Press Releases: Remarks at Meeting With Troops

Remarks

Michael R. Pompeo

Secretary of State

Bemowo Piskie Training Area

Orzysz, Poland

February 13, 2019

I travel the world trying to work on tough problems, to do everything I can to keep the American people safe and create peace and stability, and I can’t do any of that without our adversaries knowing that there are forces out there that, if they don’t do the things that we need them to do, there is a risk that we have in terms of force capacity to do the things we need to do to keep Europe and America safe, and it’s you. It’s you people who are out here on freedom’s front line doing that every day.

And it’s hard work. I never went through a training regimen when it wasn’t snowing or raining when I was a cavalry officer back 30 years ago, and I know how much you sacrifice, how much your families sacrifice. I know you love it too. Being in a unit like this is an awful lot of fun, a chance to train together and work together. I know it makes you a better individual, it makes you better as a unit.

But I wanted you to know I had a chance to talk with Secretary Shanahan the night before last, Secretary of Defense of the United States, with General Dunford, told them I was coming out here. They wanted me to express their personal appreciation for what you are doing out here in Poland, working as part of the NATO team to deliver security to Europe and to the United States.

Thanks for what you’re doing. It’s great to see you. It was wonderful to get a chance to see some of your training pay off today in that exercise that I saw. You all are doing good work. America appreciates it, and I know the European countries that you represent appreciate your service as well. Thank you all so much.