The Association's 16th Annual Tadeusz Kosciuszko Conference featured an outstanding panel and audience of American, Polish and Lithuanian scholars, both military and civilian, who broadened the understanding of 21st century challenges facing NATO with regard to confronting the ever-aggresive and expansionist Russian Federation which has adapted strategies once employed by 18th, 19th and early 20th century Russian Czars to divide, weaken and ultimately destroy the unity of European Union, NATO and the West, including the United States. Needless to say, Kosciuszko was very familiar with Russia's stance vis-a-vis the West in his lifetime.

Indeed, in his opus La Russe en 1839 (Russia in 1839), the Marquis de Custine (1790-1857) who traveled extensively throughout Russia, wrote that "Russia sees in Europe a prey which our dissensions will sooner or later yield to it; she foments anarchy among us in the hope of profiting by a corruption which she favors because it is favorable to her views: it is the history ot Poland  recommencing on a parger scale. For many years past Paris has read revolutionary journals paid by Russia. 'Europe,' they say at Petersburg, 'is following the road that Poland took; she is enervating herself by a vain liberalism, whilst we continue powerful precisely because we are not free: let us be patient under the yoke; others shall some day pay for our shame."

Nicholas I had reigned as Russia's Czar from 1825 to 1855. As such, he had been in power when Poland rose up in its great November 1830 Revolution. On April 25, 1849, he issued one of his many ukases by which he exhibited his perspective on the matter of the West and Poland as follows: "By the Grace of God, We, Nicholas I, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias, etc., declare to the nation, having by our manifesto of March 1848, informed our subjects of the miseries which inflicted Western Europe, we are at the same time ready to meet our enemies wherever thay may show themselves, and that we should, without sparing ourselves, in conjunction with our sacred Russia, defend the honor of the Russian name, and the inviolability of our frontiers. The commotions and rebellions of the West have not since then ceased. Guilty delusion, enticing the thoughtless crowd with visionary dreams of that prosperity which can never be the fruit of willfulness and obstinacy, has entered the East and the dominions contiguous to us, [and] subjects of the Turkish Empire, viz: Moldavia and Wallachia. Only by the presence of our troops, together with those of Turkey, has order been restored and maintained; but in Hungary and Transylvania the efforts of the Austrian Government, distracted already by another war with foreign and domestic enemies in Italy, have not been able to triumph over rebellion. On the contrary, strengthening itself by hordes of our Polish traitors of 1831, and by other foreigners, outcasts, runaways, and vagrants, the rebellion has developed itself to a most threatening degree. In the midst of these unfortunate events the Emperor of Austria has addressed himself to us with the wish for our assistance against uur common enemies. We shall not refuse him. Having called to the assistance of this righteous enterprise, the Almighty Leader and Lord of Victories, we have commanded our armies to move forward for the extinction of the rebellion, and the destruction of audacious and evil-intentiomed men, who endeavor to to disturb the peace of our dominions also. Let God be with us, and who shall be against us?"   

Fast forward to 2012, and a statement made by Vladimir Putin, as was reported from Moscow in The Telegraph by British corresponent Tom Parfitt, on August 12: "Mr. Putin invoked the battle [of Borodino in 1812] in a campaign speech in February which displayed his classic rhetoric about Russia being surrounded by malignant enemies who sponsor internal dissent.  'The battle of Russia continues, the victory will be ours,' he told supporters at a Moscow stadium. 'We will not allow anyone to impose their will on us. We have our own will and this has always helped us to be victorious.' He added: 'We are a victorious nation. This is in our genes. This is in our genetic code. This gets passed from generation to generation'."

In the matter of Russia and the West, "the more things change, the more they remain the same," as the expression goes.  

The keynote speaker for the Conference, as he appears below, had been Lieutenant General (U. S. Army ret.), Frederick "Ben" Hodges, who had served as Commander of United States Army Europe.

In commemorating Poland's 20th anniversary year of NATO accession, and representing the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Washington, DC, Colonel Pawel Marzeda, the Deputy Defense and Air Attache, addressed Poland's current security policy and perspective on NATO. 

