Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic have agreed to form a joint brigade with each nation contributing about 500 troops. The exact organization of the brigade is yet to be determined, but as it will be offered to NATO and the EU for use in peacekeeping it would be assumed that a medium mechanized unit will be formed with two maneuver battalions and a support battalion. One purpose of the new brigade is to allow the three nations to enhance their defense cooperation and get used to joint operations. The second purpose is to help Slovakia achieve NATO standardization and membership in NATO. A Slovak colonel will be the brigade's first commander, after which the duty will rotate between the three nations.--Stephen V Cole