WARSAW, – U.S. Europe Commander, Lt. Gen. Mark P. Hertling shakes hands with Gen. Mieczyslaw Cieniuch, Polish Chief of Defence May 9. Hertling and Cieniuch met to further U.S.-Polish bilateral partnership and training, which includes deployment readiness and noncommissioned officer development. (U.S. Army photo by Cpt. Audrey S. Gboney) U.S. Army Europe Commander talks partnership with U.S., Polish leaders

By U.S. Army Europe Public Affairs

May 10, 2011

WARSAW, Poland – The commanding for U.S. Army Europe, met with Polish military and U.S. dignitaries during a visit to the capital city here May 8 and 9. Lt. Gen. Mark P. Hertling’s purpose for the visit was to discuss ongoing bilateral military and political partnerships and to strengthen the relationship between the two countries.

During his meeting with Gen. Mieczyslaw Cieniuch, Chief of General Staff of the , the generals discussed the importance of maintaining a strong partner relationship as well as the way ahead that includes combined trainings between the two forces.

One such training opportunity, said Cieniuch, is having his troops trained on the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle to better prepare them for their next rotation to Afghanistan and other future missions.

Hertling also met with Lt. Gen. Zbigniew Glowienka and Brig. Gen. Miroslaw Rozmus, commanders of the and Military Gendarmerie respectively. Both agreed that the MRAP training is vital to the success of their on-going missions as well.

The generals also discussed working together to improve the noncommissioned officer corps in the Polish army. The Polish land forces are transitioning to a NCO structure similar to the U.S. Army and have sent more than 150 Polish NCOs to the Warrior Leaders Course at the Joint Multinational Training

Command at Grafenwoehr, .

The Polish officers are welcoming the new NCO structure and looking forward to sharing some of the duties and responsibilities they would normally perform to their trained and fully capable NCO counterparts, such as training troops, said Cieniuch.

Hertling later met with Ambassador Lee Feinstein, the U.S. Ambassador to

Poland before receiving a brief by the military country team in Warsaw.