Fundamental cooperation between the 2nd Polish Corps and the U.S. Army V Corps

The U.S. Army V Corps Public Affairs reported V Corps and NATO Allies reconvened for the second Territorial Defense Forces Symposium. The event occurred on October 21-22, 2024, in Krakow, Poland, as previously reported on Defence24. The participants of the symposium, reported by V Corps, defined the roles and responsibilities of the Baltic states and other NATO countries during peacetime and large-scale combat operations (LSCO) that could take place in our part of Europe. In coordination with the 2nd Polish Corps, V Corps emphasized that the symposium was attended by over 100 military commanders and experts from NATO countries.

The commanders had the opportunity to obtain the necessary information regarding the organization, capabilities, and space of action (legal and doctrinal) of territorial defense in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland (Territorial Defense Forces - WOT). During his opening speech, the V Corps commander stated, „We need to identify tough problems during these two days.” Lieutenant General Charles Costanza continued, „Then we need to figure out how we are going to solve them to improve how we fight together.”

According to V Corps, commanders present at the symposium worked on adding another component to the regional defense system. Of course, this involved integrating territorial defense resources and treating them as additional security elements in a regional context. V Corps emphasized that territorial defense forces (TDF) in individual countries are significant strategic assets for collective defense and strengthen the combat capabilities of NATO allies and partners.

It is also worth quoting the words of Lieutenant General Adam Joks, commander of the 2nd Polish Corps, who stated, „We have a chance to discuss how we can use the Territorial Defense Forces, how we integrate them into our operations.” The Polish general added, „That’s why I see many opportunities for us during this symposium.” In the V Corps« article, let us also note that the Polish TDF demonstrated tactics and operational capability during the February symposium (2024). The commanders could then see with their own eyes that the TDF is prepared to defend their country and cooperate closely with NATO forces.

It is also worth referring to another interesting statement from V Corps staff. „Fundamentally, this symposium is about shared understanding,” said Maj. Matthew Sharp V Corps G9. „Bringing the Territorial Defense Forces from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland together with the (2nd Polish Corps) they would support in crisis will help us improve systems and processes we currently have.”

The first symposium occurred in February 2024, when 11 countries participated and introduced the capability and future planning considerations. The October symposium in Krakow built on recent joint training with the U.S. Army V Corps, which integrated TDF into exercise scenarios. The Estonian Territorial Defense Force trained with the U.S. Army’s 4th Security Force Assistance Brigade during exercise Austere Challenge 24, and their Lithuanian and Polish counterparts participated in critical exercises called Avenger Triad 24.

The Americans made no secret that the V Corps will continue to cooperate with NATO allies and partners during events, such as the Territorial Defense Forces Symposium, to strengthen the combat capability of the United States and NATO on the eastern flank. Let us remember that earlier this year, in our conversations with Col. Brian T. Hoffman from V Corps, the topic introduced how it was necessary to use the resources of the TDF in a broader sense. Additionally, the TDF often has vital capabilities to obtain information about specific areas where both corps and other NATO forces can operate.

Moreover, we must remember their specificity, which means engaging highly diverse people (leveraging their profession, skills, and environments they routinely operate in). Proper use of the TDF can be an actual injection of operational awareness and multiplication of power in the context of particularly large-scale combat operations. Hence, initiatives that allow commanders to understand each other on this topic and bring a TDF closer to understanding the tasks of modern corps are so important.

The October symposium itself is one of many important events (from the point of view of defense) that are primarily taking place in Poland for now. After the talks on the role and importance of TDF ended, there was an opportunity for direct discussions between the commanders and staff of V Corps and the host, the 2nd Polish Corps. The opening speeches emphasized the role and importance of cooperation in training and everyday service. It should be noted that in the case of both corps, their command currently includes representatives from Poland and the USA in the positions of deputy commanders. Currently, in V Corps, we have Maj. Gen. Maciej Jabłoński (who replaced Lt. Gen. Adam Joks, the current commander of the 2nd Polish Corps). While in the 2nd Polish Corps, we have U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Bryan Howay.

The general officer exchange is an example of how each nation brings the allies even closer together but gives rise to crucial interoperability. The current situation requires this much more than it did in the past. It is necessary to have the ability to conduct joint operations, where both corps will support each other, not to mention subordinating tactical units from both the Polish Army and the U.S. Army to them in the event of combat operations. Remember that the modern eastern flank of NATO is closely linked in the sphere of security architecture with the area of the conventional northern and southern flanks. V Corps is the interconnector in this respect, along with its subsequent initiatives, which are similar to those in Krakow.

In Krakow, it was not hidden that the keyword interoperability is currently directly related to another, or more precisely, readiness. Unfortunately, the current realities show challenges in achieving future goals; commanders and their staff must be ready almost immediately. Therefore, learning from each other and exchanging experiences plays a unique role in this respect. So that a potential aggressor knows that an attack on NATO will be associated with an effective military response, above all, effective and coordinated. Command and control, the flagship C2, is the nervous system of every modern armed force. Regardless of how many artillery pieces, tanks, helicopters, or soldiers can be deployed, it is on effective command that the final victory or defeat depends.

Therefore, it was also noted that it is necessary to maintain the dynamics of the processes that became visible in the space of relations between the Polish 2nd Corps and V Corps, illustrating the broader resonance of the strategic partnership of both countries. Both corps must discuss key sectors, such as data sharing, including critical intelligence data on the battlefield. Another important space is mission command and the structure of command itself (mission command), allowing for the achievement of interoperability, which is currently changing in all cases. Other areas of the discussion and agenda of the commanders gathered in Krakow are the method of conducting fire and coordination of this process. Assessment of how units maintain the ability of one’s troops to operate (particularly important given the experience gained so far, including that of partners from Ukraine, but also one’s studies in the field of logistics, engineering, and sapper operations, for example), conducting maneuvers on a modern battlefield and moving troops, but also protecting them from the impact of various combat systems available to the enemy.

The 2nd Polish Corps and V Corps still include other areas on the battlefield, such as effective psychological operations (PSYOPS) or CIMIC operations. Polish analyses regarding the use of changes in the field of border security, including planned defense systems and even future fortifications (Eastern Shield), may also be particularly important for Americans.

To sum up, such meetings of the highest commanders of both corps are a significant achievement. This allows them to understand each other and the threats while gaining knowledge about the space in which cooperation is necessary, both in training and potentially in combat. However, to have the complete picture, it is more than the discussions that show the degree of cooperation between the two corps. The critical role is played by moments when this is proven in the practice of exercises, and here, it is necessary to emphasize several experiences from the exercise strongly codenamed Avenger Triad 2024.

Avenger Triad 2024 is widely commented on throughout NATO and in various contexts, from the exercising corps, including both national corps from Poland and the U.S., to a scale unknown since the Cold War. Let us add that commanders from V Corps strongly praised the participation of the 2nd Polish Corps in Avenger Triad 2024, which showed that our corps is ready to undertake the most difficult missions in cooperation with NATO allies.