The historic advancement of a Pole in NATO. There are two generals to choose from

For the first time in history, a Polish Army officer, a four-star general, will head the NATO Joint Command – JFC Brunssum – announced on Tuesday the Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Army, General Wiesław Kukuła. He added that this is an important proof of confidence in Polish defense efforts.

The chairman of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, announced on Tuesday that a new division of responsibilities in the highest military positions in the Alliance had been agreed, under which European allies would play a stronger role in NATO's military leadership. Moreover, the United States – he added – confirmed its strong commitment to NATO.

The Chief of the General Staff, General Kukuła, wrote on the X platform that for the first time in history, a Polish Army officer, a four-star general, will head the NATO Joint Command – JFC Brunssum. He emphasized that this was “an important proof of trust in the Polish Army and our defense efforts!”

The Polish general will replace the German General Ingo Gerhartz as head of JFC Brunssum, who has been in charge of the command since June last year.

So far, it has not been announced who exactly will take over the position. In active service There are now two four-star generals in the Polish Army: General Kukuła, as well as the Polish representative in the NATO and EU Military Committees, General Sławomir Wojciechowski.

However, it does not have to be either of the two current four-star generals – until Poland takes over command, one of the lieutenant generals, i.e. the so-called three stars. And there are eleven of them in the army – including: Gen. Piotr Błazeusz, Gen. Adam Joks, Gen. Maciej Klisz, Gen. Piotr Malinowski, Gen. Dariusz Parylak and Gen. Marek Sokołowski.

In an interview with PAP, the spokesman of the General Staff of the Polish Army, Col. Marek Pietrzak, clarified that General Gerhartz will finish his term in the position he took up only a few months ago – in June last year, and only then will he be replaced by a Polish general.

Col. Pietrzak pointed out that the NATO arrangements include a new division of responsibility for three NATO commands – JFC Brunssum, JFC Naples and JFC Norfolk. The command in Brunssum, the Netherlands, is responsible for the defense and operations of Alliance troops in the Central European region. Similar commands, responsible for security in the southern European region and the Atlantic, respectively, operate in Naples (JFC Naples) and in Norfolk, Virginia (JFC Norfolk).

According to the new arrangements of the allies, the command in Brunssum will now be held on a rotational basis by officers from Germany and Poland. Similarly, the commands in Naples and Norfolk – currently held by Americans – will be taken over by Italians and British, respectively. (PAP)

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