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List of content List of content 4 15 years of the Corps 5 Over the years 6 15 years of the Corps - selected events 10 Looking forward to Family Care Centre 11 Life after duty 12 Taekwondo 14 Down the slope 16 Combat Szczecin Academy 18 Have you ever heard about scuba ice diving 20 These boots are made for walking 22 Tough in the mud 24 Catching a track 26 Out of the fence Corps’ activities 26 An overview of the interactions with the civilian world Three questions to the three generals 28 regarding the future of MNC NE 31 Towards the new Telephone Communication Team 33 – a hidden voice of the Headquarters TheThe BalticBaltic AmberAmber ImpressumImpressum The Baltic Amber is the authorized magazine of the HQ MNC NE, which shall be a fruitful source of information on the Corps-related issues for members PUBLICATION MANAGEMENT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Our team: of the Headquarters, assigned formations as well Public Affairs Office LTC Wojciech Wiśniewski, POL A MAJ Zbigniew Garbacz, POL A as international visitors and individuals. Headquarters LTC Eric Gusenburger, DEU A Multinational Corps Northeast JOURNALIST Karol Sito, POL CIV The name Baltic Amber is derived from the natural Agnieszka Szelega, POL CIV Agnieszka Szelega, POL CIV resin amber that can be found on the beaches of the ul. W. Łukasińskiego 33 LTC Wojciech Wiśniewski, POL A Baltic Sea. It is well known in Poland, the host country 71-215 Szczecin, Poland GRAPHIC DESIGN of the Headquarters Multinational Corps Northeast. e-mail: [email protected] Karol Sito, POL CIV Special thanks to: website: www.mncne.pl MNC NE Linguistic Services Opinions expressed in the Baltic Amber are those of tel. +48 (91) 4445 120 PRINTING MNC NE Reproduction Section the writers and do not necessarily reflect official HQ fax. +48 (91) 4445 127 Mediadruk, Gryfino MNC NE or NATO policy. A printing house is in no way connected to or endorsed by the HQ MNC NE or NATO. 3 Baltic Amber MAGAZINE 15 yearsof the Corps For as many as fifteen years, the member countries of the Headquarters Multinational Corps Northeast (HQ MNC NE) under the leadership of the Framework Nations have been working together on a range of military issues. While delivering the inauguration speech in 1999, the then timed, as also today, Poland along with the allies President of the Republic of Poland Aleksander Kwaśniewski have to meet the real challenge of securing their referred to the three founding countries: Denmark, Germany territories. Since its establishment, the Corps and Poland as the ones, which made a new course in history has consequently aimed at achieving the highest possible: ”We are inaugurating the work of the Multinational skills possible. After passing the Full Operational Corps Northeast on the new structure and in the new Capability test during the exercise Compact headquarters. It has a huge meaning for both Poland and Eagle 2005, the Corps has also expanded NATO. There is a practical meaning, because the north- in many more areas such as strengthening eastern flank of the Alliance will be strengthened. It also has both the structure and the infrastructure of a symbolic meaning because it is proof for covering historical the Baltic Barracks, developing military skills divisions. Poland, Germany and Denmark are allies today. and fostering regional and civil cooperation. They treat their own security as a part of the security of the Since the inauguration date, the multinational whole continent”. German Minister of Defense at that time, character of the Corps has constituted the Rudolf Scharping pointed at the historical location of the new bedrock for all activities both on a daily basis NATO Corps: “It is highly symbolic that we are establishing and on missions. However, the real value of the the Multinational Corps Northeast here in Szczecin, a former Corps comes from its people. Some of them stronghold of the brave Solidarity movement freedom have worked here from the very beginning fighters and as such one of the birthplaces of the new and have known the Corps inside out. For an Europe”. Then, the role of Szczecin in the Baltic Sea Region in-depth overview of the 15 years of the Corps, was strongly emphasised in the speech of the then Danish we have made a calendar of the most important Minister of Defense, Hans Haekkerup: “Szczecin has also events as well as interviewed our soldiers with historically been a Baltic city, focused on trade with the other the longest duty period in the Headquarters. cities on the Baltic Coast and in the German and Polish heartlands. As Szczecin’s trade helped the people of the Article by Agnieszka Szelega, POL CIV Baltic know and interact with each other, so we today want Photo by MNC NE Reproduction Section to tie countries together, not create new lines of