Anyone who has read my book Marathon War knows I am a huge believer in the value of allies. During my time as Regional Command – East and CJTF 101 Commanding General, I worked hard to expand the role of our critical team-mates while ensuring we supported their forces and their leaders to the maximum extent we could.

I just returned from a business trip to Warsaw, Poland this week, where I was able to meet with and thank the leadership of our most important ally during my time in Afghanistan: Poland. Task Force White Eagle started as a battalion-sized formation working within one of my US Brigade Combat Teams; by the end of our 15 months in combat, Task Force White Eagle was a highly capable combat brigade with its own rotary wing aircraft, heavy artillery, and was responsible for the entire Ghazni province, reporting directly to me. They earned their reputation through shear competence and hard work: fearsome to the enemy, respected by the elected government, and partners to the Afghan people. It was my honor to work with our Polish allies, and I will never forget their sacrifices.

Some of you may not know that US V Corps has stood back up, headquartered at Fort Knox, but with its forward headquarters in Poland. This makes great strategic sense, both for our NATO  allies, but also for the United States.

As the US seeks to focus more on China, including a broader network of allies in the Indo-Pacific, we should not forget our other allies, like Poland, elsewhere in the world. They are critical for our national security.