Colonel Artur Pikoń, in the presence of the General Commander of the Branches of the Armed Forces and the Commander of the 11th Lubusz Armored Cavalry Division, assumed duties from Brigadier General Dr. Dariusz Parylak.
This exceptionally important ceremony began with the reading of decisions appointing officers to new service positions. The next element was the handing over of the brigade standard to the new commander. Colonel Artur Pikoń proudly accepted the symbol of tradition and, consequently, the achievements of the armored brigade.
After the protocol handing over the duties of commander of the 10th Armored Cavalry Brigade had been signed and approved by the commander of the Black Division, the officers reported the relinquishment and assumption of the position.
The symbols of the Black Division and the 10th Armored Cavalry Brigade were presented to Colonel Artur Pikoń, who was assuming the duties of brigade commander. Major General Stanisław Czosnek and Brigadier General Dr. Dariusz Parylak, who was relinquishing command of the brigade, presented the new commander with the symbols and a commemorative badge of the Świętoszów brigade. At the same time, the Chapter of the Commemorative Badge of the 10th Armored Cavalry Brigade awarded the outgoing commander an Honorary Badge, which was presented by the new brigade commander, Colonel Artur Pikoń.
The nearly two-year period of service in the armored brigade certainly passed very quickly for Brigadier General Dr. Dariusz Parylak. It was too short to complete all the planned long-term undertakings, but at the same time long enough to form an emotional bond with the people who shape the daily life of the Świętoszów unit and to experience the uniqueness of the “black berets.”
Until now, the general was part of the armored brigade; from now on, he will observe the cavalrymen’s daily efforts in Świętoszów while performing duties in his new service position.
During his speech, Brigadier General Dr. Dariusz Parylak addressed everyone standing on the parade square with these words:
On this special day for me, I wanted to thank my superiors for their patience, understanding, and above all, their strong support. This support was very much needed to command such a huge brigade with so many tasks.
I would also like to thank the heroes of today’s ceremony. A commander’s successes are built on the commitment and dedication of all the soldiers under his command. Thank you for carrying out my tasks and fulfilling the mission of the 10th Armored Cavalry Brigade.
I would also like to express my gratitude to representatives of the local authorities, with whom I worked during my service in the Świętoszów unit. Together, we carried out a number of tasks and, in my opinion, the results achieved were truly of a very high standard.
Once again, I thank everyone for our service together and wish you continued success. To the new commander of the 10th Armored Cavalry Brigade, I wish the same satisfaction from commanding the armored brigade that I myself achieved.
Colonel Artur Pikoń:
A moment ago, on the parade square, I took over the standard of the 10th Armored Cavalry Brigade. A standard that embodies traditions and obliges me to be a conscientious and fair commander. It is a great honor and, at the same time, a great challenge for me. General Parylak, you set the bar really high. From now on, I will continue your work. I will strive to ensure that the bar does not fall, and perhaps in the future I will manage to raise it even higher. I sincerely congratulate you on your appointment to the new position.
I thank my superiors, who trusted me and appointed me to this extremely responsible position—the position of commander of the 10th Armored Cavalry Brigade. This is truly a great challenge for me. I promise that I will make every effort to meet your expectations.
Dear cavalrymen, a number of training challenges, command-and-staff exercises, and tasks related to daily service lie ahead of us. I am convinced that the soldiers of this brigade will rise to the occasion and that, together with you, I will be able to achieve the highest goals and complete all the tasks assigned to us.