division”. On the same day, the then Polish Minister of Defence, Janusz Onyszkiewicz outlined the role of Poland within the security structure: “Poland never wanted to be only the “consumer” of the European security. Our ambition has always been an active participation in its creation”. On the 18th of September 2014, Onyszkiewicz visited the Corps again, this time as a special guest during the 15th anniversary of the Corps’ establishment. His words from 1999 were surprisingly well- Over the years It is most common for many soldiers to move from one place to another. Only very few put down roots and stay at a place. Since the establishment of the Headquarters Multinational Corps Northeast in 1999, soldiers from as many as fourteen nations have worked in its premises. The truly committed ones have marked their presence here and some have served in the Baltic Barracks for many years. Their perspective on the Corps’ development and the changes that it has undergone through the years are certainly a source of verified information. Although NATO’s procedures had been a novelty to the were lots of team building events. Every Polish Armed Forces by 1999, the adaptation to new nation wanted to show their best side. requirements and guidelines did not take long in the These after- hour- meetings shaped the Headquarters as the Polish and international personnel way we treated each other at work. We commenced their cooperation based on the exchange of really wanted to enjoy and use the best mutual experiences. For some, though, especially those features of a multinational formation”, who came here from regular combat formations, serving in says Sergeant Maksymilian Halec, who the Baltic Barracks brought some changes: “We had always has worked in the Reproduction section been told that the only way we could see a general was if we since 2000. Warrant Officer Chmiel had a place at the tribune. Here, it was a common situation. adds: “These days, the personnel Moreover, working with other nations was a completely and their families socialize with others new thing for me. I always say that serving here was, is during events such as Cocktail Party and will be an honour to me”, says Sergeant Szymon or Christmas Lunch”. It turns out that Górniak, who has been working in the Polish National many ex Corps’ soldiers enjoy coming Support Element of the Corps for fifteen years and is the back to Szczecin if not for the sake of Element’s only personnel member whose tour of duty has their sentimental attachment to the Baltic never ended. This has to do with the unique factor that has Barracks, then for leisure time attractions not changed over all those years and has made Sergeant and activities: “I have organized Górniak happy with his working place: “People who serve canoe trips in the past ten years. Until here deliver a really good quality of work. They come from today, my Danish colleagues keep various international formations and bring high standards”. returning to the Drawa river because they enjoyed our common excursions Warrant Officer Grzegorz Chmiel has been working in the back then”, explains Sergeant Halec. Baltic Barracks from the very beginning. As an IT specialist, he provides equipment and services to users in the In its first years, the Corps focused Headquarters. The Corps has given him an opportunity to mainly on passing the Full Operational work according to the NATO’s requirements for the first time Capability (FOC) test. A significant in his career. As one of very few now, he can reflect upon amount of effort was also put to promote the way residents of Szczecin perceived the establishment the Corps within NATO and other military of the NATO’s formation in their city in 1999: “Our Corps was structures, as the MNC NE newly the first multinational headquarters of this kind in Poland. established in Poland, a former Warsaw I remember that some people were concerned that Szczecin Pact member, was a phenomenon. might become more vulnerable. The Corps has always been When in 2006 FOC certification became working on its good reputation through integration with the a fact, the Corps was gradually given local community while taking part in promotional and charity new tasks and its significance kept events as well as cooperating with local authorities at every growing. Sergeant Halec sums up: opportunity”. 15 years ago, a sight of a uniformed foreigner “Years ago, we had to work on building in the street was highly uncommon and even considered our presence and reputation in Szczecin, Article by Agnieszka Szelega, POL CIV controversial at some point. As more Germans, Danes and Poland and abroad. Today, we have Photo by MNC NE Reproduction Section other foreigners came to Szczecin, they became a part of very solid ground and our main effort the community.

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