Chief 
of Staff General Norton Schwartz and his Polish air force counterpart Lt. Gen. Lech Majewski signed the Military Personnel Exchange Program memorandum of understanding at a ceremony in Warsaw this week during Schwartz’s official visit to Poland. Under the agreement, the two nations’ air arms will exchange military officers, according to a release from the US embassy in Warsaw on May 30, the day of the signing. “MPEP promotes mutual understanding and trust, enhances interoperability, strengthens air force-to-air force ties, and develops long-term professional and personal relationships,” states the release. Air Force spokeswoman Jennifer Cassidy told the Daily Report on May 31 that the agreement calls for three reciprocal exchanges initially: one C-130 maintenance officer, one F-16 maintenance officer, and one logistics-readiness officer. The USAF airmen—captains according to the embassy release—are expected to be in place, along with their families, at Powidz Air Base and Krzesiny Air Base in Poland by the end of 2013. Their Polish counterparts are scheduled to be at Luke AFB, Ariz., and Pope Field, N.C., within that same timeframe. (See also Polish defense ministry release and Falcons among White Eagles.)
The U.S. is moving to surge firepower over Iran, including its capital of Tehran, defense officials leading the campaign said March 4 at U.S. Central Command headquarters. Bomber strikes are being stepped up and additional fighter squadrons are being deployed.