Brunssum, the Netherlands - On 06 November General Riccardo Marchiò, JFC Brunssum Commander, visited Exercise Anakonda 2018 in Elblag, Poland.

General Marchiò took the opportunity to meet with JFC Brunssum (JFCBS) staff members deployed under the command of Brigadier General Goisque (JFCBS Assistant Chief of Staff (Operations)) in support of this major exercise. The JFCBS team are acting as the Joint Task Force Headquarters (JTFHQ) for a NATO force deployed in Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland, with the task of protecting those nations against an undefined aggressor. This exercise also embraces a combat-readiness evaluation of the recently established Headquarters Multinational Division North East (MND NE).

The role of the JTFHQ is to coordinate and to command the actions of subordinated units, such as the Polish Maritime Command, the Polish Air Command, the Polish Special Forces Command, Multinational Corps North East and the Polish Joint Logistics Support Group. The JFCBS Staff is also training its role as a Forward Deployed Element, in order to test and improve this concept. General Marchiò was pleased with the efforts of his staff, whose experience and expertise is contributing to the success of Anakonda 2018.