The Deputy Commander of the Multinational Corps Northeast (MNC NE) Major General Ryszard Sorokosz participated in the Observers’ Day during the Gardez 11 exercise, held on 24 February 2011.
The aim of Gardez 11 exercise was to check the level of preparedness and certify the combat groups Alfa and Bravo as well as the reconnaissance group of the Polish Contingent in Afghanistan, preparing for the ninth rotation. The majority of soldiers getting ready for the mission serve at the 17th Mechanized Brigade (17th Wielkopolska Brygada Zmechanizowana).
The honourable guests of the Observers’ Day, among others the Chief of the Polish General Staff General Mieczysław Cieniuch, the Chief of the Polish Land Forces Lieutenant General Zbigniew Głowienka, the MNC NE Deputy Commander Major General Ryszard Sorokosz and the acting Rector-Commandant of the General Tadeusz Kościuszko Military Academy of Land Forces Colonel Mariusz Wiatr, were presented with the concepts of the exercise and operations of Polish troops in Afghanistan. They also visited several exercise sites, including the Tactical Operation Centre, which is in command of platoons and companies outside the base. General Sorokosz especially paid attention to the presentation of giving first aid to wounded soldiers on the battlefield, which needs to be professional on one hand, and enriched by psychological reassurance for the wounded soldiers so that they would be not left on their own on the other hand. The right tactics, equipment, including helicopters and other means of transports, has to be used to protect and evacuate a wounded soldier. The guests were also presented with procedures of combat life saver system and individual mobile signaling devices to help identify trapped or wounded troops in the battlefield. 
“From the observer’s perspective, I can explicitly say that the soldiers have been prepared for fulfilling tasks awaiting them in Afghanistan in a good and professional manner,” said General Sorokosz after visiting Gardez 11. Based on the observations made during the exercise, General Sorokosz also noticed a valuable possibility to implement individual training in giving first aid and psychological aspects of fulfilling military tasks in extreme mission conditions in Afghanistan within the Corps’ mission preparation process that would complement national individual preparations for the mission.
Photos by Major Szczepan Głuszczak, 2nd Lieutenant Anna Wisłocka
