The soldiers together with their wives and children visited the Baltic Barracks and took part in the event which aimed at bringing closer the idea of the HQ taking care of the families of soldiers going to Afghanistan.
On 2nd December "Family Day" was organized at the HQ MNC NE. For the first time not the soldiers going to Afghanistan for the mission were in the limelight but their families staying here in Poland. The soldiers together with their wives and children visited the Baltic Barracks and took part in the event which aimed at bringing closer the idea of the HQ taking care of the families of soldiers going to Afghanistan. The families were introduced to the concept of support covered by their national elements and Family Care and the idea of the mission itself. Common lunch was a great opportunity for the families to get to know each other and to exchange ideas and comments. The most enjoyable part was the exhibition of national desert uniforms and different military equipment. The children had a lot of fun playing in air castles. A metaphor of a solid house best illustrates the concept of help for the families. All national elements are pillars on which a house is supported while Family Care is a roof, which covers the rest of the building. Situation Centre (SIT-CEN) is a link between Permanent Headquarters Multinational Corps Northeast, Headquarters in Kabul, National Support Elements and Family Care. The centre working 24 hours 7 days a week is responsible for the appropriate coordination of action if anything happens. Family Care provides a wide range of facilities including a children’ room, a place where films or news can be watched. There is a coffee bar so that the ladies can have a small talk, drink a cup of coffee or tea. There is also an Internet café with the possibility of contacting the soldiers in Afghanistan. Family Care is interested in organizing social events such as shopping tours, visiting animal parks or having barbecues. The chairman of Family Care Capt. Wolfgang Philippi counts on the ladies’ commitment and fresh ideas so that the time will go by as fast as possible while the husbands are on the mission. Each family could receive a Family Care booklet, a publication designed especially for the families of soldiers going to Afghanistan. It contains not only all necessary phone numbers, but also basic information about Afghanistan and ISAF, and the description of Family Care.