In commemorating Lithuania's 15th anniversary year of NATO accession, and representing the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in Washington, DC, Colonel Alvydas Siuparis, the Deputy Dsefense Attache, addressed Lithuania's current security policy and perspective on NATO. 

Carol L. Gargan, Ph.D., the successful primary activist and Founder for the creation and maintanance of the Kosciuska Healing Garden in Scranton, PA, a public school system educator by profession, an Executive Vice President of the American Association of the Friends of Kosciuszko at West Point, and an American of Lithuanian ancestry, addressed the topic, "Honoring Robert Barziloski: Two Citizen Soldiers, Two Continents, Two Centuries, Two Gardens, One Mission, One World."  

Stephen N. Olejasz, a graduate of West Point and now a retired U. S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, had been at one point during his military career appointed, among other appointments, to serve as an Assistant Professor of History for the United States Military Academy. He is now the extant Founding Executive Vice President of what had once been a group of three, the other two having been George A. Katucki and Frances X. Gates (see the "In Memoriam" sections 1 and 2 of our website for their respective biographical summaries). In addition to his fundamental dedication to the welfare  of the American Association of the Friends of Kosciuszko at West Point, he maintains a high interest in security issues confronting Poland and Lithuania, as is evidenced by his annual travel to Warsaw and Vilnius. His topic for our 2019 Kosciuszko Conference had been titled, "Honoring John Kronkaitis, American and Lithuanian Patriot."    

Alan Hoffman, J.D., is employed professionally with Lynch, Fink and Labelle, LLP on Beacon Hill in Boston. Because of his mastery of French, he translated from the original French, the book written by Lafayette's personal secretary Auguste Levasseur that was titled, "Lafayette en Amerique en 1824 et 1825," that doscumented Lafayette's triumphant tyravels in the United States during that period. In 2002, it was publishe ib tghe USA in English as "Lafayette in America in 1824 and 1825." For the 16th Annual Kosciuszko Conference, Attorney Hoffman addressed thwe topic, "Lafayette, Human Rights and the Polish Revolution of 1830." 

His topic reminded conferees that starvation had been rampant in Poland, particuarly in the once German-occupied region, during the early days of national independence following the end of World War I. Without American aid in the matter of food, failure to address starvation generally, but particularly among Polish children, would have been a calamity insofar as Poland's future capability for fielding sufficient armed forces to defend itself, not only against Russian Bolshevik communist forces in 1919-1920, but also in the fateful year 1939, depended first and foremost on food, the staff of life for its children principally, as well as for its adult population secondarily.  

Republic of Poland Brigadier General Dariusz Skorupka, D.Sc., Rector-Commandant of the Gen. Tadeusz Kosciuszko Military University of Land Forces in Wroclaw; New York City Polonia activist and Editor of the Zascianek Polish Manor House publication, Zenobia Zielinska; the Honorable Republic of Poland Senator, State Secretary, Plenipotentiary for International Dialogue with the Rank of Secretary of State on the staff of the Prime Minister's office, Anna Maria Anders; and AAFKWP President / Founder, Anthony J. Bajdek.

Captain Bogdan Horoszowski of Poland's Army, known in World War II combat as Komar (Mosquito), a much decorated officer, stands amidst the Liga Morska (Sea League of America) color guard that performs loyal service during the Annual Kosciuszko Memorial Mass in the Cadet Chapel of the Most Holy Trinity and at the Annual 'Kosciuszko Day' commemorative ceremony in front of the Kosciuszko Monument of 1828 on the same day. 

United States Army Lieutenant General (ret.) Frederick "Ben" Hodges, the Pershing Chair of the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) in Washington, DC.

Lithuania's Vice-Minister of National Defense Giedrimas Jeglinskas, who graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with the Class oof 2003.

Major General Cezary Wisniewski, Republic of Poland Air Force; and Defense Attache, Polish Embassy, Washington, DC.