On behalf of Major General Ryszard Sorokosz, the Multinational Corps Northeast (MNC NE) Deputy Commander, all members of the Headquarters (HQ) were invited by the Polish community of MNC NE for the celebration of the Polish Independence Day in Baltic Barracks on 10 November 2011.
According to the tradition existing more than 13 years in HQ MNC NE, all nations contributing to the Corps celebrate the most important moments for them together.
“On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918 the weapons fired across Europe fell silent. After four years of the most bitter and devastating fighting, the First World War was finally over,” said Major General Ryszard Sorokosz, the MNC NE Deputy Commander and the highest ranking Polish officer at the Corps. “We Polish soldiers consider the celebrations of the 93rd anniversary of the Independence Day as a tribute to the past generations for the priceless heritage and their aspirations for independence,” he added.
The event was also an excellent occasion to honour soldiers serving in Baltic Barracks for their exceptional service. General Ryszard Sorokosz awarded two foreign soldiers: Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Griesshammer from Germany and Major Frank Jacobsen from Denmark with the Silver Polish Army Medal. Additionally 16 Polish personnel of the Multinational Corps Northeast were awarded with Afghanistan Stars, Silver and Bronze Long Service Medals, Armed Forces for the Country Medals, Medals for Merit for Country Defense and the Non Article 5 NATO Medal.
Apart from the possibility to see a special video prepared for the day, all the gathered personnel had an occasion to see how the Commander MNC NE Lieutenant General Rainer Korff, his Deputy Major General Ryszard Sorokosz and Chief of Staff Brigadier General Morten Danielsson celebrated the Polish Independence Day at NATO Headquarters in Brussels two days earlier. That day on the invitation of His Excellency Ambassador Bogusław Winid, the Permanent Representative of Poland to NATO, the delegation from MNC NE, together with the delegations from: the Westpomeranian Marshal’s Office, headed by the Vice Marshal Mr Andrzej Jakubowski, the City Hall, headed by the President of Szczecin City Mr Piotr Krzystek, and the delegation from the 12th Mechanized Division headed by the Commander, Major General Marek Tomaszycki, presented civil-military Szczecin.
