Several weeks have passed since the personnel of the Multinational Corps Northeast came back from the mission in Afghanistan. But one cannot say the mission is completed until the whole staff appears at Baltic Barracks. The home coming parade conducted on 20 September 2010 is the best symbol that this moment has come.
Both the servicemen who took part in the mission in Afghanistan and those who stayed at Baltic Barracks have formed one formation as a symbol of reintegration into a peacetime structure of the Headquarters. The ceremony was observed by families and invited guests, among others the Westpomeranian Voivode Mr Marcin Zydorowicz, representatives of municipal and local authorities, Honorary Consuls of Denmark, Estonia, Germany and Lithuania as well as representatives of the uniformed services and other institutions cooperating with the Corps.
“You worked in a high team spirit, in a good mood, effectively and as professionals. I appreciate your performance, your sacrifices,” said the Corps Commander Lieutenant General Rainer Korff about the mission in Afghanistan. He congratulated the servicemen on fulfilling all tasks in an excellent manner and handed over decorations and medals, including Danish “Defence Medals for International Service”, German “Cross of Honour in Gold”, Polish “Stars of Afghanistan” and “Army Crosses of Merits with Swords” as well as Corps Medals of the Multinational Corps Northeast and Commander’s Remembrance Coins. “Half a year service in Afghanistan was a real examination of the level of your training, combat abilities, professionalism and your fortitude. You fulfilled the entrusted tasks with high level of responsibility, dignity and honour,” stressed the Voivode Mr Zydorowicz. The Corps Commander thanked also the families of all deployers, whose support contributed to the success of their husbands and fathers in Afghanistan, and all those who stayed in Szczecin and continued working at the Headquarters.
Even though the mission has finished, a lot of challenges are still ahead of all Headquarters’ members. It will be an important time to further develop the Corps, improve mission preparation process for other deployments and share valuable mission experiences with other headquarters and commands. “Every one of us brings along unique talents and as a headquarters we must select the very best that each individual offers and go forward in a well coordinated effort. Our work in this Headquarters has a direct impact on the success of the mission executed by MNC NE and the future of this institution,” underlined the Corps Commander General Korff.
