Troops from the 82nd Airborne Division began arriving in southeastern Poland yesterday, following the landing a day earlier of advance elements of the division. At least three C-17 cargo aircraft appeared on flight tracking websites today heading into the Jasionka airport, just north of the town of Rzeszow, in southeastern Poland.
Last week, the first contingent of 18th Airborne Corps troops arrived in Europe, where they will form a joint task force in Wiesbaden, Germany. The contingency headquarters, called Task Force Dragon, will be led by 18th Airborne Corps boss Lt. Gen. Michael Kurilla, reported Stars & Stripes. Kurilla is expected to arrive in Wiesbaden in the coming days, an Army spokesman said Feb. 6. The task force will fall under the command of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, which is led by Gen. Christopher Cavoli. Already on the ground is Maj. Gen. Christopher Donahue, commander of the 82nd , who landed in Poland on Feb. 5, the Army said.
Polish military spokesman Brig. Gen. Wojciech Marchwica declared that the arrival of the Americans “proves” the solidarity of the alliance to support the countries of NATO’s eastern flank.He said that a total of 1,700 soldiers, “comprehensively equipped, trained and prepared to carry out various types of operations,” were expected to be temporarily deployed in Poland, reported PAP. They join other U.S. forces already in the country.
