in Europe, plan operations, and synchronize actions of U.S. forces with those of the armies of other NATO states.
The command plays a key role in the integration of U.S. forces stationed in Poland and synchronization of cooperation with Polish forces. This increases the actual inter-operational capacity of both U.S. and Polish forces.
