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Average resident assessment* of selected statements regarding FMP_
| Statement | Orzysz | Powidz | Redzikowo | Żagań | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Presence of foreign soldiers promotes learning about other cultures and languages | 0.56 | 0.94 | 0.51 | 0.53 | 0.60 |
| Foreign soldiers want to establish contacts and are curious about the place where they are stationed | 0.55 | 0.54 | 0.38 | 0.51 | 0.50 |
| Presence of foreign troops brings money into our municipality | 0.64 | 0.46 | 0.23 | 0.38 | 0.44 |
| I would be happy to make friends with a foreign soldier(s) | 0.31 | 0.23 | 0.63 | 0.18 | 0.33 |
| Presence of foreign soldiers makes my area the most vulnerable in case of conflict/war | 0.38 | 1.11 | 0.16 | –0.09 | 0.31 |
| Foreign soldiers engage in the life of our community | 0.50 | 0.69 | –0.04 | 0.01 | 0.26 |
| I support increasing the number of soldiers or building a new foreign military base in my area | 0.44 | –0.37 | 0.33 | 0.3 | 0.24 |
| Thanks to the presence of foreign soldiers, life in our community is changing for the better | 0.53 | 0.33 | –0.07 | 0.01 | 0.20 |
Research areas with the selected characteristics and factors, based on US embassy in Poland and Statistics Poland_
| Research area | Bemowo Piskie-Orzysz | Powidz | Redzikowo | Żagań |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FMB | Enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) Battlegroup | Forward Operating Site (FOS) Powidz | Naval Support Facility (NSF) | Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) Element |
| Estimated unit size* | 1300 | 1200 | 300 | 500 |
| FMP (since) | January 2017 | January 2017 | ~2008 | January 2017 |
| Municipality type | urban-rural | rural | suburban-rural | urban |
| Municipality size** | 18,721 | 2230 | 19,571 | 23,462 |
| Area description | Region with a diverse landscape of lakes, forests, and farmland; economy relies on tourism, agriculture, and forestry; former part of Germany - annexed to Poland in 1945; major military training area; until 2022, the closest FMB to Russia and Belarus | Village in the lake area; popular recreational destination; flat landscape includes forests and farmland; local economy based on tourism, agriculture, and light industry; high soldier-to-resident ratio | Located on the outskirts of regional capital; former part of Germany – annexed to Poland in 1945; ex-military Air Force zone; flat area of forests and fields; previously dominated by large-scale state farms | Area with strong military tradition; hosted Soviet troops after WWII; reflects both Polish and German heritage known for POW camp during WWII; economy based on industry and trade; covered mainly by forests |
Characteristics of the main impact elements of FMBs in research areas_
| Area of impact | Bemowo Piskie – Orzysz | Powidz | Redzikowo | Żagań |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social | support for local events; breaking stereotypes; military-civilian integration | active contact with residents; international exposure; personal interactions | limited interaction; few cultural initiatives; low civilian engagement | moderate involvement in community life; structured military presence |
| Economic | expansion of gastronomy and service sector; new small businesses | growth in gastronomy and services; stronger financial inflow | housing price increases; limited local investment opportunities | road infrastructure improvements; moderate effect on local businesses |
| Environmental | restricted access to forests; increased noise | general environmental concerns; low awareness of specific effects | negative impact (general) | noise and emissions linked to training areas and mobility |
Average resident assessment* of areas of economic impact_
| Sphere | Area of impact | Orzysz | Powidz | Redzikowo | Żagań | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economic | Gastronomic offer | 1.12 | 1.19 | 0.49 | 0.92 | 0.93 |
| Job opportunities | 0.91 | 1.13 | 0.56 | 0.50 | 0.75 | |
| Creation of new businesses | 0.95 | 0.95 | 0.39 | 0.35 | 0.65 | |
| Technical infrastructure | 0.73 | 1.00 | 0.40 | 0.31 | 0.58 | |
| Tourism and attractiveness of region | 0.68 | 0.36 | 0.10 | 0.36 | 0.39 | |
| Public transport | 0.47 | 0.17 | 0.15 | 0.07 | 0.23 | |
| Population inflow | 0.44 | 0.08 | 0.20 | 0.08 | 0.22 |
Average resident assessment* of areas of environmental impact_
| Sphere | Area of impact | Orzysz | Powidz | Redzikowo | Żagań | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental | Soil or water quality | 0.00 | –0.27 | –0.15 | –0.09 | –0.01 |
| Air quality | 0.05 | –0.25 | –0.21 | –0.17 | –0.12 | |
| Access to forests and green areas | 0.02 | –0.52 | –0.20 | –0.03 | –0.14 | |
| Nature conservation | 0.06 | –0.54 | –0.22 | –0.04 | –0.14 | |
| Waste | –0.22 | –0.72 | –0.28 | –0.31 | –0.34 | |
| Noise | –0.29 | –0.81 | –0.29 | –0.44 | –0.42 |
Average resident assessment* of areas of social impact_
| Sphere | Area of impact | Orzysz | Powidz | Redzikowo | Żagań | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social | Security | 1.08 | 0.00 | 0.99 | 0.37 | 0.69 |
| Cultural offer (events) | 0.86 | 0.63 | 0.32 | 0.43 | 0.57 | |
| Activities of local authorities | 0.80 | 0.53 | 0.40 | 0.31 | 0.52 | |
| Education | 0.53 | 0.38 | 0.39 | 0.21 | 0.38 | |
| Opportunities for personal development | 0.30 | 0.26 | 0.26 | 0.26 | 0.27 | |
| Healthcare | 0.32 | 0.16 | 0.07 | –0.06 | 0.12 | |
| Traffic conditions | –0.12 | –0.50 | –0.05 | –0.58 | –0.29 |
Implications for civil–foreign military cooperation on different scales_
| Scale | Activity | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Local | Social research | Conducting surveys and assessments to diagnose needs, opportunities, and concerns of local communities |
| Information campaign | Implementing educational and informational activities to enhance public awareness of FMB role | |
| Education and training for residents | Organising courses and workshops on cooperation with foreign soldiers with preventive measures to address potential risks | |
| Community engagement events | Supporting social and educational initiatives in cultural institutions and schools, as well as organising events such as ‘open FMB days’ and ‘local days’ | |
| Environmental protection measures | Common environment carrying initiatives | |
| Support for local economy | Facilitating cooperation between local businesses and FMBs by improving partnership process and possibilities transparency | |
| Regional | Promotion of positive civil-military cooperation image | Developing advertising campaigns and cohesive branding strategy for municipalities hosting FMBs to enhance public perception and foster local engagement. |
| Support for regional integration efforts | Initiating and financing activities that promote cooperation between municipalities hosting FMBs | |
| National/International | Report and guide for local governments | Creating structured document outlining tools and methods for effective civil-military cooperation, tailored to local conditions and operational specifics of rotationally deployed military bases. |
| Agreements on use of local resources | Advocating for intergovernmental agreements aimed at increasing utilisation of local suppliers and social capital |