From left, Army Maj. Gen. Walter Wojdakowski and Marine Lt. Gen. Edward Hanlon Jr. congratulate Lt. Col. Fernand Guth (in uniform), Philippe Collart and Peter Arts at Daumerie Casern near Chievres Air Base in Belgium after presenting them letters of appreciation for their work in marking the 60th anniversary of World War II events during the past year. (J.D. Hardesty / Courtesy of U.S. Army)
As awards ceremonies go, this one struck a different tone.
Through the years, U.S. military commanders in Belgium and the rest of the Benelux have recognized local nationals for their contributions and achievements. But those largely were private affairs, with little or no fanfare.
On Wednesday, for the first time — at least as far as folks can recall — the guests of honor from Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg stood together to hear the Americans express their gratitude.
“That handshake meant as much as the plaque,” said Belgian army Commandant Thierry Pirenne.
Pirenne, head of host nation support for the Belgian army, and others were surprised by the outpouring of appreciation, and by all the brass in attendance.
“I was just doing my job,” Pirenne said.
Among the honored guests were Marine Lt. Gen. Edward Hanlon Jr. and Army Maj. Gen. Walter Wojdakowski. Hanlon is the U.S. military representative to the NATO Military Committee, while Wojdakowski is the acting deputy commander for U.S. Army Europe.
The honorees were an interesting mix, from a fireman and farmers to police and politicians as well as military personnel.
“As our storied history as allies defines our future vision,” Hanlon told the gathering, “it is with rare opportunity we bring civic augmentees and friends from across the Benelux footprint together to honor their service as they focus on our continued safety, security and freedom.”
The host of the event, held at Daumerie Casern, was Army Col. Dean A. Nowowiejski, commander of the 80th Area Support Group. The 16 honorees were lauded and given plaques for their efforts in one of two areas: contributions to force protection or support of 60th anniversary ceremonies for World War II events.
Luxembourg army Lt. Col. Fernand Guth, for example, was cited for his “outstanding support” in several commemorative events.
For a small country with 1,000 of its citizens in the armed forces, it’s a big deal.
Belgian farmer Edouard Francois, on the other hand, received praise for his “attention to detail and genuine concern” for Americans. Francois tills the land next to Chievres Air Base, and for years has been alerting officials to security issues, from suspicious cars to holes in the perimeter fence.
As chief of the Schinnen Fire Department in the Netherlands, Jos Diederen and his 32-man team are responsible for the base where the 254th Base Support Battalion is headquartered.
While the workload at the base is light, his city volunteer department works with base officials on fire prevention and terrorism threats.
Diederen seemed surprised by the outpouring of appreciation.
“The American people like to tell you they appreciate what you are doing,” he said. In Holland, “that isn’t always the case.”
