SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (20 Dec. 2022) – U.S. Air Force (USAF) Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost, commander, U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), met with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), European Union (EU), and U.S. government and military officials in Europe last week.
Van Ovost’s engagements in Belgium, Poland and Germany focused on how the command and its allies can address the evolving security challenges on the continent and support to Ukraine.
“Our logistical success is on full display as we ensure Ukraine receives the aid necessary to defend their nation,” said Van Ovost. “Our capabilities allowed for the rapid deployment of more than 16,000 troops and equipment to the European theater as an assure and deter effort, as well as the delivery of security assistance to Ukraine authorized under the Presidential Drawdown Authority.”
USTRANSCOM has delivered more than 226 million pounds of security assistance equipment to support Ukraine and our NATO allies in the past year. This includes approximately 3,000 air defense missiles and systems, 84 million rounds of small arms ammunition and 1 million artillery rounds, all delivered on military and commercial aircraft from around the world.
On Monday in Brussels, Van Ovost met with the U.S. military delegation to NATO and received a briefing on the 2022 NATO Logistics Committee meeting before moving to the European Union headquarters. While there she met with Ms. Kelly Adams-Smith, the deputy chief of mission for the U.S. mission to the EU and had a working lunch with the diplomatic and military staff from the mission. She also met with U.S. Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli, commander, U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) and Supreme Allied Commander Europe, and Austrian General Robert Brieger, Chairman of the EU Military Committee, before departing for Stuttgart, Germany.
Tuesday was spent with senior leaders, logistics officers and other senior staff members of USEUCOM and U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) at their respective headquarters.
Poland was the next stop on the commander’s itinerary, where she met with the U.S. ambassador and military attachés at the Embassy, before heading to the Warsaw University of Technology.
At the university, Van Ovost conducted an interview with Polish television outlet TVN 24, in which she highlighted the important partnership between the U.S. and Poland, and the critical role Poland plays in providing lethal and humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
“We appreciate everything Poland is doing for NATO, the United States. and Ukraine,” she said during the interview. “The Polish people’s willingness to provide resources for Ukraine’s and Europe’s defense and their hospitality in supporting the millions of refugees fleeing Russia’s invasion have been instrumental in preventing Putin’s war of choice from succeeding.”
She also spoke with a group of aspiring young leaders, sharing perspectives on leadership, overcoming challenges, and the importance of pursuing education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.
“I look to the talented individuals in this room to advance the disciplines of science, math engineering, to help grow a more digitally literate workforce that will defend against emerging threats – especially in cyberspace,” Van Ovost told the students, which included cadets who will join the Polish military upon graduation. “Your success, and the success of your nation will closely follow. This in turn will influence and benefit other countries seeking to preserve the hard-won liberties so precious in our cultures.”
The commander also expressed thanks to the people of Poland for the critical role their country plays in the delivery of security assistance to Ukraine.
“From one grateful ally and friend, I want to thank you and your great nation for your stalwart support. USTRANSCOM could not execute our mission without Poland and NATO - without fail we will continue to stand with the forces of freedom.”
That afternoon, Gen. Van Ovost went to the Polish Ministry of National Defence where she met with Gen. Rajmund Andrzejczak, Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces and reiterated the strength of the Polish-U.S. partnership, particularly related to the movement of forces and equipment in Poland.
Much of Thursday was spent in Berlin, Germany, meeting with the U.S. Ambassador and staff before heading to the German Federal Ministry of Defence. While there, she met with both Lt. Gen. Kai Ronald Rohrschneider, Director-General for Forces Policy, and Lt. Gen. Alexander Sollfrank, Commander, NATO Joint Support and Enabling Command, reiterating the support shared between the two countries and NATO allies.
Thursday evening and Friday were spent in the vicinity of Kaiserslautern Military Community engaging with multiple leaders and units in the area. Van Ovost met with USAF Lt. Gen. John Lamontagne, deputy commander, U.S. Air Forces Europe and U.S. Air Forces Africa; U.S. Army Maj. Gen. James Smith, commander, 21st Theater Sustainment Command. She also visited the 598th Transportation Brigade and 521st Air Mobility Operations wing, the USTRANSCOM Patient Movements Requirement Center and defense courier detachment, where she recognized team members for jobs well done. Each of the star performers received a USTRANSCOM coin.
USTRANSCOM exists as a warfighting combatant command to project and sustain military power at a time and place of the nation’s choosing. Powered by dedicated men and women, USTRANSCOM underwrites the lethality of the Joint Force, advances American interests around the globe, and provides our nation's leaders with strategic flexibility to select from multiple options, while creating multiple dilemmas for our adversaries.
