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Global Strike Command welcomes Czech delegation, photo exhibit

  • Published
  • By Kate Blais
  • Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  Members of Air Force Global Strike Command, the 307th Bomb Wing and the Shreveport, La. community welcomed the Minister of Defense and a delegation from the Czech Republic here, Nov. 21.

While here, the delegation met with leaders and presented a special photo exhibit now on display at the Barksdale Global Power Museum.

The photo exhibition, "Our Security is Not Given," highlights NATO Days and the Czech Air Force Days, events held annually in the Czech city of Ostrava. These events comprise one of the biggest air, army and security show in Europe, and have included participation, in the form of B-52s, from the 307th Bomb Wing, an Air Force Reserve unit on Barksdale.

The Czech-American connection goes beyond displays of air power however, and has extended into a friendship.

"Today's a special day for us and we're honored to have you here," said Maj. Gen. Everett H. Thomas, AFGSC vice commander. "The friendship between the two nations is a strong one."

Thomas mentioned the historical relationship between the two nations to include joining forces in support of Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom and other NATO and United Nations humanitarian peacekeeping efforts.

"Those joint efforts are built upon a level of trust and friendship developed in part through visits and exchanges just like the one happening today," Thomas said, "also through the air shows and military exercises, such as Exercise Ramstein Rover 2012, in which the 307th brought our B-52s over to participate with 15 other nations."

Visiting members of the Czech delegation included Dr. Alexandr Vondra, Czech Minister of Defense; the Czech ambassador to the U.S.; the Czech Air Force commander; the Defense, Military and Air attaché to the U.S.; the deputy mayor of the City of Ostrava; and the chairman of Jagello 2000, a top Czech nonprofit, non-governmental organization in the fields of public and defense diplomacies and sponsor of NATO Days.

"First to the Americans, Happy Thanksgiving," offered Vondra. "Many thanks for hosting us here today. I see this as another important milestone in the Czech-American relationship."

Vondra highlighted other events that worked to establish and strengthen the relationship as far back as 1918, when President Woodrow Wilson helped establish the republic, liberation from German occupation in World War II, restoring democracy during the end of the Cold War in 1989 and Czech participation in the first and second Gulf Wars, the Balkans and Afghanistan.

"I very much appreciate your friendship and willingness to cooperate," Vondra said, "and that's the reason why we are here."

Vondra's visit to the U.S. also included a meeting at the Pentagon with Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, in which they discussed bilateral defense cooperation and the posture of U.S. forces in Europe, among other topics.

The NATO Days photo exhibit will be on display and available for the community at the Barksdale Global Power Museum during its two-week tenure here Nov. 22- 30.