On 9 February 2010, about 60 officers and non-commissioned officers of the Multinational Corps Northeast (MNC NE) set off for Afghanistan to join other 70 personnel, who deployed to Kabul a week before. The second in history mission of the Corps in Afghanistan has begun.
Exactly one week after the first MNC NE team left the Szczecin-Goleniów Airport for Afghanistan, subsequent 60 personnel gathered in at the airport carrying luggage and lots of expectations of the upcoming mission tasks. "It is going to be my first mission ever. I really want to see what it is like", said Warrant Officer Grzegorz Chmiel. "I am still thinking about my family but I am looking forward to meeting my colleagues, too", said Master Sergeant Uwe Scholtys.
The Commander of the Multinational Corps Northeast Lieutenant General Rainer Korff was present at the airport to bid farewell to the deploying personnel: "Our thoughts and feelings are with you", he said. "We will care about your families – that will be my main concern", General Korff also stated. The MNC NE Commander expressed his conviction that the personnel had been well prepared for the mission: "You have been one of the best prepared crews ever trained in Stavanger", he emphasized. With the words "stick together as a team", the Commander concluded his speech. Then, a military chaplain Lieutenant Colonel Ryszard Stępień gave his blessing to the deploying personnel.
After the speeches and last minutes spent with families, the check-in started. The Commander shook hands with each serviceman and wished them good luck. When the deploying personnel were getting ready to set off with the C-17 aircraft, the families, remaining MNC NE members and the Commander gathered at the observation deck waiting for the aircraft to take off.
In ISAF
All in all 130 MNC NE personnel are going to spend 6 months in Afghanistan. Most of them have been assigned to the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command Headquarters to different branches and cells. "We will do our very best to contribute to the improvement of the situation in Afghanistan", stated Major Jan Matula.
