recent odc activities 2008 

Ambassador Expresses Thanks to the Sergeant Major of Poland’s Land Forces

11 June 2008 

Ambassador Victor Ashe (left) presents a plaque to Sergeant Major of the Land Forces Piwonski (right).  General Franczisek Gagor, Chief of the General Staff, looks on (center).  Also present are Major General Sorokosz (far left) and Brigadier General Cwojdzinski.

On behalf of the Office of Defense Cooperation, Ambassador Victor Ashe presented Mariusz Piwonski, the Sergeant Major of Poland’s Land Forces, with a plaque bearing the “U.S. Non-Commissioned Officers’ Creed.”  In the presence of General Franczisek Gagor, Chief of the General Staff of the Republic of Poland, Ambassador Ashe thanked SMA Piwonski for his efforts in support of the creation and training of a Polish Land Forces Non-Commissioned Officers’ Corps.  Prior to the presentation, Colonel Stanley Prusinski, Chief of the Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC), U.S. Embassy, Warsaw, spoke about the ODC’s ongoing efforts aimed at assisting Poland’s Armed Forces in professionalizing their non-commissioned officer ranks.  Colonel Prusinski highlighted ongoing training and familiarization efforts.  Colonel Prusinski commented about how proud the other members of the ODC – including Sergeant First Class (Select) Larry Kingsbury, Lieutenant Colonel Ray Wojcik, Major James Fisher and Mr. Jaroslaw Brozyna – are to be assisting a close coalition ally in this noble endeavor.